On a roll

I realize this is post #3 tonight. I just was thinking......
Recently, I have had a few people bring up the subject of others being judgemental. This is a disturbing thing to me. First off, being a Christian, we should always avoid judging others, lest we be judged.
Secondly, I have always found that just when you start noticing the splinter sticking out of someone else's eye, a telephone pole sometimes starts jutting out of your own eye!
For example: When I worked in the ER in podunk town, USA, I worked with ER nurses that would make fun of people that would come in for migraines or panic attacks. They would say, "so what? Why are they coming to us for a stupid panic attack?" I used to tell them.....You NEVER know when something could happen in your own life that pushes you over the edge and you start having anxiety or depression. They just scoffed. But truly, one day everything could just be rocking along normally and out of nowhere it can strike. Should we sit at home under the covers and expect it to happen to us? Absolutely not. But what if something traumatic happens to someone you love? What if a near collision in a car petrifies you to the point that you don't want to ride in a car? What if your child dies and it sends you into a deep depression? And migraine headaches? WHEW! If you have ever had a true migraine, you know how sick those can make you. They can make you wish you were dead! Of course, some drug seekers would come in using that excuse. But who am I to say that they aren't hurting? But you can tell (not always) who really feels sick and who is just putting on. People that are really sick, aren't playing, talking on the phone, eating and drinking soft drinks!
But Im not jsut talking about judging others mental well being. Im talking about judging others lifestyles. On more than one occasion, Ive heard of "Christian" people making really unsupportive comments to family members of people with "issues." Issues meaning anything from: divorce, drug addiction, legal issues, custody battles, joblessness and any other unfortunate circumstance that many people are having to face right now.
I guarantee you that these family members, spouses and children that have had to hear rude comments feel very hurt and unsupported. I think that sometimes its best to go by what your grandma and mama probably taught you, "If you dont have anything good to say, then say nothing at all!" Actions and words can be so painful. And the mere fact that these family members (and the like) are having to deal with the bad choices or bad circumstances that their loved one has found (or placed) themselves in is certainly hard enough.
So if you know that someone is going through a trying time right now, please dont focus on their short comings or remind them of what wrong their sister/brother has done...please try to lift them up. Pray for them and with them. Hug them. Find out if they NEED something or if there is anything you can do. Dont sit back and judge them or the ones they love. Gods grace and mercy is good enough for all sinners....not just the ones that we think are worthy.

Big girl panties

I just wanted everyone to know that today marks a huge day in Lyndi's little life. She will turn 2 years old on Oct. 29.......
But today was the first day that Lyndi wore BIG GIRL PANTIES to daycare! And she didnt have any accidents...not even after she got home! She was so proud of herself! She didnt want us to help her up to the pot (her word for potty), help her pull her pants down, flush the potty (dont you dare!!!) or help her wash her hands! She can do it all herself!!! And she isnt even 2!!
I realize that she will likely have an accident sometime in the future....some adults do too! :) But for now....she is basking in the glory of wearing the BIG GIRL PANTIES!!!

Bless her heart!!!

I met my friend Shannon when I was in nursing school in Milledgeville. While I was a mere 30 something, Shannon was only 21 when she started nursing school. For all practical purposes, we didnt have a lot in common other than the fact that we were in nursing school together. BUT....as life would have it, Shannon is one of my best friends now.
I dont remember exactly how things got started between us. I just remember that we began studying together a good bit. She was having a hard time with these tests that we had to take online. These tests werent so much a test of what we knew but rather a test of how well we could take tests! I think that we started out having psych together too. At any rate, I liked Shannon. She was the pretty, popular sort. She had a posse of other girls that she was already really close with because they all lived in the same neighborhood together.
While I was in our second year of nursing school, I began having some health/mental health issues. I wasnt sure which one was the source of my problems. My heart raced. I felt dizzy. I had chest pains and felt short of breath. I felt horrible. I thought I was losing my mind! When I went to see my primary care physician, he told me that I was probably just anxious being in nursing school, having a young baby at home and just being stressed. He told me that I just "need(ed) to get my mind right." He tried me on a couple of different meds for anxiety that didnt work for me. After having some terrible side effects from those meds, I went back to see the doctor and he just laughed at me. Literally. I didnt go back to him.
Anyway, I could spend a month telling of my 4 year journey going to see doctors for "anxiety." But I really want to tell you about Shannon. While we were in the Cardiology part of our clinical rotation in med/surg, Shannon began complaining of having chest pain, dizziness and not feeling quite right. I told Shannon that what she described sounded familiar and my doctors just told me that it was anxiety. Well, one day while we were at clinical dealing with people that had just had open heart surgery, Shannon was standing in the hall and stated that she just didnt feel right! Then she tried to pass out on us!
We whisked Shannon off to the ER! After many tests, a few doctors later (one at Emory) and about a month later...Shannon found out that she had a hole in her heart. She had to have the hole closed via open heart surgery. This took place in the last semester of nursing school. Anyway, she ended up finishing up nursing school after the rest of us... but she finished. What a huge battle.
About a year after the open heart surgery, Shannon began experiencing chest pain, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and a whole host of nasty symptoms. The doctors feared that something was wrong with her heart. She tried several cardiac meds. Nothing seemed to help. The doctors began telling her that perhaps SHE was just feeling anxious!!! EKGs looked fine. Every thing else looked fine.
So, one doctor went out on a limb with Shannon and decided that MAYBE it was her gall bladder causing the problem and not her heart at all. Gall stones will make you think you're having a heart attack! Once they went in, they found that her gall bladder was enlarged and full of stones!! YEA!!! So no more problems!!!! RIGHT?!?! Wrong....
She began having chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness and fatigue. She felt horrible!! She wanted to sleep all the time. Never mind that Shannon was now only 23 years old! Again they told her that it had to be just nerves from planning her wedding! Or maybe she was just stressed because her fiance Dave was overseas with the Air Force! One doctor told her that it was just in her head!
Finally, after several visits to the ER....Shannon's body decided that it would have an episode while she was working (she is a nurse by this time). One of her coworkers decided to take charge and contact an electrophysiologist. An EP is a doctor that deals with the electrical conduction of the heart. Dr. Segati (who is very well known and respected in Macon) took Shannon in and did an EP study on her. As it turns out, Shannon had SVT (supraventricular tachycardia). Her heart rate would surge up over 200 beats per minute (normal rate is 60-100). So Dr Segati performed an ablation (burning of the misfiring node in her heart).
I talked to Shannon last night and she told me that she has been one entire year without a single symptom or problem with her heart!!! And still no anxiety!!!!
Well, back to me now. Over the last 4 years, I have seen an Internist, a Cardiologist (a jerky one at that), psychologist (for my anxiety), a gynecologist and a gastroenterologist. Then when I moved to Athens, I began to see a different family doctor, a new psychologist (for my anxiety), a new gastroenterologist, a new gynecologist and a new cardiologist. I still had chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and palpitations. First, I saw a doc in the box nurse practitioner ( she was so awesome..she listened and took her time with me). She referred me to a surgeon to have my gall bladder removed. I too had gall stones! So a lot of the midsternal chest pain and horrible nausea resolved!
One day while I was working at Elbert Memorial, I ended up being admitted for an irregular, rapid heart rate. My new primary care physician, Dr Mize, noticed that I had an irregularity in my EKG. He referred me to a new cardiologist and a gastroenterologist. I have had Ulcerative Colitis since I was 17 so I just had to get a check up with this new gut doctor.
The cardiologist, Dr Woodard, talked to me for a long time. Then he sent me to see an EP doc, Dr Griffis. Dr Griffis decided that they would hook me up to an event monitor for about a month. About 3 weeks into wearing the monitor, the cardiology office called and told me that I needed to come in and see the doctor and begin taking a new medication. I tried the medication and it did not work for me. I felt horrible. So when I followed up with Dr. Woodard, he finally explained what was wrong with me. I had SVT! Just like Shannon! He recommended that I have an ablation done to "cure" the problem.
When I told Shannon about what happened she just laughed. She accused me of wanting to be just like her! I told her that I would do the gall bladder and heart thing but if she got pregnant, I didn't want any part of that! Until last night, I didnt even realize that she had had the same problem. I did tell her that I recently had a kidney stone...and she hasnt had one of those yet! And I haven't had open heart surgery...and pray I never do!
For years Ive been told that I just had anxiety. I have taken so many medications and had to see so many doctors. Ive had doctors laugh at me. Ive had doctors accuse me of being a hypochondriac. Ive dreaded going to the doctor!! I have had anxiety over the last few years...but its because I have been told so many things and I haven't been believed for so long that I did start feeling anxious!!! Now, is this SVT my only problem? No, my gynecologist thinks I have some hormonal issues (yea...thanks a lot EVE!! You just had to eat the fruit huh?). Then there is my Ulcerative Colitis. Some days I feel so worn down and old!! Did I mention that my bones creak too??
But through all of this, Shannon never doubted me. She always told me to keep trying until someone figured this out. She had faith in me even when I felt like I was about to fall off the edge. I really had some dark, hard times with this "anxiety" issue. And poor Shannon, she went through such a hard time when no one would believe that she was really having a problem.
Last night she told me that when has worked with some cardiologists that they almost always dismiss a female patient that comes in with cardiac complaints. If they run a few tests (blood and an EKG) and they dont see anything, they just dismiss it as anxiety. They dont take us seriously. But when a MAN comes in, they almost never dismiss them as having anxiety.
I cried a little when Dr. Woodard explained what I was dealing with. I told him that I have had a history of "anxiety." He said that anxiety would not cause SVT. He showed me on my chart where my heart rate went from a steady 60, shot up to 150 beats a minute and then fell right back down to 60 bpm. He said that anxiety wouldn't look like that and that the symptoms that I had were not my imagination. I was just in disbelief. I told him that my former cardiologist (Dr. Jerk) just smirked and told me to live right and exercise...I would be fine. Never mind that I felt like crap! Dr. Woodard told me that the only way to manage SVT is with medication (which hasnt worked for me) or ablation (which could CURE it).
Thank God that I know Shannon. She has been such a great friend to me for the last several years. Ive had a few great friends that have hung in there with me, prayed for me and offered a non judgemental shoulder to cry on. None of them just smirked and told me to get my mind right. None of them called me crazy (not to my face!) and stopped talking to me. Thank God for them too! And thank God that finally a few doctors actually took the time to listen and put forth the effort to figure out what was going on with me!
Now, will my anxiety go away completely? I'm not so sure about this. I have become a bit more of a worry wart than I used to be. Maybe now when my heart starts racing or I feel dizzy, I wont have to try to analize what's going on in my head to make me feel "anxious." I know its not in my head. And maybe in November when Im hoping to have the ablation, I will be cured of this SVT forever! Id love to send Dr Jerk a note and tell him that he can kiss my.......

The Weekend

This weekend was the first in a long time for Pete and me....we got away for the entire weekend without the kids!!! If you dont have kids, you cant really appreciate what that means for a couple!!
One thing it meant for us to be without the kids, is that every time I stopped the car and got ready to get out, I unconsciously looked back to the back seat thinking I had to get Lila and Lyndi out! Some habits are hard to shake!
Saturday night, Pete and I had dinner sans screaming, fussing and having to say "EAT AND QUIT PLAYING!!!" And we didnt have to spend $10 for a meal that didnt get eaten by Lila! That was nice too! Now, dont get me wrong, we did miss them this weekend! But we appreciated the break too!
Pete rode in the 3/6 Gap ride in Dahlonega today. If you dont know anything about bicycling, the 3 Gap refers to the three mountains that Pete had to ride up. It was a 58 mile ride. The people that rode the 6 Gap had to ride up 6 mountains. And if you think "HOW HARD CAN THAT BE??!" You are nuts!! Riding the course in my car about wore me out! I dont know how Pete did it!! And he said that it was his most favorite ride ever! He never once got off his bike to walk! He is my hero! Im amazed that he was able to complete this ride. And he did it in 4 hours and 3 minutes. Amazing!
Men and women alike rode. Some people were obviously in their 60s and maybe even older. There were some teens in the ride too. When it came down to it though, no matter how big and strong they were, they were all tired at the end of that race. But they should have all been proud of themselves for even getting up the first mountain and attempting that ride!
We saw God's country today. Part of that ride went up through a community called Suches. Im telling you, that was some of the most beautiful land Ive seen in Georgia. It was just amazing! We really live in a beautiful state!
Anyway, its back to the grind tomorrow. Oh and no there wasnt any gas up in the mountains either! If there was a gas station that had gas, it was for about $4.19 a gallon and the lines of cars wound out of the stations and down the road. Again, I was thankful for my little car. I saw a Hummer last night and thought that that kid driving it must really regret having a vehicle like that! Because it doesnt matter if you have the cash to pay for gas...there isnt any gas around to be paid for!!!

Testing, testing, 1..2..3...

I realize that most of my blogs seem to be related to my faith in some way. I really don't want to sound preachy. I think that God has been directing me to write some of my blogs. I pray about it a lot of times. Maybe since I'm not working in the hospital setting, working in a caring for others type ministry, perhaps this is a way to supplement my service to Him? I don't know. All I know is that I have enjoyed being able to share my thoughts and experiences with you. So if you ever get to feeling bogged down with my thoughts, well then YOU JUST PRAY ABOUT IT!! hehehe
My faith has been a tricky thing over the years. I feel like such a toddler in my Christian life. Sometimes I feel so strong in my faith, I literally feel like God is carrying me in his arms through certain parts of my life. Other times, I feel as though I have been shut up in a dark closet and I know God is out there, but there is that door in between us. I really don't like that feeling. That's when I really try to pray even harder. I have had moments where I got down on my knees and sobbed to God to please open my heart and mind.
Yesterday at work, I really had my beliefs challenged. My boss David began to question my beliefs. David is a good person and a very smart person. But he is very LIBERAL and one of those Democrat folks. I have other Democrat friends and relatives (that read my blog---red headed ones at that) whom I dearly love and I'm not trying to insult them or say anything other than the fact that: on the subject of politics, we don't agree. But David mentioned to me that there was someone in politics that had the view that ONLY Christians should be elected to office. I kind of shrugged and gave a "well..." sort of response. He questioned my support of this person's beliefs. I told him that being an American I cant say that that shouldn't necessarily be true. However, being a Christian, I cant say that if there is person was qualified to be in office and they were a Christian then I feel like that would be a bonus. I really like that our President is a Christian.
So David pressed on...what if the person running for office was a Buddhist or a Muslim? Well, if there wasn't a qualified Christian and these people were more qualified....then I guess they can have that position. But Id like to think that there is probably a qualified Christian for the job! Either way, I would want someone with the good of the people and what's best for our country in office.
David dug in a little deeper. He asked me that as a Christian do I really believe that the world is only 6 thousand years old?? And do I believe that Jonah was swallowed by a whale? Do I believe that Adam and Eve existed in a garden with a talking snake?? He also asked me about my stance on homosexuality. Why he didn't GO THERE with abortion and divorce I don't know!!
So all I could say was this...since I am no Bible scholar (being a Toddler in faith and all): I believe all of what the Bible says. I don't think that the world is only 6 thousand years old. I know that dinosaurs roamed the Earth. But what is time to God? God created Earth in 6 days and rested on day 7. The Bible mentions Adam and Eve but doesn't say that on the 12th day God created man. Time is a human created measurement. I don't know what a million years is to God. And God had to have created dinosaurs and cavemen. I think that they were probably just fancy, interesting toys to God. Then he probably got lonely for more interesting creatures that he created in his own image.
What about EVOLUTION?? Is Charles Darwin wrong? Kind of....I don't believe that we EVOLVED from monkeys. Sorry. Are we genetically related. Sure. We are also genetically related to all mammals. Have some creatures had to evolve/adapt to our environment? Yes, I do believe that. Otherwise, those species would not have ever survived. Does God allow this to happen? Obviously he does.
What about Jonah...I think he did get swallowed by a big fish...was it a whale? I dunno. Lots of strange things happened back in the olden days. God really had to work to get these people's attention! There weren't many big scholars and a lot of educated folks roaming the Earth back then. Symbolism and phallic symbols weren't part of their way of thinking. God had to be much more literal with them. And thankfully, he is much more literal with us at times!
I told David that I couldn't answer all the questions of life and creation. I can only go by what the Bible says about all this stuff. And I do trust what it says. Can I explain things like why bad things happen to good people? Homosexuality? Disease? Large fish eating people? Walking on water? Parting of Seas? No. Ill just have to wait to see what God says about all that stuff.
David then told me that he believed some of that stuff too. He just doesn't know all the answers and cant understand it all. He was grilling me and putting me on the spot to see what I would say. Thanks! Am I offended that he questioned my religious beliefs? No way! I think that its good to have a challenge like that. Now if he said that he was going to fire me for being a Christian, Id say...BRING IT ON PAL! But this wasn't the case. David likes to try to make me squirm. And I think that when Jesus' disciple was challenged and he denied Jesus, (three times) I think that he was scared and didn't realize that he shouldn't cave (for fear of death). Well, I didn't cave (but the stakes weren't as high either!!!). Did I sound like a bumbling idiot because I couldn't quote scriptures? Probably. But I don't care about that. That conversation wasn't about me.
See, our secretary and I are faithful Christians (notice I didn't say perfect Christians!). And I asked her right after starting here why she thought that two people with similar beliefs and faith were placed in such a small office together? I didn't think that that was a coincidence. I think that people like David are going to be drawn to us to know more. See, Sherrie and I have actually prayed together here at work when it seemed that our day was headed South from the get go! And I have to tell you that our day worked out brilliantly!! God was SOOOO with us! I think that non believers and other Christians are going to know or sense whats going on in this office (I surely hope so!) and there are going to be more tests and more people seeking love and support. And I think that's all just part of God's great plan!!

HDTV

This morning at Church Pastor Rodney was preaching from the book of Haggai. The basic idea of the entire book is that God wanted his people to build a temple for him but the people were too busy being sinners to much care what God wanted. So God essentially allowed them to be plagued with drought and famine. He didn't "have their back" anymore. But these people were totally immoral and lacked faith in God.
Anyway, Pastor Rodney made a point today that stuck with me. So YES I do pay close attention in Church! He motioned to the big projection screens at the front of the church. He said that when Judgement day comes, how will we feel to have our entire life shown up on those big screens. All of our sins will be shone up on the big screen! But then all of our good deeds and faithfulness will be shown too. But he said that he didn't think that when our sins are shown up on that screen that any of our fellow Christians will be able to watch for fear that their life's sins may be shone next.
I sat there in that pew (in the second row) and looked up at those screens. And I thought..."What kind of person have I been all my life?" I'm a pretty good person. I don't lie, cheat and steal. Ive never killed anyone. Ok I do say the occasional cuss word. Well and I do get angry. Ok and I do feel bitterness from time to time (just read my previous blog). I probably haven't listened when God has told me to do something or say something...out of fear or not knowing if God was talking to me.
But I was only thinking of NOW...what about in my 20's? What about in my teens? What about the thoughts I have after talking to difficult people? What about the feelings I have had about being a step parent? What about the resentment I have felt over the last several years? What about having been married and divorced before? What about how Ive disrespected God and my own temple (my body) in the past?
When God tells us not to judge others...and in the story about the adulteress or the prostitute being stoned, "He who is without sin may cast the first stone..." Well, I wouldn't so much as be able to pick up a grain of sand to hurl at anyone! I don't know that I am worthy of blowing on a speck of dust.
Imagine the shame and guilt that the believer will feel standing in front of God. Just think of how eager we will feel wanting to get to the good deeds part of the slide show! But then for the GRAND FINALE...how we will feel when God says---- "NOT GUILTY!!!!" and still give us our rewards for trusting and believing in him! I bet that first part will FEEL like it takes an eternity!! But then we will get the reward of living the eternal, sin free life.
Which reminds me, the other day I was talking to a patient's family member about his son who had been killed in a motorcycle accident a few years ago. Naturally he missed his son. He later said that he guessed that it was better to be alive than the alternative. I think this is faulty thinking. I hear people say all the time that they think its better to be alive than be six feet under. I think that they are limiting their thought processes. We are thinking of our Earthly bodies only and not thinking about our eternal Heavenly bodies. I don't think that its wrong to think about dying as being a blessing. I'm not saying that we should all rush out and try to kill ourselves so we can go to Heaven. I'm just saying that YES we should thank God every day for the blessings that he has bestowed upon us here on Earth. We have so much to be thankful for. But if thinking about a life in Heaven with our Father, being with our loved ones, peace, no sickness and no sin.....what could be more wonderful? Fortunately for this man, he is a believer in Christ. His son was too! He knows he will see his son again!
A dear friend of mine called me one night and he said "Marci, I was just thinking about how ready I am to go home." I had to say, "ME TOO!" He is only 35 just like me. Who knows, we may have 50 more years on this Earth to think about what it will be like when we finally do make it home. So for now we will be grateful. But one day, we will go home. We will have peace. We will have happiness unlike anything we have ever known on this Earth. And for anyone that has children and knows that unbelievable love that you feel for them...just imagine that in such an unconditional state and magnified...that is the kind of love we will know. That's just too great to even grasp a good hold on.

Todays news....

Well, I have started three blogs so far and erased every one of them. There is so much that I would love to say but I cant bring myself to do it. All I can say is this. I have been married to Pete for 8 years in October. When we married, I became a step parent to an 11 year old boy. And I married a man that was married to his first wife for about a decade. So I inherited an ex wife. Let me just say that the last almost 7 years have been some of the MOST trying years of my entire life. I have had to bite my tongue over three hundred million times. I have 598,001 nerves broken over that same period of time. I have had 385,938 headaches. And I have had at least 3 moments of intimacy interrupted by phone calls due to said ex. I have had my jaw drop about 3,847 times due to ridiculous decisions, ideas and actions. I have shaken my head in disgust approximately 83, 980, 937, 003 times. I have taken probably several dozens of Tylenol for my headaches. Im sure that I have had at least 1 to 3 migraines. And I probably have a nervous tick too.
I just have to ask......at what age does all this end? At what age can we stop having to deal with "stuff" or listening to "stuff" and stop having to be told what we have to do (should do or better do)?I thought it was 18?
All I can say is that I am so grateful that I did not have children with my ex husband. I dont know what I would do if I had to deal with an ex wife and an ex husband.

New word

Please add to the new list of words that Lyndi says: WHY????
Again I ask, PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!!!

Kindred Spirits

Have you ever thought about what makes a person your friend? Not just an acquaintance. Not someone that you wave to from a distance. But a person that you can share the deepest, darkest thoughts with and they are there for you. Maybe they are person that you can share your goofiest ideas with and they actually see why that idea isnt so crazy? I think those people are kindred spirits.
I have a few friends that after I first met them, I felt like I had known them my whole life. They are the kind of person that you feel like you can bear your naked soul to them and they would still be right there by your side...whether they agreed with what you said or not. I think thats a rare quality. And I think its hard to get to that place with other people. So many people (men and women) have been so hurt by others in the past that they have a hard time trusting. Trust isnt just an issue for married people. Its an issue for close friends too.
In Sunday school we have talked about having an accountability friend or group of friends. What that means is that when one of us gets off the right path, our friend is to speak up and try to help guide us back. How wonderful to have a friend care enough to do that! How not wonderful for the accountability partner that has to speak up!
How often has a friend of ours dated someone we didnt think was good for them? Or what if a friend was making some really bad life choices? Its hard dishing out the news to our friend that he/she are not making wise choices. And think of how hard it is for our friend to take the news that, at the moment, he/she is really deviating from the right path?
But people that are willing to be accountability partners, have to agree that if someone needs a little nudge that they will be there to serve it and the receiver has to be open to critism and guidance. I think that it takes a mature person to fill both positions. And think of the trust that has to be in place!
I am so greatful for the friends I have. I have friends that I have been with for decades. I have newer friends that I havent known forever but I feel like I have. I appreciate all the guidance, wisdom (and I have some very wise friends), love and caring that I have gotten from them over the years. Like a perfect marriage, my friends have stood with me through sickness and health, wealth and poverty(mostly poverty!!!) and hopefully only through death will we part.

Lyndi aka "Short Kat"

Who knows where nick names come from. Pete is always coming up with some sort of fancy name for people. I was Bo Peep. He was Peep. Lila has always been Beetle (why I don't know!). And now he calls Lyndi "Short Kat." I think of her more as a Sassy Cat or Ready to scratch your eyes out cat....but that's not what he calls her. Perhaps this name will wear off. I think the tendency to call someone a nickname must have come from being in law enforcement. The fellas always had nicknames for each other. At Pete's old job they used to call him Peter Amos all the time....Why? I don't know that either.
Anyway, next month, Lyndi will turn 2 years old. I don't know where time has gone. I have a hard time recalling what she was like as a baby. I remember a lot of sleepless nights. I remember a lot of spitting up. But I don't remember too much else. I know she has always been such a cute baby. She has always had tons of hair too. Her hair is longer than mine ever was. I didn't have hair until about the age of 4. Yea it was pretty sad. But not Lyndi, she has a flowing blonde, somewhat curly hair. Its so pretty and thick. She has grey and brown eyes. I think the gray comes from Pete's Dad. We all have green/brown eyes. She has a cute little button nose and a fabulous smile....a very devious smile. Someone called her the devil one time. Im not sure how she knew how devilish Lyndi can truly act. She is a mess!
This past weekend, in one day, Lyndi had 3 baths. First bath was from having poo from the waist down...coming from taking her diaper off in bed. Then she got into our tub and spread soap all over her body...which lead to bath #2. Then she got into some paints that Lila had been using...resulting in bath #3!
Because Lyndi is potty training, she flushed about 1 roll of paper. She flushed about 40 gallons of water. She climbed on the potty about 50 times and back off again even after having pee peed in her pants.
Lyndi screamed "MINE!!!!" about 500 times!! She dragged her big wheel down the driveway screaming at the neighbor's cat MINE because she thought the cat wanted her big wheel! And she screamed "I don't want it!" "NO!" "STOP IT LILA!!!" "NO MAMA!!" "I WANT A DRINK!" "I WANT MORE!!" "NO, NO, NO!!" And then she just screamed at the top her of her lungs for minutes at a time! My favorite is when she screams like that in the car! Or the store. Or in a restaurant.
Speaking of restaurants, while we were in one this weekend, she poured chocolate milk down the front of her (truly and accident...from which we recovered nicely due to good planning on my part!). Then she threw her fork down on the ground...about 5 times. Then she spat her food out because she wasn't getting her way. And then she began screaming at the top of her lungs. Then she tried to stand up and get out of the high chair. All the while, this man, who was sitting with his family (2 kids and a wife). Kept looking at me like "CAN YOU DO SOMETHING ALREADY??!" I had tried telling her no. I tried telling her bad choice. I tried to make her sit. I tried to divert her attention. I tried to threaten to spank her. Nothing worked. So finally I had to take her out of the chair. We had a pow wow on the way to the car. The poor waitress asked if i wanted a to go box....no we were FINISHED. But admittedly, I felt like I had to make sure no one was watching me when I applied a smack to Lyndi's bottom. I don't want someone calling DFACS because my wild, not even 2 year old was actin the fool in public!
This is my beautiful, lovely Lyndi. My Lyndi who asks for CHUGS at night (hugs). My Lyndi who, gives me wet, sloppy kisses on the mouth. My Lyndi who rinses my back off in the tub for me with a little plastic cup. Lyndi who puts her precious little hands together and closes her eyes to pray at night...and follows up with a big AMEN! And my little Lyndi who will come put her arm around you, pat you on the shoulder and say "U ok?"
I don't know what I am going to do if this behavior lasts until she is 4 like Lila's did. Lila's didnt start until 2 1/2 and exploded at 3. Lyndi started at 1 1/2.
Did I mention that Lyndi desperately loves to help sweep the floor? She loves to brush teef (teeth). She loves to point out cat yak. She loves to dance and sing! She loves to drive Lila nuts!
Ahhh Lyndi! What am I going to do when she becomes a teenager? As so many people love to tell me...."She is gonna be trouble!" Thank you! Pray for us!

The Red, White and Blue

This morning at church, one of our members, Wendy was explaining a few public service crusades that the Ladies Ministry is participating in. Wendy is the wife of an American Soldier. Shane is in Afghanistan right now and will be there for nearly a year. They have two children together. Their children are very young. So, essentially right now Wendy is a single parent. I don't say that to shame Shane or any other soldier. I am proud of Wendy. I am proud of Shane. They are both making HUGE sacrifices for our country right now. And even though Wendy has loaned our country (and right now, Afghanistan) her husband, she still is trying to head up these programs to give assistance to the Afghan people and to our Soldiers.
One of the projects is called Operation Bundle Up. They are asking that people donate warm clothes and jackets to the Afghan people that Shane and his fellow soldiers are "mentoring" right now.These people are very poor. They do not receive government assistance because they live in the "rural" area that Shane is stationed in. October marks the beginning of very cold winter in this part of the country. The soldiers want to be able to help these people by helping them stay warm and alive. Wendy and the Ladies Ministry at Comer Baptist are requesting clothing donations or financial assistance with shipping costs. Wendy is also wanting to collect letters, donations of powdered drinks, candy, snack foods, toiletries and the like for the soldiers.
What a selfless act by Wendy... to take a tremendous amount of time out of her life and her children's lives to put together these programs. And how exciting that we will be helping the Afghan people! And more exciting, that we will be able to show our own thanks and appreciation to OUR soldiers for what they are doing!
I don't have anyone personally from my family that is stationed in a hot spot with our military. I have a couple of friends that are married to soldiers. Words can not express how much I appreciate the HUGE sacrifices these families make. I can not begin to imagine what it must be like to send my husband off to war or a war zone. These soldiers are gone so long during each tour of duty.
One way that I am reminded of our soldiers daily is this (please don't laugh): I have a little green plastic Army man that rests above my vanity in the bathroom. Every day I see this lone soldier there, always poised, ready for action. It helps remind me that there are thousands of people, men and women stationed all over this world, doing a job that honors our country and assists the people of the world. I do pray for our soldiers and their families. I hope that this will be a reminder to you to say a little prayer for our soldiers and their families too!
Wendy and Shane, thank you for all that you are doing! We love you both and your beautiful little family! Thank you for being so self less and caring!

And they come back....

Ok so while I was out today, the Jehovah's Witnesses came back again! This time they dropped off a Watch Tower and an Awake magazine. Pete said that he was out cutting the grass when this fellow dropped by. He said that this fellow was insinuating that Pete didn't go to church today. Maybe he thought that since he was cutting the grass that he was an unbeliever. Pete told him that we were members at Comer. Anyway, this fellow wanted to share a verse from James with him. So he did and then he left.
I took the opportunity to read over their literature. I want to know EXACTLY what they believe and why they call themselves Christians. Well, after reading their literature, I still couldn't come up with a full answer of their beliefs. So I went to their official website. From the website I was able to read a lot about Jehovah and Christ but I couldn't find a clear way to be saved. And I discovered that they believe that when Christ returns, Heaven will be on Earth not in Heaven. Only certain people will go to Heaven, the rest will stay on Earth and live in Paradise under Jesus' rule.
I did finally come across the idea that they use the Old and New Testaments. They call them something else. Also, they believe in Mary and the Virgin birth. They also quote Revelations a lot. There is no mention of confession of sins. Baptism. No sprinkling or otherwise. What happened to John the Baptist? The Disciples?Anyway, check them out. I think its good to know what other groups are saying about Christ. Compare that to your own beliefs. I think that Christianity as we know it, based upon the Bible only, is very comforting and straightforward.
There is a website set up by an independent person called www.towerwatch.com this group has spelled out why the JWs are wrong in their beliefs. They say that the JW's believe that only 144000 will go to Heaven. The rest of the world wont go to Hell, they will stay here on Earth in Paradise or die.
So why am I concerning myself with the JWs at all? Maybe because they keep showing up at our door and giving us literature! I want to know what they are thinking. And truthfully I just don't agree with their beliefs.

Jehovah's Witnesses

This afternoon, Pete found a tract lying on our front porch. The tract was left by a Jehovah's Witness. Evidently a group of them were visiting the neighborhood. As it turns out, our next door neighbors are members as well. We have limited discussions with them about their beliefs. They used to be Christians many years ago before changing over.
Having only been around a few Witnesses ever in my life, I did try to do a little reading up on their beliefs. I read one of their little booklets that they had passed out. I quickly realized that their take on Jesus Christ is really rather vague.
In this tract that we received today, it states: "EVEN many people who are not Christians believe that He was a great and wise teacher. He was certainly one of the the most influential people who ever lived." This quote came from the The World Book Encyclopedia) 'Who is "He"?' Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity. Then it goes on to say that Jesus' ministry was recorded in the 4 Gospels.
Additionally this tract says that "He was not just a great teacher who taught love. He INDICATED that he had a prehuman existence as the only begotten Son of God. ...he also had a posthuman existence, which makes him even more significant to you. The Bible indicates that Jesus was raised up and is now enthroned as King of God's Kingdom. Jesus said: 'This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.' "Indeed, taking in knowledge of Jesus Christ can mean endless life in Paradise." Then the last sentence says, "Jehovah's Witnesses will be happy to help you.-John 13:34-35.'
The final quote from John actually says," A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
In this tract, it does not really mention that the only way to heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ. John 14:6-7 states, " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on , you do know him and have seen him." Verse 11 states," I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." Then further on in John, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit saying (verse 16) "And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
Jehovah's Witness mention that Jesus INDICATES that he is the son of God. They mention that you can live endlessly in Paradise if you take in knowledge of Jesus. It does not mention that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that believing in him is the only way to everlasting life. The Trinity- The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are not mentioned. There is no mention of Jesus being born to a virgin. No mention of confessing sins and praying to God for forgiveness. According to the tract, it glorifies LOVE. Which love is so very important. Love is one of the greatest lessons that Jesus taught. However, Jesus' sacrifice for us is by far the greatest example of LOVE ever. Just simply loving one another is only part of the greater picture.
If you are like me (before taking time to study up a little) and cringe at the thought of having a Jehovah's Witness appear at the front door, try to be a little more open minded. Im not saying to be open to accepting their message as truth. Im saying, take a look at the book of John that they quote. Next time one of the Witnesses visits the door, you may feel a little more prepared. You dont have to be able to quote what the Bible says. Just know in your heart what YOU truly believe. As a Christian, we believe that (John 3:16-18) God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. We also believe in the the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity. And we believe that the Bible does not only consist of 4 Gospels, but a New and an Old Testament. We believe in prayer....lots of prayer. We believe in loving one another. We believe in the 10 Commandments.
None of these truths are scary. We believe what we believe. We can feel fully confident in what we know, even if we haven't memorized all of the books of the Bible.
I know that Jesus doesn't just INDICATE that he was the Son of God. I know that Jesus Christ died for my sins. I know that he showed the most pure form of unconditional love ever in the existence of the world. I know that no matter how bad of a sinner that I am that Jesus still loves me. And I know that eternity is guaranteed to me as a believer in Christ. Being visited by someone with a tract in hand will not change those truths for me. Thank God for the blessings and knowledge that he has bestowed upon us in the greatest truth that exists: The Bible. The entire Bible. So if you get a visit, opening the good book to John or one of the the other Gospels could make for an interesting conversation!

Drunk dialing...drunk blogging?

Ok, as many of you know, I have been suffering from an acute case of the kidney stones. Not last week, but the week before I was very, very sick from a 3mm kidney stone located in my right kidney. Well, as of this past Wednesday, I have not passed this aggravating thing. So I decided today that I might take things into my own hands.
Everyone says, "drink lots of water!" I have. "Drink cranberry juice!" I have. So I thought I might try something a little harder....
So I went to visit the local Intoxicologist in downtown Danielsville. I was given a prescription for a six pack of New Castle Brown Ales. Please, understand that I do not EVER partake of alcoholic beverages. I do not even drink socially anymore. When I was in my early 20's I did drink occasionally. My experience with alcohol is very limited. I grew up around alcohol and I did not care for the experience. BUT....I decided that I was willing to try just about anything to get this stinking stone to pass. So I tried one of the bottled dark ales. Suprisingly it had a nice, light, not bitter taste to it. I liked it pretty well. So I drank my one beer. Curiously it made my bladder feel as though it was ready to purge after about 3 ounces.
I think this is where the idea that drinking beer to flush the kidneys must come in. Once you get a small amount in, a large amount wants to come out. Will this work to clear my kidney of the offending stone??? I sure hope so. But...
I cant say that Ill be drinking another one of those ales. Already I feel woozy headed. Half way through, my coordination is off. And, go figure, I had multiple thoughts of going to visit neighbors. Pete wont let me out of the house! He doesnt want the neighbors to think that I am a drunk. And strangely enough I feel the urge to tell folks that I love them........See...me and alcohol...not good! So I will sit here and blog instead.
For all of my friends that dont know.......I LOVE YOU!!!!! YOURE THE BEST!!!!!!
If you know how to get rid of a kidney stone....please let me know. Ill be having a CT scan on Tuesday to find out what to do next for this little booger. Due to my lactose intolerance I dont drink milk. I dont take calcium and I rarely drink soft drinks.
I told Pete that maybe I just need to take up a bunch of bad habits....not smoking, not eating dairy products, not drinking a lot of soft drinks, not drinking and not using drugs is killing me!!!!!

Just dreaming?

Do you dream? Do you dream in color or black and white? I dream a lot. I have the craziest dreams! I think my dreams are directly related to the medication I take. As a side effect it lists VIVID DREAMS as one as the potential reactions. Why is it that when it mentions that, it does not mean that they are going to be good dreams? Psychological thrillers would probably be more accurate. But its something that I have kind of gotten used to over the years. Sometimes its hard to separate what happens in my dreams from my reality. I have to remind myself that it was just a dream.

I do dream in color. I think that is supposed to have some sort of significance. Im not sure what that is now. i know that the belief used to be that people only dream in black and white. But thats not true...for everyone. I definitely see color and very vivid colors, even before taking dream enhancing drugs (just as a note, I dont take any illegal drugs. Just prescription drugs as prescribed!).

I have seen that whenever I have something on my mind or feel overwhelmed, I am very likely to dream about tornadoes or someone chasing me. If I feel like I am being taken advantage of by someone on my life, I have horrible attack dreams. I often dream about my parents and my brother. There always seems to be some sort of conflict between me and my family member. And my mom always seems to interrupt the most "interesting" dreams ALL THE TIME! The way I see it, its time for mom to leave me alone! I am a married woman for goodness sakes, I can dream about my husband if I want to!!

I dream a lot about the house I grew up in. I used to dream about going down to the basement and about it being haunted. My room was in the basement. Now, I dream about having parties in the basement. I also dream about the basement or our house being really nice, big and really pretty elaborate...usually. Which if you pay any attention to dream interpretation, the house that we dream of is our perception of self. So if you dream of a dark, scary house, then chances are that you are feeling dark and afraid in life. And I tend to think that that is probably true. Im excited that I have been throwing a lot of parties lately in my dreams. I know that means that my perception of my inner self is starting to get really good! I dont feel so "haunted."

My favorite dreams are very spiritual dreams. I can really sing in my dreams. I have always wished that I had a nice singing voice. In my dreams, I can sing opera without missing a note! I tend to sing praise songs (most I make up) . In real life, I dont know how great they would sound, but at the time, they are amazing! And in my dreams, if someone or something is horrible and evil, I usually end up rebuking them in the name of the Lord! Its amazingly powerful! (should I admit this stuff to the world?)

I dream of flying. Usually I fly superman style, but sometimes I have to literally flap my arms. Thats more tedious. And sometimes I have a hard time getting lift. Sometimes though I am able to really soar....and Im afraid of heights so thats always interesting!

When I dream of swimming, I always like that I can breath underwater. The whole oxygen thing is never a problem. Good thing too because I dont really like water or swimming a whole lot.

Im sure that everyone has heard that if you die in your dream, you die in real life. Thats not true. I have died in several dreams. I have fallen and reached the bottom. Yep still livin! But I cant say that it is a good feelig to be dead in a dream.

Oh and how about when you are just about to go into a deep sleep and you trip in a hole in your dream!?! I always jump and wake myself!! That feeling stinks! I always end up mumbling an apology to Pete (who is usually still asleep). Night twitches and jerks are no fun. And how about raising your arm up in your sleep. I have awakened a few times doing that! I am always reaching for something or somebody. I bet that would freak Pete out if he saw that too.
Ive had some pretty strange things happen in my sleep, in dreams and in the semi-sleep phase. Most things people probably wouldnt believe me or want to believe me about my special occurrences. Pete always asks but then doesnt like to hear about it. In Milledgeville, I used to have really strange experiences. I havent had any of them here in Comer. I think our house in Milledgeville was a gate way to......something.

One last story before I go! When I lived at home with my parents in Colbert, I slept in a room at the back of the house. One night after we had just moved in to the house, I was lying in bed, probably just about to fall asleep when....

I saw a man in a flannel shirt standing at the end of my bed. He covered his mouth with his finger as if to say shhhhh! I said "What do you want?!!!" He just smiled, turned and walked out of my room. I was scared to death! I was so terrified that I jumped out of bed and ran into my dresser! Then I opened the door to my room and looked out into the hall. Nothing. No one. That was the only time that happened there at that house. Once I moved to Milledgeville, that one little episode was NOTHING compared to the events that I experienced in our little old house!!

So there you have it. More than you cared to know about my sleep habits. I probably should have a sleep study done. Its no wonder that I have to take Ambien at night. Maybe its the Ambien's fault that I have sleep problems....hmmm.

Trading RICHES

This weekend, Pete and I stayed close to home. The furthest we ventured out was to "town" or Athens as some other folk might refer to it (my neighbor laughs when I call going to Athens, TOWN..like its some great feat!) We had a couple of invitations to Central Georgia this weekend but we declined. I was afraid to get too far away and get caught off guard by this kidney stone that seems to be lurking around in my urinary tract.
While we were home on Saturday, we had the "opportunity" to see an episode of "Trading Spouses." So what you might think. Well in this particular episode, one of the couples was from Greenville, Georgia and the other from New York. The couple from Georgia lived in an old farm house with chickens, cows and various other farm creatures. The city folk, commonly referred to as Yankees in this Southern region that we live; lived in an apartment with a community gym, a swimming pool and had valet parking.
This Georgian couple had two little boys about the ages of approximately 8 and 10. They were rather rambunctious little boys. One spent a great deal of time whining like a girl. The oldest was what I would call, a brat. But the parents, they were just good ole COUNTRY folks. The father was the one that was to be traded. He evidently worked in a plywood mill. Life for them was very slow and dull. Just the way they liked it. The father had literally never been out of the town that he grew up in. He had never seen the beach. He had never been to Atlanta. He had never been ANYWHERE. Home was what he knew and loved.
Let me just add about these country people that they could not have been a more stereotypical "SOUTHERN" family. Their accents were thicker than mud. The poor father did not have all of his teeth. They were the kind of family that gets picked out of a crowd of 1000 people to report the UFO sighted or the tornado wreckage. BUT....I will say that they were good people. The husband, had a heart of gold. He was a very emotional sort, that got torn up over leaving his own family and then equally torn up over leaving his host family that he bonded with during the show. Understand that I am in NO WAY making fun of this man or his family. Its just the facts. This is how OUR media projected this SOUTHERN FAMILY.
And then there was the Yankee family. The Dad was a Jewish Lawyer. He talked loud. He was a big heavy guy. He loved his possessions. He prided himself on the fact that he had a fancy apartment, had a big law firm and had the largest beach house in the area. His wife, was very bossy and controlling. His children however, seemed well behaved but also not necessarily WANTING for anything. The whole family loved to live the big life. They always had their car parked by the valet. The wife was planning the Bar Mitzvah for her son Pierce. She said that those parties cost as much as a wedding. They were used to the BIG, busy life!
So whats my point you might ask? Did I write the whole story line down because I thought it was just an awesome show?! No.......
I am writing this because it had a big message in it. And the message wasnt that Lawyers from New York are obnoxious know it alls. No. Or that Southerners are made to look like idiots on tv. NO. Even though they were portrayed that way. But the message was this...
The whole idea behind the show was that each family got $50,000 for participating in the swap. And NO, I dont know how you can get signed up to send your spouse away for a week or two.
There was a big twist to this 2 hour long show. The fathers got to say how the other family spent the money. So the lawyer got to spend the plywood mill's worker's money and visa versa. Well, this wasnt about how the lawyer was very smart about paying off the Southern family's debts and helped them to remodel their dilapidated house. And it wasnt about how the Plywood Mill working father designated the money to go toward activities (like cooking lessons for the mother and father) to draw the family together so that they could bond. No, what I saw was the Jewish wife of a Lawyer who wanted to have her son's extremely expensive Bar Mitzvah payed for with the $50,000. She was hacked as our pastor at church would say. She demanded to be able to speak to a LAWYER!! Nevermind her husband was one. She felt like she got cheated out of her just desserts as a participant in the show.
In the end, the Southern dad and his family came out on top of the world. The Northern family, the mother in particular, acted as though the world had crashed down upon her. She commented that this other father just did not know what her financial needs were! Evidently living the big life, meant that someone was having to fork out some big payments. She needed that Bar Mitzvah payed for!! (But realize of course that this media wanted us to see the stereotypical IMAGE of this Northern family) The simple life seemed to win out on this show. And in life in general I think that's true.
I found a passage in the book of James that explains this whole show really well. James 4:13-17 says: "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there , carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesnt do it, sins.
I am in NO WAY suggesting that people that have money are greedy sinners. I am not saying that poor people are righteous either. All I am saying is this: We all spend too much time worrying about tomorrow. Many of us tend to think that if we could just have this or that that life would be better and we could all just be happy. Many of us (yes even us Southerners) get caught up in having our gym memberships, our fancy new cars (or our fancy hybrids that save us lots of money on gas!!! 35mpg BABY!!!!), our big fancy houses, the nicest clothes and collections of rare whatevers. And I am as guilty as the next person. I may not have rare whatevers but I do love my car for its excellent gas mileage.
But what of this, that our lives are just mist that appears and vanishes? And how about the good that we ought to do and dont? Has there been that person or family sitting right in front of you that has been hurting or in need and maybe you have just chosen to look the other way? Why? Is it because you know that (or dont know) we could all be just one breath away from being in THAT person's very same position? Fear paralyzes us so often. The "WHAT IFs" eat us alive in our daily lives.
I told Pete today that there is a Christian family that we know that is really suffering right now due to mental illness. This mental illness is consuming their daily lives. And mental illness is not something that resolves itself overnight. Mental illness is a disease that destroys lives, families and communities. For many people that havent had to deal with a serious mental illness, they tend to joke about it or turn their backs to people/families that are dealing with it. Its not like a diagnosis of cancer. Most cancers you can see in xrays or on a CT scan. You can even touch cancerous tumors. You can often palpate tumors under the skin. You can see tumorous lesions on the skin. But mental illness... It lurks around, rearing its ugly head in the form of paranoia, irritability, worry, obsessive behavior. You cant put your hands on it. You dont always get to SEE it. You can see the pale skin and emaciated faces of those that stop eating because the very thought makes them sick. Or you can see the dark circles under their eyes or the bags that hang there from a lack of sleep. Maybe you might even catch a glimpse of the fear and angst that weighs the person down, in their eyes or in their very posture. But do you know that its mental illness? Do you turn your back because you dont know what to say or do to help? Or do you giggle thinking that this tormented souls behavior is just odd?
A friend of mine, has two children that she worries about every day. Because her children's father is bipolar, will her children suffer from mental illness too? Because I have depression and anxiety will my own children suffer from this very same problem? Can you imagine what a parent whose spouse has something like bipolar with mania or schizophrenia stays awake at night worrying about?
So, if you know anyone who is suffering, from a lack of food, welfare, sanity or peace, do what you know is good and right and try to help and avoid the avoidance that leads to sin. And Im not saying that we have to buy things for people. Im not saying that you have to give up your fancy smanchy car or the Coach purse. Im just saying that taking a minute to encourage someone, hug someone, PRAY for or with someone, laugh with someone or take someone a meal that needs it, can mean the difference between a person feeling alone, isolated, without anything, hungry or full of worry OR feeling blessed with a little bit of peace and love.

Random Thoughts on a Thursday

As some of you know, I have just recently started to get over a bout of the stomach yucks and a kidney stone. Now the Urologist said that a kidney stone will make people throw up from the pain... but the nausea and vomiting I had seemed independent of the back pain. And Sunday night Lyndi threw up in bed and had the screaming memee's the next day. My demise started on Monday. However, I had been having daily episodes of random nausea and rumblings in my right side. Either way, whether they were related or not, the last 3 days have been hell. Which brings me to some other thoughts.
I feel that I need to share some pet peeves of mine. If you are one of THOSE kinds of people that do any of this stuff.....STOP!!! When I was sitting in this tiny little waiting area at the Urologist's office, a man (middle aged at that!!!) sitting no more than 2 feet away from me, kept playing with the ring tones on his phone. Over and over he flipped that phone open and ran through the list of ring tones and songs.....yea......
Pet Peeve #2--- Nauseating perfume. You know that old lady smell that haunts closets and dresser drawers of the elderly? Clothes that have been sitting in drawers, with pocket books, old bibles and various shopping lists, lying there fermenting over the years? Probably some sort of sachet tossed in there to make their lingerie smell more pleasant? I think that that scent comes in a bottle and this lady was wearing it in this TINY LITTLE WAITING ROOM. Did I mention the nausea and pain that I was in? If you go to the doctors office or hospital, please don't wear perfume!!
Pet Peeve #3--- Yea, ok I was irritable that I had a stone rolling into my ureter and was having difficulty peeing like a madman with an enlarged prostate! But....this young fellow with a lisp and a thick southern accent was talking really LOUDLY about some old fellow that they must have had in common. I know every detail about this man's life now! I know what he ate for breakfast. I know that the physical therapist thought that he should be running races, but this young fella thought that was just too much to ask of this poor fellow. I know that he did walk into the kitchen to get a drink instead of getting a cold one from the little refrigerator in his room. He is just going to HAVE TO move that refrigerator some place else....blah blah blah.................If this was your family member and you recognize the story.....sorry but the fellow got on my nerves. I'm glad that the older fellow can walk now some. But everyone in the building did not have to know..............
So now Im through complaining! I am greatful to be passed the worst of this kidney stone thing...I think. I follow up in a week. I hope that when I go to the office, my three cohorts wont be there.