Recently, I had a patient that had suffered a brain injury that had left her unable to speak. Pressure on her brain, seemed to put a block against her ability to recall and speak words. Often times, stroke patients suffer from this same problem. For some its a permanent problem and for others, speech will return. The question that always comes up is how much will a person with a brain injury be able to recover with proper rehab?
Where this lady lacked in speech, she was able to make up for with the most beautiful smile. Her smile conveyed years of gentle kindness to others. It revealed how much she loved her friends and family. It told me that she was placing her well being and trust in me to care for her. Honestly, her smile was her protection from people losing patience with her lack of abilities. If there is a human being that could be cruel or neglectful of someone who could smile so preciously, then that person has no heart.
This beautifully smiling lady, has a very large family. Taking in others in need into her home is a regular practice for her. She never has met a stranger. All of this is very apparent in her expressions. And to add to this beautiful smile, one day she said to me,"Yes!" When she spoke to me, I turned and looked into her bright face. She knew what she had just done. I wanted to cry tears of joy! How amazing! And it was a purposeful YES! She was answering a question I had asked.
I always have spoken to people despite their ability to communicate. I can not imagine being stuck on a vent or having a trach and not being able to speak. Day after day, people walk in, complete a task and leave the room. What if no one took the time to consider that the person lying there in the bed, motionless and quiet, had a mind that was working 100 miles an hour?
After YES, she had me! Then she began to laugh. At times that laugh was a giggle like one would hear between two close friends sharing a private joke. Once I asked her if she had pain in her leg, her response was a clear and profound,"NO." I drew close to her face and she grinned from ear to ear. I told her,"I LOVE YOUR WORDS!" She was so proud of herself. I couldn't have been more happy for her.
On my most recent day of working with my sweet lady, she had been suffering with a pain that her daughter and I could only figure had to do with her stomach. She was terribly uncomfortable and cried out. Her face, twisted up into the most awful expressions. The beautiful smile that I would have jumped through hoops to get to see, was hidden behind pain. It hurt my heart to see her so miserable. After many attempts to try to relieve her pain, I came back into the room saying,"hey sweetheart, how are you doing now?" She turned to me and said,"Hey sweet heart!" Then she giggled a little knowing that she had saved the big guns for me! I know I was beaming. I had finally been able to manage her pain but I also got to hear more complex words.
People always ask me if their loved one that is in a coma or in the final stages of their life can hear them or know they are there. I believe with all my heart that this is true (unless the person is completely brain dead and their soul has already left the shell of their physical being and gone home). I suggest that people always talk to their loved ones even if they think they cant hear them. The same goes for people that are seemingly "not home" or have suffered brain injuries. Just like this little lady, if we never spoke to her or took the time to listen, we would not have been able to appreciate her precious smiles but also, we would have missed those words. Those words start out small and as she grows in confidence and is able to recall more words, she will speak again. I hope I get to hear what she has to say! And whatever is on her mind, I know that because of her beautiful spirit, it will be followed with a laugh and a smile!
About Me
- ComerDweller
- I am 40-ish as a friend of mine calls us. 42 to be exact. I have a teenage daughter (eek), an 8 year old daughter and a stepson in his late 20's. I am married to a terribly quiet man that only speaks when he has something to say. Otherwise, no small talk.We live in an itsy bitsy, teeny weenie little town in Georgia. I love small town living. I am a nurse and have been for 10 years now. I love caring for others. Sometimes "others" don't care to be cared for...but I try to love on them anyway.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Weekend 2010
5/28 Friday
I worked until Noon today. I left early so that we could hit the road with our camper in tow to High Falls State Park in Jackson, GA. The trip down was interesting. I spent about ¾ of the time telling Lila and Lyndi to quit going at each other. Its amazing to me how much energy children have when it comes to wanting to annoy one another. If only they had that same energy and enthusiasm when it came to cleaning their rooms or being polite to one another. Alas, it was not to be. Instead, tears were brought forth and there was gnashing of teeth…mostly from me really. My poor, frazzled last nerve has been duct taped and super glued so many times, it’s on a matter of time before that precious little thing just SNAPS!
But we made it to the state park. We had to make a couple of rounds before we were able to settle on a camp site. The park is packed. We are camping on the “river” side. The other part of the park is the “lake” side. Pete and I decided that since there IS a river somewhere in the vicinity of the park, they could refer to it as the “river” side….cause no river can be seen from where we are at…only the bath house. Speaking of the bath house, Lila informed me that there is only ONE stall in the women’s restroom. So really it can’t be called the WOMEN’S restroom…only WOMAN’s restroom. All the rest of us WOMENS will have to wait until that one WOMAN gets done!! Thankfully we have a potty in our camper. And thankfully we have multiple sanitation packets to keep our sewage from becoming too stank! AND we have PLENTY of toilet paper! We are set!
This evening, after we ate our dinner which consisted of turkey burgers and baked beans, we went for a walk around the camp ground. The girls really just wanted us to walk over to the play ground. On our way over to the play ground, a little young fellow went flying by on his bicycle. I lost sight of him quickly once he disembarked from the road and took on the field. Looking out across the field I could see one handle bar sticking up out of the ground. There was one limb belonging to this little creature waving in the air. Evidently, said creature encountered a ditch that couldn’t be seen until one as right on top of it….and he endoed right into the thing. Pete informed me that it was my nursery duty to go check on the little chap.
We made it to the play ground and had a good turn at it without anyone getting hurt. While we were sitting there on the park bench watching the girls, a little girl toddled over to examine Iris. She was probably about 3 years old. She asked lots of good questions about her. She was with her sister who appeared to be about 13 years old. After having read “The Shack” and having just watched “The Lovely Bones”, I couldn’t help but be reminded of how easy it is to entice children to have them fall victim to horrible, nasty people. Thank our good Lord that we are in fact GOOD people. Both of those references will keep my eyes open and watching my own children during this camping trip. I did happen to notice a man sitting outside his camper, watching the playground. He didn’t have any children over there playing. I thought how easy it would be for someone like him to approach a child playing unsupervised. And those two girls that talked to us, held no defenses up to us. They were enamored by Iris. And who wouldn’t be really? But again, I really am thankful that we are the good guys. Those girls were precious. All children are…even the ones that like to fight with each other to the death in the back seat of the truck while heading down to High Falls State park for a little R&R on a Memorial Weekend getaway!
May 29 Saturday
Yesterday we spent checking out the campground. Because it was a holiday weekend, it was packed on the river side and the lake side of the park. All methods of camping were being utilized from pup tents to Master RV buses. Some tents were connected by tarps in hopes of keeping the impending rain storms from flooding them out like ants from an ant hill.
We then left the park and we to Dauset Trails. Dauset is a beautiful preserve that houses all manner of wild animals and farm animals found here in the US. Along with wild animals, they have owls, hawks and a Bald Eagle. The girls loved seeing all of the creatures. While walking around, we got trapped near a group of approximately 12 children with just a couple of adult women in the crowd. Those kids chanted, squawked, sang and generally tormented said wild life. I think the animals probably sighed from relief for being caged up and protected from those wild children!
All in all, the girls had the best time at Dauset. Lyndi and Lila got to see a Tom turkey parade around all puffed up and bellowing out his most impressive call for a female love. We got to see two Bobcats fight and growl at each other. Turtles and geese (with half a dozen baby goslings) came near to see if they could snag a few crumbs from the wild humans that came to visit them at the park.
From Dauset, we went to visit Indian Springs campground. Indian springs is about 10 miles from High Falls. While on one side of the camp ground was a convention of women with short hair, sporting rainbow and = sign bumper stickers, on the other side were masses of holiday campers. If at the mention of women with short hair made you think that I should have stayed to hang out…thanks, but no thanks. Short hair and camping were our only common interests at that point.
While we were exploring the park, we happened upon a very large snapping turtle in the middle of the road. The turtle was the size of a hub cap. A very vicious hubcap! I hopped out of the truck to get a closer look and to SNAP a picture. Behind us some park rangers pulled up. When they observed what I had gotten out to investigate, they decided that they needed to save said turtle from the mean streets of the park. One of the men (know that I wish I could have taped this scene), decided that he could pick the turtle up to move him out of the road. The minute he laid hands on that turtle, that turtle opened up his large jaws and SNAPPED at that man, causing the man to lurch and jump away from Mr. Snapping Turtle. Feeling that it was his civic duty to get that turtle out of harm’s way, that man attempted 3 or 4 more times to remove that turtle. Three or four more times that turtle snapped at that man and lunged at him! How that man came away from that humanitarian act with all fingers intact, I will never know. But it made for an interesting sight!
On that way back to camp, we HAD to stop at Dairy Queen in Forsyth, GA where the law enforcement training center is located. Pete’s GEMA office was in that building. That’s also where I used to go for training when I was an officer. But back to the ice cream! We all got a cone. Pete and I got a chocolate dipped cone. We sat outside in the nice comfortable evening air and enjoyed that ice cream. Lyndi had nothing but good to say about getting to eat ice cream…in between licks of course! It was really a treat! Well, all until Lyndi dropped her cone on the ground! She was mostly finished though. She had managed to get the ice cream all over her hands, her shirt and shorts and in her hair. It was all good!!
5/30 Sunday
This morning, I made French toast with homemade glazed Fuji apples and cinnamon. It turned out very nicely! Its rough having to camp in such a primitive manner! After breakfast we trekked down to the river. The water was higher because of the torrential down pour that finally came last night. The girls spent their time throwing rocks in the river. Then Lyndi managed to fall into the water, soaking her pants and light up Strawberry Shortcake shoes. She was not a happy camper at that point.
For lunch today we ate at a restaurant called Buckners. Their whole feeding concept revolved around the concept of a Lazy Susan. All customers were seated around large tables (together with strangers) with a Lazy Susan in the middle. Dish after dish of Southern delicacies came out. Fried chicken, roast beef, creamed sweet corn, butter peas, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread, peach cobbler…….the list goes on! Each person takes as much as they can eat and spoons that Southern goodness onto their plate. Sweet tea is available to wash down the food that feeds the soul. The girls actually ATE for a change. Butter peas and coleslaw were Lila’s favorites. Pete nearly ate 3 chickens on his own, piece by piece. I loved it all and especially the yeast rolls and peach cobbler!
After returning to camp, we noticed that our tent dwelling neighbors were packing up. The sky was threatening to unload another gusher…which it hasn’t at this point. Lyndi is lying in bed taking a nap that she said she really didn’t need. I practically had to wrestle her like an alligator just to get her to lay down. Lila, Pete and I made it to our camp chairs outside the camper. The temperature is cool enough for us not to sweat and warm enough to kick our shoes off and sit around in shorts. It’s a tough life having to sit here listening to the sounds of the campground and the water dripping off the camper from the night’s rain…..
I worked until Noon today. I left early so that we could hit the road with our camper in tow to High Falls State Park in Jackson, GA. The trip down was interesting. I spent about ¾ of the time telling Lila and Lyndi to quit going at each other. Its amazing to me how much energy children have when it comes to wanting to annoy one another. If only they had that same energy and enthusiasm when it came to cleaning their rooms or being polite to one another. Alas, it was not to be. Instead, tears were brought forth and there was gnashing of teeth…mostly from me really. My poor, frazzled last nerve has been duct taped and super glued so many times, it’s on a matter of time before that precious little thing just SNAPS!
But we made it to the state park. We had to make a couple of rounds before we were able to settle on a camp site. The park is packed. We are camping on the “river” side. The other part of the park is the “lake” side. Pete and I decided that since there IS a river somewhere in the vicinity of the park, they could refer to it as the “river” side….cause no river can be seen from where we are at…only the bath house. Speaking of the bath house, Lila informed me that there is only ONE stall in the women’s restroom. So really it can’t be called the WOMEN’S restroom…only WOMAN’s restroom. All the rest of us WOMENS will have to wait until that one WOMAN gets done!! Thankfully we have a potty in our camper. And thankfully we have multiple sanitation packets to keep our sewage from becoming too stank! AND we have PLENTY of toilet paper! We are set!
This evening, after we ate our dinner which consisted of turkey burgers and baked beans, we went for a walk around the camp ground. The girls really just wanted us to walk over to the play ground. On our way over to the play ground, a little young fellow went flying by on his bicycle. I lost sight of him quickly once he disembarked from the road and took on the field. Looking out across the field I could see one handle bar sticking up out of the ground. There was one limb belonging to this little creature waving in the air. Evidently, said creature encountered a ditch that couldn’t be seen until one as right on top of it….and he endoed right into the thing. Pete informed me that it was my nursery duty to go check on the little chap. I headed over and observed this little guy on his back, one leg trapped under the bike, helmet all disheveled. He had smacked his head…but his glasses remained on his face. Poor little nerdy fellow. He reminded me of one of our own! So I pulled him from his crash and examined him. He was a little goofy from the smack on the head, otherwise he was fine. He got himself together and was going to take off…probably a little embarrassed. But as life would have it, his chain popped off. Then it was time for my dear Pete to rescue the little man. We got his chain back on and sent him on his way! That kid had absolutely no idea what good hands he had been in at that very moment! Its not often that a person happens upon a nurse and a bike guy at the very moment when one crashes and blows his chain!
May 29 Saturday
Yesterday we spent checking out the campground. Because it was a holiday weekend, it was packed on the river side and the lake side of the park. All methods of camping were being utilized from pup tents to Master RV buses. Some tents were connected by tarps in hopes of keeping the impending rain storms from flooding them out like ants from an ant hill.
We then left the park and we to Dauset Trails. Dauset is a beautiful preserve that houses all manner of wild animals and farm animals found here in the US. Along with wild animals, they have owls, hawks and a Bald Eagle. The girls loved seeing all of the creatures. While walking around, we got trapped near a group of approximately 12 children with just a couple of adult women in the crowd. Those kids chanted, squawked, sang and generally tormented said wild life. I think the animals probably sighed from relief for being caged up and protected from those wild children!
All in all, the girls had the best time at Dauset. Lyndi and Lila got to see a Tom turkey parade around all puffed up and bellowing out his most impressive call for a female love. We got to see two Bobcats fight and growl at each other. Turtles and geese (with half a dozen baby goslings) came near to see if they could snag a few crumbs from the wild humans that came to visit them at the park.
From Dauset, we went to visit Indian Springs campground. Indian springs is about 10 miles from High Falls. While on one side of the camp ground was a convention of women with short hair, sporting rainbow and = sign bumper stickers, on the other side were masses of holiday campers. If at the mention of women with short hair made you think that I should have stayed to hang out…thanks, but no thanks. Short hair and camping were our only common interests at that point.
Later in the evening we went to Macon to meet up with my cousin Chad from Miami. Chad and his girl friend Wendy came. Chad is the son of my mom’s sister JoAnn who also lives in Miami. Some of Wendy’s family live in Macon. We had dinner at Sticky Finger’s restaurant. I haven’t seen Chad since his dad, Jim died 7 years ago. What a great blessing to be able to spend time with him. He took pictures of me and the girls to take home and to share with my aunt. We made promises to get together again some day soon. I sure hope its sooner than 7 years and that the visit has nothing to do with a funeral!
On that way back to camp, we HAD to stop at Dairy Queen in Forsyth, GA where the law enforcement training center is located. Pete’s GEMA office was in that building. That’s also where I used to go for training when I was an officer. But back to the ice cream! We all got a cone. Pete and I got a chocolate dipped cone. We sat outside in the nice comfortable evening air and enjoyed that ice cream. Lyndi had nothing but good to say about getting to eat ice cream…in between licks of course! It was really a treat! Well, all until Lyndi dropped her cone on the ground! She was mostly finished though. She had managed to get the ice cream all over her hands, her shirt and shorts and in her hair. It was all good!!
5/30 Sunday
This morning, I made French toast with homemade glazed Fuji apples and cinnamon. It turned out very nicely! Its rough having to camp in such a primitive manner! After breakfast we trekked down to the river. The water was higher because of the torrential down pour that finally came last night. The girls spent their time throwing rocks in the river. Then Lyndi managed to fall into the water, soaking her pants and light up Strawberry Shortcake shoes. She was not a happy camper at that point. After returning to camp, we noticed that our tent dwelling neighbors were packing up. The sky was threatening to unload another gusher…which it hasn’t at this point. Lyndi is lying in bed taking a nap that she said she really didn’t need. I practically had to wrestle her like an alligator just to get her to lay down. Lila, Pete and I made it to our camp chairs outside the camper. The temperature is cool enough for us not to sweat and warm enough to kick our shoes off and sit around in shorts. It’s a tough life having to sit here listening to the sounds of the campground and the water dripping off the camper from the night’s rain…..
Sunday, May 16, 2010
I WILL RISE
Friday, I packed my bags, cleaned out my car, loaded up the trunk and waited for mom to get to my house. Loaded down with luggage and 500 pillows, my mom crammed all of her belongings into my car.....
Destination: Charleston, SC....Mission: 2010 WOMEN OF JOY conference at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Guests of the Conference:
Travis Cottrell (host and music performer)
Steven Curtis Chapman & Michael W. Smith
Liz Curtis Higgs speaker (advised us that the rolls around are middle are a result of wisdom settling at our waists)
Becky Tirabassi speaker (greatly suffers from ADD or over use of caffeine and major stimulants)
Anita Renfroe (comedian) (comedian bred with Weird Al Yankovich)
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Let me back up a bit an explain what happened when I asked my mom if she wanted to go to the Christian Women's conference with me. She was able to recall all of the fantastic things I had to say about the 2009 conference. What a great experience that really did bring me incredible joy. God was there and HE SHOWED OUT! But my mom...well...I think she had greater concerns. When I asked her to join me and that she would only have to pay for her meals, I could hear the wheels clickity clacking in her head....WD40 probably would have helped. She kind of stammered over her answer and then finally fell back on the excuse that May 15th was the date of my parents 44th wedding anniversary! Ok so that was a good excuse..but not good enough. I got on the phone with my dad and asked him MYSELF if he would mind. He said that he thought they had spent 2 or 3 anniversaries in the past together. It would be OK with him if mom went. Let me just share with you the thoughts that were going through my mom's head when I told her that she would be going:
1) Are there going to be a bunch of weird Jesus FREAKS roaming around at the conference trying to convert and save all who enter?
2) Would reptiles, or more specifically SNAKE handling be involved?
3) Would anyone be attempting to speak in tongues?
4) Would there be a bunch of crazed, JESUS FREAKS there?? Oh wait...I already said that...but she thought it!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growing up, my parents never went to church...ok so I can't say never. I can only remember them going to church when I was really little and then only RARELY as C&E Christians (you know, Christmas and Easter). But both of my parents say that they are saved. They just have just gotten a horrible taste in their mouths over attending church. I think they would be very greatly inclined to give that,"oh only a bunch of hypocrites go to church that want your money!!"
Truly there are all sorts of people that go to church...the good the bad and the ugly in fact. Some hypocrites, thieves, adulterers, murderers and generally negative people go to church. But one must first come to the realization that we ALL are sinners. We ALL are imperfect. We ALL fall short of the glory of God. But generally speaking.....all of the people that I go to church with have big, sharing, loving, open hearts. We all love God. Being able to go to church to worship our God and to fellowship with fellow members, makes my life much more joyful and spectacular...even if I am the only crabby person in the house. I won't leave church crabby!!
___________________________________________________________________________________
So the journey begins!! Heading down the driving, I realized that my GPS system was kaput. Pete informs me that I will just have to head out on my journey with a PAPER MAP. What the??!!!!!!!!!!! So mom attempts to use the GPS system on her cell phone. A 64 year old using a cell phone GPS system.....PAINFUL! I mean the sheer fact that she has to put READING glasses on just to see the freaking keys on her cell.......ACK!!!!!!!!!!!
I just called Pete and had him GOOGLE our destination. The directions were straight forward enough. Thank you Pete...you saved us $200 because I was just about to pull into the nearest Walmart and plop down the necessary fundage to buy a new GPS. We did get lost a couple of times over the weekend but made it around relatively unscathed.
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Heading down the highway, a couple of hundred miles into the trip, the AC on my 2008 model Mazda 3 decided that it was way too hot outside (92) and that it need to not only quit blowing but stop cooling. So mom and I headed down 26 East with 4 windows down, traveling at 70 mph...enough to cool the temperature of my car to a mere 89 or so! Every time a big truck passed, the noise was deafening. After a good 50 miles or so, the AC fired back up and we were back in business!!! Hallelujah!!!
Later on the drive home, we made it to the Centerville Rd near Rayle, GA. After 30 minutes of riding with the windows down, the cool air returned....sweet!!!
__________________________________________________________________________________
What a great time we had! No snakes were handled...much to my dismay and much to the joy of my mom! We sang and laughed! We cried and prayed. We clapped and stomped. It was great!! My mom admitted on the way home that it was very different from what she thought it would be...well yea...I told you that she was fearin the reptiles and Jesus Freaks!! She was surprised that the music was so uplifting and the speakers were so REAL. I told her that I thought she based her ideas about what church was like based upon the old tel-evangelists that begged, borrowed, stole and manipulated in order to build some crazy big evangelical empires.
_________________________________________________________________________________
On the way home, a truck in front of me kicked up a rock, pelting my windshield. Mom said that she hoped it hadn't pinged my windshield. At first look, there was no sign of damage. Soon though, a crack eeked its way up. After I got home and shut my car off, the crack spread out another 6 inches. So in all, at last sight, I had a 12 inch hairline crack on the left side of windshield. But like I told my mom, it was just a windshield and thats what I had insurance for! It sure beat the heck out of the motorcyclist that was riding ahead of us on I26 last night. There were two cars behind him and then following. Suddenly the cars in front of us began to hit their brakes. Not knowing what had just happened with the cyclist, I realized that there was a large dark object that looked a lot like a motorcycle helmet being catapulted toward my car!!! I couldn't swerve to miss the helmet. My only thought was....Dear God, please let that just be a helmet that was left unsecured (yea a lot of good that would do a cyclist)...and please don't let it still have the cyclists head attached because he had just been run over by the crazy drivers behind him!!!!!!! You can breathe now...it was just the helmet. After I ran over the blooming thing, I saw the cyclist pull off to the side of the interstate. Now, I'm not certain whether he intended to run out into the road to retrieve his helmet or not. I pray not!! He really would have gotten squished! God was with us....and with him!
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Let it just suffice to say that any time and every time Ive gone to this particular conference, there has always been some sort of drama! Last year there were several bad accidents and then the "incident" at the Triangle gas station involving 2 women that became engaged in a fist fight and hair pulling contest while Nancy and I were trapped in the store! It was hilarious once we were out of that store. While we were in the store, it wasn't nearly so funny not knowing whether someone would pull a weapon (particularly a firearm)!!!
__________________________________________________________________________________
Despite a very uplifting conference, I was so glad to return home to my husband and children!!! SO GLAD!
Destination: Charleston, SC....Mission: 2010 WOMEN OF JOY conference at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Guests of the Conference:
Travis Cottrell (host and music performer)
Steven Curtis Chapman & Michael W. Smith
Liz Curtis Higgs speaker (advised us that the rolls around are middle are a result of wisdom settling at our waists)
Becky Tirabassi speaker (greatly suffers from ADD or over use of caffeine and major stimulants)
Anita Renfroe (comedian) (comedian bred with Weird Al Yankovich)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me back up a bit an explain what happened when I asked my mom if she wanted to go to the Christian Women's conference with me. She was able to recall all of the fantastic things I had to say about the 2009 conference. What a great experience that really did bring me incredible joy. God was there and HE SHOWED OUT! But my mom...well...I think she had greater concerns. When I asked her to join me and that she would only have to pay for her meals, I could hear the wheels clickity clacking in her head....WD40 probably would have helped. She kind of stammered over her answer and then finally fell back on the excuse that May 15th was the date of my parents 44th wedding anniversary! Ok so that was a good excuse..but not good enough. I got on the phone with my dad and asked him MYSELF if he would mind. He said that he thought they had spent 2 or 3 anniversaries in the past together. It would be OK with him if mom went. Let me just share with you the thoughts that were going through my mom's head when I told her that she would be going:
1) Are there going to be a bunch of weird Jesus FREAKS roaming around at the conference trying to convert and save all who enter?
2) Would reptiles, or more specifically SNAKE handling be involved?
3) Would anyone be attempting to speak in tongues?
4) Would there be a bunch of crazed, JESUS FREAKS there?? Oh wait...I already said that...but she thought it!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growing up, my parents never went to church...ok so I can't say never. I can only remember them going to church when I was really little and then only RARELY as C&E Christians (you know, Christmas and Easter). But both of my parents say that they are saved. They just have just gotten a horrible taste in their mouths over attending church. I think they would be very greatly inclined to give that,"oh only a bunch of hypocrites go to church that want your money!!"
Truly there are all sorts of people that go to church...the good the bad and the ugly in fact. Some hypocrites, thieves, adulterers, murderers and generally negative people go to church. But one must first come to the realization that we ALL are sinners. We ALL are imperfect. We ALL fall short of the glory of God. But generally speaking.....all of the people that I go to church with have big, sharing, loving, open hearts. We all love God. Being able to go to church to worship our God and to fellowship with fellow members, makes my life much more joyful and spectacular...even if I am the only crabby person in the house. I won't leave church crabby!!
___________________________________________________________________________________
So the journey begins!! Heading down the driving, I realized that my GPS system was kaput. Pete informs me that I will just have to head out on my journey with a PAPER MAP. What the??!!!!!!!!!!! So mom attempts to use the GPS system on her cell phone. A 64 year old using a cell phone GPS system.....PAINFUL! I mean the sheer fact that she has to put READING glasses on just to see the freaking keys on her cell.......ACK!!!!!!!!!!!
I just called Pete and had him GOOGLE our destination. The directions were straight forward enough. Thank you Pete...you saved us $200 because I was just about to pull into the nearest Walmart and plop down the necessary fundage to buy a new GPS. We did get lost a couple of times over the weekend but made it around relatively unscathed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heading down the highway, a couple of hundred miles into the trip, the AC on my 2008 model Mazda 3 decided that it was way too hot outside (92) and that it need to not only quit blowing but stop cooling. So mom and I headed down 26 East with 4 windows down, traveling at 70 mph...enough to cool the temperature of my car to a mere 89 or so! Every time a big truck passed, the noise was deafening. After a good 50 miles or so, the AC fired back up and we were back in business!!! Hallelujah!!!
Later on the drive home, we made it to the Centerville Rd near Rayle, GA. After 30 minutes of riding with the windows down, the cool air returned....sweet!!!
__________________________________________________________________________________
What a great time we had! No snakes were handled...much to my dismay and much to the joy of my mom! We sang and laughed! We cried and prayed. We clapped and stomped. It was great!! My mom admitted on the way home that it was very different from what she thought it would be...well yea...I told you that she was fearin the reptiles and Jesus Freaks!! She was surprised that the music was so uplifting and the speakers were so REAL. I told her that I thought she based her ideas about what church was like based upon the old tel-evangelists that begged, borrowed, stole and manipulated in order to build some crazy big evangelical empires.
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On the way home, a truck in front of me kicked up a rock, pelting my windshield. Mom said that she hoped it hadn't pinged my windshield. At first look, there was no sign of damage. Soon though, a crack eeked its way up. After I got home and shut my car off, the crack spread out another 6 inches. So in all, at last sight, I had a 12 inch hairline crack on the left side of windshield. But like I told my mom, it was just a windshield and thats what I had insurance for! It sure beat the heck out of the motorcyclist that was riding ahead of us on I26 last night. There were two cars behind him and then following. Suddenly the cars in front of us began to hit their brakes. Not knowing what had just happened with the cyclist, I realized that there was a large dark object that looked a lot like a motorcycle helmet being catapulted toward my car!!! I couldn't swerve to miss the helmet. My only thought was....Dear God, please let that just be a helmet that was left unsecured (yea a lot of good that would do a cyclist)...and please don't let it still have the cyclists head attached because he had just been run over by the crazy drivers behind him!!!!!!! You can breathe now...it was just the helmet. After I ran over the blooming thing, I saw the cyclist pull off to the side of the interstate. Now, I'm not certain whether he intended to run out into the road to retrieve his helmet or not. I pray not!! He really would have gotten squished! God was with us....and with him!
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Let it just suffice to say that any time and every time Ive gone to this particular conference, there has always been some sort of drama! Last year there were several bad accidents and then the "incident" at the Triangle gas station involving 2 women that became engaged in a fist fight and hair pulling contest while Nancy and I were trapped in the store! It was hilarious once we were out of that store. While we were in the store, it wasn't nearly so funny not knowing whether someone would pull a weapon (particularly a firearm)!!!
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Despite a very uplifting conference, I was so glad to return home to my husband and children!!! SO GLAD!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Addictions
Tonight Im watching the Biggest Loser. I began watching this season way back at the beginning. Over the last several weeks, i have had the opportunity to watch adn become familiar with all fo the contestants. What an amazing journey for these people. We are getting down to the final 4 after tonight. The perserverence these people have shown has been absolutely AMAZING! Weight loss is a huge battle. Addictions period are tremdous battles. Being addicted to food is no different from alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. There is NO DIFFERENCE. Which one of those things do not cause major, multisystem health problems and death? And FOOD does cause multisystem health problems and death....not to mention loss of limbs, peripheral neuropathy, blindness, kidney failure, the need for dialysis, ulcerations and sore that don't heal. Then there the peripheral vascular disease, the peripheral arterial disease, depression and low self esteem. Stroke, heart attack and deep vein thrombosis also go right along with obesity and the major disease associated with being overweight....Diabetes. Does that sound like an exaggeration? Im afraid that there is absolutely no exaggeration in my comments regarding obesity. Alcohol, cigarettes and drugs can all lead the same end and then some....
Alcohol abuse can lead to altered personal relationships, depression, loss of testosterone in men, liver disease, kidney failure, diabetes and a whole host of other health problems, financial problems and life problems.
Smoking and tobacco use can lead to cancer (oral, throat, lung and stomach...plus its linked to many other forms of cancer), emphysema and chronic bronchitis (also called COPD), financial issues and premature aging. Smoking does not only effect the smoker but also effects the people around them. Children are most often effected by second hand smoke. Smoking causes middle ear infections, asthma and low birth weights in babies. It must also be metioned that smoking stinks, stains teeth and fingers. There is nothing cuter than having yellow stained fingers from burning a few too many cigarettes huh?
Drugs...wow...what destruction doesn't it cause? Every aspect of a person's life is effected by drug use and abuse. Brain cells die. Lung, heart, kidney and liver damage is expected. Depression and anxiety are common. Sensitivity issues are common. Constipation, skin sores, rotten teeth and poor hygiene are trade marks of drug abuse. Broken homes, broken families and broken hearts are all too often associated with drug use and abuse.
So what in the world spurred me into a rant about abuse? Im so proud of all of the contestant of the Biggest Loser. The weight is not even the real issue that all of these people are having to deal with. The real issue begins with the heart. Perhaps all the addictions that people suffer with begin with the heart. Saddness, anger, abuse, neglect, no self esteem all contribute to people relying on substances to make them feel better. Unfortuantely its all a real trap.
What to do about it all? Find self love. Try, try and try again. Fail and try again. Stop being selfish. Open up to someone you can trust. Join a support group. Seek God and rely on HIM for all things. Trust God. Break old habits and get rid of people in your life that don't necessarily care about what's in YOUR best interest or best for your well being.
And PLEASE stop saying STUPID things like,"We all have to die from something." Because the truth is that I have seen many people, friends and loved ones die from many of these illnesses that came about from their own addictions....and their deaths were long, drawn out and very painful. Suffocation, cancer invading organs, bone pain, loss of being able to urinate and to have to have dialysis, blindness, loss of dignity (from having to rely on others to clean you up like a baby), impotence, loss of jaw bones and all the tissues associated with that (food falling out of that hole in the face...seen it), loss of limbs and organs, brain damage, more PAIN, saddness and depression AND loss of family and everything else.......just isn't the way I WANT to go out of this world because of some bad habit or addiction that I had.
Ok...Im done. I mentioned all of this out of love and hope for a better, happier life for all.
Alcohol abuse can lead to altered personal relationships, depression, loss of testosterone in men, liver disease, kidney failure, diabetes and a whole host of other health problems, financial problems and life problems.
Smoking and tobacco use can lead to cancer (oral, throat, lung and stomach...plus its linked to many other forms of cancer), emphysema and chronic bronchitis (also called COPD), financial issues and premature aging. Smoking does not only effect the smoker but also effects the people around them. Children are most often effected by second hand smoke. Smoking causes middle ear infections, asthma and low birth weights in babies. It must also be metioned that smoking stinks, stains teeth and fingers. There is nothing cuter than having yellow stained fingers from burning a few too many cigarettes huh?
Drugs...wow...what destruction doesn't it cause? Every aspect of a person's life is effected by drug use and abuse. Brain cells die. Lung, heart, kidney and liver damage is expected. Depression and anxiety are common. Sensitivity issues are common. Constipation, skin sores, rotten teeth and poor hygiene are trade marks of drug abuse. Broken homes, broken families and broken hearts are all too often associated with drug use and abuse.
So what in the world spurred me into a rant about abuse? Im so proud of all of the contestant of the Biggest Loser. The weight is not even the real issue that all of these people are having to deal with. The real issue begins with the heart. Perhaps all the addictions that people suffer with begin with the heart. Saddness, anger, abuse, neglect, no self esteem all contribute to people relying on substances to make them feel better. Unfortuantely its all a real trap.
What to do about it all? Find self love. Try, try and try again. Fail and try again. Stop being selfish. Open up to someone you can trust. Join a support group. Seek God and rely on HIM for all things. Trust God. Break old habits and get rid of people in your life that don't necessarily care about what's in YOUR best interest or best for your well being.
And PLEASE stop saying STUPID things like,"We all have to die from something." Because the truth is that I have seen many people, friends and loved ones die from many of these illnesses that came about from their own addictions....and their deaths were long, drawn out and very painful. Suffocation, cancer invading organs, bone pain, loss of being able to urinate and to have to have dialysis, blindness, loss of dignity (from having to rely on others to clean you up like a baby), impotence, loss of jaw bones and all the tissues associated with that (food falling out of that hole in the face...seen it), loss of limbs and organs, brain damage, more PAIN, saddness and depression AND loss of family and everything else.......just isn't the way I WANT to go out of this world because of some bad habit or addiction that I had.
Ok...Im done. I mentioned all of this out of love and hope for a better, happier life for all.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tattoo queen?
Its no secret that I have tattoos....much to the dismay of my Mom, Dad and husband. If my in laws knew about my tattoos, Im sure that after they recovered from their strokes, they would probably question whether they really wanted me to be married to their son. But in my defense, I had tatoos before I married their son.
Let me share my story about tattoo ART. I get asked all the time WHY?????
I can distinctly remember sitting in the back seat of my parents Gran Torino (burnt orange/brown in color with a white top) out in the parking lot while they ran into a store. Back in the 70's, as long as you put the windows down, it was perfectly ok and acceptable to leave your small kids alone in the car while you ran into the grocery store. At any rate, I remember sitting there in the Florida sun, staring out at a biker gang that had ridden up near by. All of the members had multiple tattoos. All of them road really cool bikes. I knew then that some day I too would have tattoos and maybe even ride a motorcycle. HOWEVER, after having worked in the ER and seeing gray matter coming out of a mans nose and ears.....I changed my mind quickly about motorcycles.
So when I turned 18, I started out my rebellious venture with a tattoo of a gecko on the sole of my left foot. As painful as it was, I was quite pleased with myself. I was hooked. But broke people can only be so hooked....it would be nearly a decade before I would get my second tattoo. The second one being another gecko on my lower back with a floral print for skin. For me it expressed my fondness of lizards (that I spent hours chasing and catching as a small child) and it was still kind of feminine since it was covered in a floral print. Not long after that, I added my maiden name in Kanji (Japanese...I did take it in college so I know what it really says).
For my 37th birthday, I had decided that I wanted to have a cross added to my back. Truth be told, I thought that I might try to get that large gecko covered with a cross. In my mind, I was concerned that people might think that I am some kind of fruity pagan lizard worshiper...which is absolutely silly BUT. At any rate, Luke the tattoo artist let me know that if I wanted to cover it, it would take almost a full lower back piece and he could not quarantee that it would work. I mulled it all over in my mind.
When I finally went in to have my work done, I decided that I would get my back gecko touched up. Luke made all of the flowers in my gecko POP out! He did a great job! After 12 years they had really faded and looked like blobs. He said that the new inks he used will last longer and remain brighter. THEN I did the last thing that anyone in my family would have liked, I got a cross tattooed on my left side. Its about 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
When my mom saw my latest tattoo she said,"That's ugly. I dont like it." Ok Mom. Pete wasn't thrilled. Both expressed concern that I would some day be completely covered in tattoos. I'm sure I wont be. But the point of having tattoos is a form of expression and art to me. It doesnt have anything in the world to do with pleasing or not pleasing anyone. I like them. Will I ever get one in a location that anyone will ever be able to see? NO.
But here is the thing. When my 3 year old Lyndi saw that cross on my side, she asked me what it was a tattoo of? I explained that it was a cross. I got it on my side to remind me that Jesus died on the cross for me and all people that believe in HIM so that we could all go to Heaven. She said," So he died on the cross for you and ME and Daddy and Lila to go to Heaven? What about Sherrie and Lyle (our neighbor friends)." I told her that he died for all of us so that we could ALL go to Heaven if we believed in HIM. The look on her face was one of wonder and excitement. She was so happy that she just grabbed me around the neck and hugged me tight. She was so glad that she would one day be going to Heaven because of Jesus. I wish I had had a video of that moment. Tears welled up in my eyes. I told Lyndi that all I have to do is see that cross and be reminded. She got it. She may be 3 years old but she got it and had to tell Daddy about it.
If the tattoos that I have offend others, I'm sorry. I decided to get a tattoo of a cross so that all people will know where I stand in my beliefs. I am HIS. And if anyone should happen to see it and want to ask me about it, it is a good opportunity for me to share my beliefs. But if Lyndi is the only little human being that ever sees the cross and gets excited when I tell her that it is a reminder of our salvation....then I feel like having that tattoo goes beyond just being beautiful art work, but into a chance for me to share my love for Christ.
Let me share my story about tattoo ART. I get asked all the time WHY?????
I can distinctly remember sitting in the back seat of my parents Gran Torino (burnt orange/brown in color with a white top) out in the parking lot while they ran into a store. Back in the 70's, as long as you put the windows down, it was perfectly ok and acceptable to leave your small kids alone in the car while you ran into the grocery store. At any rate, I remember sitting there in the Florida sun, staring out at a biker gang that had ridden up near by. All of the members had multiple tattoos. All of them road really cool bikes. I knew then that some day I too would have tattoos and maybe even ride a motorcycle. HOWEVER, after having worked in the ER and seeing gray matter coming out of a mans nose and ears.....I changed my mind quickly about motorcycles.
So when I turned 18, I started out my rebellious venture with a tattoo of a gecko on the sole of my left foot. As painful as it was, I was quite pleased with myself. I was hooked. But broke people can only be so hooked....it would be nearly a decade before I would get my second tattoo. The second one being another gecko on my lower back with a floral print for skin. For me it expressed my fondness of lizards (that I spent hours chasing and catching as a small child) and it was still kind of feminine since it was covered in a floral print. Not long after that, I added my maiden name in Kanji (Japanese...I did take it in college so I know what it really says).
For my 37th birthday, I had decided that I wanted to have a cross added to my back. Truth be told, I thought that I might try to get that large gecko covered with a cross. In my mind, I was concerned that people might think that I am some kind of fruity pagan lizard worshiper...which is absolutely silly BUT. At any rate, Luke the tattoo artist let me know that if I wanted to cover it, it would take almost a full lower back piece and he could not quarantee that it would work. I mulled it all over in my mind.
When I finally went in to have my work done, I decided that I would get my back gecko touched up. Luke made all of the flowers in my gecko POP out! He did a great job! After 12 years they had really faded and looked like blobs. He said that the new inks he used will last longer and remain brighter. THEN I did the last thing that anyone in my family would have liked, I got a cross tattooed on my left side. Its about 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
When my mom saw my latest tattoo she said,"That's ugly. I dont like it." Ok Mom. Pete wasn't thrilled. Both expressed concern that I would some day be completely covered in tattoos. I'm sure I wont be. But the point of having tattoos is a form of expression and art to me. It doesnt have anything in the world to do with pleasing or not pleasing anyone. I like them. Will I ever get one in a location that anyone will ever be able to see? NO.
But here is the thing. When my 3 year old Lyndi saw that cross on my side, she asked me what it was a tattoo of? I explained that it was a cross. I got it on my side to remind me that Jesus died on the cross for me and all people that believe in HIM so that we could all go to Heaven. She said," So he died on the cross for you and ME and Daddy and Lila to go to Heaven? What about Sherrie and Lyle (our neighbor friends)." I told her that he died for all of us so that we could ALL go to Heaven if we believed in HIM. The look on her face was one of wonder and excitement. She was so happy that she just grabbed me around the neck and hugged me tight. She was so glad that she would one day be going to Heaven because of Jesus. I wish I had had a video of that moment. Tears welled up in my eyes. I told Lyndi that all I have to do is see that cross and be reminded. She got it. She may be 3 years old but she got it and had to tell Daddy about it.
If the tattoos that I have offend others, I'm sorry. I decided to get a tattoo of a cross so that all people will know where I stand in my beliefs. I am HIS. And if anyone should happen to see it and want to ask me about it, it is a good opportunity for me to share my beliefs. But if Lyndi is the only little human being that ever sees the cross and gets excited when I tell her that it is a reminder of our salvation....then I feel like having that tattoo goes beyond just being beautiful art work, but into a chance for me to share my love for Christ.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Im Not 12 Anymore
This morning, I had an interesting experience. My morning at work started off with a broke down doctor's toilet. Sherrie said it was my fault but truly...this time it wasn't. At any rate, she called the plumber to check things out.
On the way out, the plumber took a second to explain that it was a tank filling problem. While he was speaking, my mental roladex began turning. His face, although having a couple of decades of age on it that weren't there when I saw him last, was very familiar. I searched my mental files to remember where in the world I could have known him from. The first clue I had was that his name was Shannon. His uniform said as much. WOOHOOO Clue #1!!!
I asked him his last name. The name was very familiar. So began a barrage of questions that only a well seasoned fomer officer and daughter of Sue (who should have worked for the CIA with her 40 million questions) could have come up with. After just a couple of questions, I discovered that he was friends with my former neighbor in the neighborhood (the older brother of my playmate and former CRUSH) I grew up in. The craziest thing that came about was that once that connection was made, he said,"Are you Marci?"
WHY? HOW? WHAT? HOW did this guy remember my name? He was 6 years older than me. He didn't live in my neighborhood. He was friends with my neighbor who was 5 years older than me, was a football player, totally cool and incredibly hot (to me when I was a kid growing up). And suddenly I began to feel a little paranoid. Did he remember me as that goofy little kid next door that drooled and acted giddy everytime I was around my neighbor? Did they make fun of me...like "Hey _____ there's your girlfriend staring at you all coweyed!! AHAHAHHAHA" That would have been embarassing. When I was a kid and suffering through my childish crush, I was nothing like the more sophisticated, glamour girls that my neighbor dated. I wore jeans and t-shirts practically every day of my life. I preferred to play touch football, war, soft ball, climb trees or play in the dirt to any other sort of girly activity. I didn't wear makeup...go figure! Pretty much, I haven't changed much in the last twenty something years.
As I stared at Shannon trying to recall exactly how he looked as a teenager, I told him that I remembered him as being so much taller than me. He said,"Well yea I seemed taller to you back when you were only 12!!!!" How funny! Of course he was taller than me back then! Now he is probably about 6 feet tall. Im right at 5' 8". Not only am I taller, I've had 2 kids, Ive got a few gray hairs, crows feet and boobs. None of which did I have back then. Shannon, had a few wrinkles, some gray hairs and lots of facial hair. I remember his hair being much more blonde back then too. Mine was too though...certainly not dark like it is now.
Suddenly when he began to recognize me, I felt some old feelings of insecurity that I used to feel when I was a kid and hanging around those older guys. I had to remind myself to hold it together...don't act goofy...talk like a grownup...don't be giddy.
I had to remind myself that I am a mature, smart, successful, HOT woman that has a great family and husband. No matter how goofy I was a kid....I was a great kid. I was still smart and cute. I was fun and just plain all right. As a woman, I am still the same...kind of goofy (some would argue, VERY GOOFY), smart, cute and all right (most of the time).
After Shannon left, I just had to laugh at myself. He told me that he was going to HAVE TO tell my old crush ( he didnt say OLD CRUSH) that he had run into me. He said that we should get together with all of the old neighbors (the crush, his younger sister and younger brother) and we could have a pillow fight. I told him that pillow fights take on a whole different meaning at our age. And I suppose that he is recalling a time when we did get into pillow fights. Maybe I vaguely remember that. I probably wouldn't have minded being tarred and feathered if my crush had been involved.
Did I disclose the fact that I had had a huge crush on my neighbor growing up? Not even the slightest little hint. Things like that being told to the grown objects of crushdom could make things very ackward. But I suspect that my crush probably had a pretty good clue that I was obsessed. Im sure he looked at me like I was just a silly child. The drool and goo goo eyes probably spoke volumes.
On the way out, the plumber took a second to explain that it was a tank filling problem. While he was speaking, my mental roladex began turning. His face, although having a couple of decades of age on it that weren't there when I saw him last, was very familiar. I searched my mental files to remember where in the world I could have known him from. The first clue I had was that his name was Shannon. His uniform said as much. WOOHOOO Clue #1!!!
I asked him his last name. The name was very familiar. So began a barrage of questions that only a well seasoned fomer officer and daughter of Sue (who should have worked for the CIA with her 40 million questions) could have come up with. After just a couple of questions, I discovered that he was friends with my former neighbor in the neighborhood (the older brother of my playmate and former CRUSH) I grew up in. The craziest thing that came about was that once that connection was made, he said,"Are you Marci?"
WHY? HOW? WHAT? HOW did this guy remember my name? He was 6 years older than me. He didn't live in my neighborhood. He was friends with my neighbor who was 5 years older than me, was a football player, totally cool and incredibly hot (to me when I was a kid growing up). And suddenly I began to feel a little paranoid. Did he remember me as that goofy little kid next door that drooled and acted giddy everytime I was around my neighbor? Did they make fun of me...like "Hey _____ there's your girlfriend staring at you all coweyed!! AHAHAHHAHA" That would have been embarassing. When I was a kid and suffering through my childish crush, I was nothing like the more sophisticated, glamour girls that my neighbor dated. I wore jeans and t-shirts practically every day of my life. I preferred to play touch football, war, soft ball, climb trees or play in the dirt to any other sort of girly activity. I didn't wear makeup...go figure! Pretty much, I haven't changed much in the last twenty something years.
As I stared at Shannon trying to recall exactly how he looked as a teenager, I told him that I remembered him as being so much taller than me. He said,"Well yea I seemed taller to you back when you were only 12!!!!" How funny! Of course he was taller than me back then! Now he is probably about 6 feet tall. Im right at 5' 8". Not only am I taller, I've had 2 kids, Ive got a few gray hairs, crows feet and boobs. None of which did I have back then. Shannon, had a few wrinkles, some gray hairs and lots of facial hair. I remember his hair being much more blonde back then too. Mine was too though...certainly not dark like it is now.
Suddenly when he began to recognize me, I felt some old feelings of insecurity that I used to feel when I was a kid and hanging around those older guys. I had to remind myself to hold it together...don't act goofy...talk like a grownup...don't be giddy.
I had to remind myself that I am a mature, smart, successful, HOT woman that has a great family and husband. No matter how goofy I was a kid....I was a great kid. I was still smart and cute. I was fun and just plain all right. As a woman, I am still the same...kind of goofy (some would argue, VERY GOOFY), smart, cute and all right (most of the time).
After Shannon left, I just had to laugh at myself. He told me that he was going to HAVE TO tell my old crush ( he didnt say OLD CRUSH) that he had run into me. He said that we should get together with all of the old neighbors (the crush, his younger sister and younger brother) and we could have a pillow fight. I told him that pillow fights take on a whole different meaning at our age. And I suppose that he is recalling a time when we did get into pillow fights. Maybe I vaguely remember that. I probably wouldn't have minded being tarred and feathered if my crush had been involved.
Did I disclose the fact that I had had a huge crush on my neighbor growing up? Not even the slightest little hint. Things like that being told to the grown objects of crushdom could make things very ackward. But I suspect that my crush probably had a pretty good clue that I was obsessed. Im sure he looked at me like I was just a silly child. The drool and goo goo eyes probably spoke volumes.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Natures Godly Beauty
Sheets of pollen fell all over the land today and blanketed it like snow...... As I was driving up hwy 29 to go visit the folks at Reddy Care, I passed through such a heavy fall of pollen that I had to hit the air re-circulate button just to keep the yellow green bits from flowing into my car.
So I mentioned that I had to go see the Reddy Care folks. I wish I could say that I was making a marketing visit. Alas, I was not. I have been having chest pains almost daily the last couple of weeks. Last night I had the mother of all chest pains. At the doctors office, I met a really nice Nurse Practioner named Sharon. Turns out that she and my friend Ali know eachother. Small world really. But back to me...
So I had the standard EKG to rule out heart attack. Although it felt like an MI, I was pretty sure it was not one. My thoughts were that I was more than likely having a bad case of reflux. Sharon shared the same thought. She said that she thought I might have some diverticulum brewing in my stomach. I told her that my grandmother (mom's mom) had that problem too. She informed me that it was passed down through women most often. Thanks Granny. Let's just add that to the list of aliments that I already suffer from. I'm already looking forward to hypertension, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism and a general case of being looney. Why can't I have the good genes like: pefect vision, rock hard abs, genius IQ, the opposite of the noassatall gene or generalized happiness. *sigh* Oh and perfect, cavity free, no cracks, teeth. Oh and I'm beginning to lose my hearing. Have I mentioned that my birthday is on Monday? I realize that turning 37 is just one more step down hill in to the land of FALLING APART. Yippee!
So as not to sound like I am a miserable old crab, I have to share something that I think is just absolutely amazing. A nonbeliever who is also a botanist, might say,"Aww that's just a coincidence." I will remain in my own little God loving land and say that I think its a really amazing blessing.....
I have a flower bed full of Irises, Lilies, Cannas and Hostas. Of all of the plants that I have in my flower bed and of all the Lilies that I grow, the only ones that came out this past weekend (Easter in case you didnt know) were the WHITE Lilies. They are very beautiful and pure. After those bloom, perhaps the lavendar and yellows will burst forth. But for now, the pure white flowers are showing out in all of their Easter glory!
So I mentioned that I had to go see the Reddy Care folks. I wish I could say that I was making a marketing visit. Alas, I was not. I have been having chest pains almost daily the last couple of weeks. Last night I had the mother of all chest pains. At the doctors office, I met a really nice Nurse Practioner named Sharon. Turns out that she and my friend Ali know eachother. Small world really. But back to me...
So I had the standard EKG to rule out heart attack. Although it felt like an MI, I was pretty sure it was not one. My thoughts were that I was more than likely having a bad case of reflux. Sharon shared the same thought. She said that she thought I might have some diverticulum brewing in my stomach. I told her that my grandmother (mom's mom) had that problem too. She informed me that it was passed down through women most often. Thanks Granny. Let's just add that to the list of aliments that I already suffer from. I'm already looking forward to hypertension, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism and a general case of being looney. Why can't I have the good genes like: pefect vision, rock hard abs, genius IQ, the opposite of the noassatall gene or generalized happiness. *sigh* Oh and perfect, cavity free, no cracks, teeth. Oh and I'm beginning to lose my hearing. Have I mentioned that my birthday is on Monday? I realize that turning 37 is just one more step down hill in to the land of FALLING APART. Yippee!
So as not to sound like I am a miserable old crab, I have to share something that I think is just absolutely amazing. A nonbeliever who is also a botanist, might say,"Aww that's just a coincidence." I will remain in my own little God loving land and say that I think its a really amazing blessing.....
I have a flower bed full of Irises, Lilies, Cannas and Hostas. Of all of the plants that I have in my flower bed and of all the Lilies that I grow, the only ones that came out this past weekend (Easter in case you didnt know) were the WHITE Lilies. They are very beautiful and pure. After those bloom, perhaps the lavendar and yellows will burst forth. But for now, the pure white flowers are showing out in all of their Easter glory!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Spring Break 2010
I am currently sitting before a glowing pit of fire. Literally. Pete and I took the girls camping at Fort Yargo State Park for the weekend. Tomorrow we head back to Comer town. It has been an interesting few days. As usual per our camping trips, we had rain off and on. When it wasn’t raining, the sun shined and the GREAT winds blew. While roughing it here in the woods, I headed to civilization and HAD to visit the local Target. I bought the girls kites to fly in the great gusts. Naturally after making such a purchase, the GREAT WINDS weren’t so stinking great. And since Lila really believes (even at the age of 8) that we have control over things like the wind or sunshine, she began to fuss and complain that everything was just miserable for her and she seemed to blame us for her misery. Ahhhhh….another day in paradise!
Saturday we made a trip into Winder to take a gander at the offerings of the awesome Akins vehicle dealer. Driving up on the lot, you expect to hear trumpets sounding or an orchestra playing some tremendous overture to express the fantabulessness of the place! Ahhhhhhhhhhh….. They had the standard four door family rides (sedans). The ever so necessary family vans (filled with DVD players and playscapes I’m sure). Then they had the “I’m obviously a single person’s” two door, sporty rides. But what we wanted to gaze upon was the suped up, jacked up, toughened up, hard working, load totin, pick ups! For a mere 50k, a person could come away from there with the ride of a lifetime. Of course, in our case, it would take a lifetime to pay for one of those lot items. But we love to look. We actually have to carry tissues with us to wipe the drool away (and the tears when we hear the prices).
Pete having a spine of steel, test drove a Ford F250 diesel. From the moment he fired the engine up and that truck began its hypnotic rattle-rattle-rattle, Pete’s eyes got this glazed look about them. I could tell that even though he was present in body, his mind was elsewhere, realizing that all of his dreams had just come true just firing that behemoth up! And for a mere 36k for a 2 year old truck with 60 something miles on it (baby stuff for a diesel), Pete could have his heart’s desire. And how that man was able to walk away from that truck and maintain a poker face, I will never know. I imagined that I had a constipated look on my face when Pete told the seller of his dreams that he was “just looking” and walked away. It PAINED ME!
I ‘m not the kind of person that has to lots of “things”. I don’t have to have the latest and greatest gadgets, the fanciest clothes or many other things….but I wish that I could have gone in their office, plopped a price down on the table, written them a check and handed Pete the keys. Quite honestly though, our first house cost us $76, 500. It was a beautiful, cozy cottage. That truck was half the price of our first house! I bet the payment on it would have been just as much as the house, maybe more.
While we were there at that dealership, a flat bed truck came in with a delivery of a car. Seeing that car and hearing the engine roar, caused a bit of a rumbling in my inner being. I felt a rare sort of excitement that I don’t feel often. The car was a real beauty….a 2011 Ford Mustang Cobra. It had slick tires and was a true racing car! It had the racing seats with 5 point restraints and a cage. When that car came off the truck and roared, every man in ear shot of that thing came out to see what that stirrer of primitive emotions was….it was HOT! Girls, I don’t think that a half naked woman walking through the parking lot would have grabbed as much attention as that car did. Grrrrrrrrrr
Today, the Great Winds blew again. The girls got to fly their kites. Lila finally was able to come out of her misery. Her life wasn’t ruined after all. They had a good time running back and forth along the shore line of the lake. It was a good time.
Tonight we had the fire of all fires. Pete has really come into his own with fire building. When we first married, he didn’t have all of the skills that he has seemingly mastered over 10 years now. It was a nice warm fire. Lightening and clouds threatened us in the background. The fire bugs, Lila and Lyndi, had to poke and prod at the flames and coals. Iris just laid off to the side and watched over all the festivities. Lyndi spent some time sitting in my lap, asking me to sing MY song to her. I had to sing “You Are My Sunshine” only 6 times. She began to join in after the third time around. It is times like that I wouldn’t trade for a million dollars.
Tomorrow morning we pack up, a chore that has become a lot less tiresome and trying since we got our camper. We will pull out, dump the trash off and empty the black and gray water out of the holding tanks. Then we hit the road. Back to Comer Town we go. Back to our neighborhood. Back to our home. Back to where we know folks and folks know us. Back to sleep in our own beds. Back to our 3 stinky cats. Back to our house that ALWAYS needs cleaning and laundry that ALWAYS needs to be done. Ahhhhhhh, what bliss……minus a behemoth of a truck with a back seat the size of a couch. Pete is a strong, strong man.
Saturday we made a trip into Winder to take a gander at the offerings of the awesome Akins vehicle dealer. Driving up on the lot, you expect to hear trumpets sounding or an orchestra playing some tremendous overture to express the fantabulessness of the place! Ahhhhhhhhhhh….. They had the standard four door family rides (sedans). The ever so necessary family vans (filled with DVD players and playscapes I’m sure). Then they had the “I’m obviously a single person’s” two door, sporty rides. But what we wanted to gaze upon was the suped up, jacked up, toughened up, hard working, load totin, pick ups! For a mere 50k, a person could come away from there with the ride of a lifetime. Of course, in our case, it would take a lifetime to pay for one of those lot items. But we love to look. We actually have to carry tissues with us to wipe the drool away (and the tears when we hear the prices).
Pete having a spine of steel, test drove a Ford F250 diesel. From the moment he fired the engine up and that truck began its hypnotic rattle-rattle-rattle, Pete’s eyes got this glazed look about them. I could tell that even though he was present in body, his mind was elsewhere, realizing that all of his dreams had just come true just firing that behemoth up! And for a mere 36k for a 2 year old truck with 60 something miles on it (baby stuff for a diesel), Pete could have his heart’s desire. And how that man was able to walk away from that truck and maintain a poker face, I will never know. I imagined that I had a constipated look on my face when Pete told the seller of his dreams that he was “just looking” and walked away. It PAINED ME!
I ‘m not the kind of person that has to lots of “things”. I don’t have to have the latest and greatest gadgets, the fanciest clothes or many other things….but I wish that I could have gone in their office, plopped a price down on the table, written them a check and handed Pete the keys. Quite honestly though, our first house cost us $76, 500. It was a beautiful, cozy cottage. That truck was half the price of our first house! I bet the payment on it would have been just as much as the house, maybe more.
While we were there at that dealership, a flat bed truck came in with a delivery of a car. Seeing that car and hearing the engine roar, caused a bit of a rumbling in my inner being. I felt a rare sort of excitement that I don’t feel often. The car was a real beauty….a 2011 Ford Mustang Cobra. It had slick tires and was a true racing car! It had the racing seats with 5 point restraints and a cage. When that car came off the truck and roared, every man in ear shot of that thing came out to see what that stirrer of primitive emotions was….it was HOT! Girls, I don’t think that a half naked woman walking through the parking lot would have grabbed as much attention as that car did. Grrrrrrrrrr
Today, the Great Winds blew again. The girls got to fly their kites. Lila finally was able to come out of her misery. Her life wasn’t ruined after all. They had a good time running back and forth along the shore line of the lake. It was a good time.
Tonight we had the fire of all fires. Pete has really come into his own with fire building. When we first married, he didn’t have all of the skills that he has seemingly mastered over 10 years now. It was a nice warm fire. Lightening and clouds threatened us in the background. The fire bugs, Lila and Lyndi, had to poke and prod at the flames and coals. Iris just laid off to the side and watched over all the festivities. Lyndi spent some time sitting in my lap, asking me to sing MY song to her. I had to sing “You Are My Sunshine” only 6 times. She began to join in after the third time around. It is times like that I wouldn’t trade for a million dollars.
Tomorrow morning we pack up, a chore that has become a lot less tiresome and trying since we got our camper. We will pull out, dump the trash off and empty the black and gray water out of the holding tanks. Then we hit the road. Back to Comer Town we go. Back to our neighborhood. Back to our home. Back to where we know folks and folks know us. Back to sleep in our own beds. Back to our 3 stinky cats. Back to our house that ALWAYS needs cleaning and laundry that ALWAYS needs to be done. Ahhhhhhh, what bliss……minus a behemoth of a truck with a back seat the size of a couch. Pete is a strong, strong man.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
All In a Day's Work
Today was a day with my critical hospital patients. My shift, beginning at 6:45AM, started out with a BANG!!! My first patient, unable to speak due to a trach, informed me that he didn't want to be there and he wanted to die. GREATTTTTTTTTTTTT.......
When I meet patients, I don't necessarily know all of the family dynamics. I don't know all the details of what brought them to our hospital. And in some ways, its better not knowing too many details. It's better for my emotional health to be able to separate myself from patients that are on the edge.
After lunch things did get better....I even had the great pleasure of inserting a rectal tube on a patient!! WOOHOO!! I mean, I've put many a foley in both men and women...but never a rectal tube! So now, finally I can say that I had the chance to explore that orafice with a device of torture too! **Special note** Rectal tubes go on the list of things I DO NOT EVER want to have put in my orafice!!!! That goes along with being on a Vent and having to have a nasogastric tube!!!
Something that's funny to me is that all of the patients at the hospital do not wear drawers. This fact does not in any way disturb me or make me uncomfortable. I think absolutely nothing of seeing a person in their birthday suit. HOWEVER....if a person was just sitting around in their underpants at the vein practice, I would be so embarassed and uncomfortable I couldn't hardly stand it!! Makes no sense does it? It is what it is though. We don't sit around in our drawers at home either and Pete never hangs out shirtless. I guess we are just modest folks.
All in all, I like my new job. I really love that I am helping comfort people that are in a really tough spot in their life. I love using the nursing skills that I spent several thousands of dollars on!!! The thought did cross my mind today that maybe I should have gone into floral design or something less stressful!! Nahhhhhhhh
When I meet patients, I don't necessarily know all of the family dynamics. I don't know all the details of what brought them to our hospital. And in some ways, its better not knowing too many details. It's better for my emotional health to be able to separate myself from patients that are on the edge.
After lunch things did get better....I even had the great pleasure of inserting a rectal tube on a patient!! WOOHOO!! I mean, I've put many a foley in both men and women...but never a rectal tube! So now, finally I can say that I had the chance to explore that orafice with a device of torture too! **Special note** Rectal tubes go on the list of things I DO NOT EVER want to have put in my orafice!!!! That goes along with being on a Vent and having to have a nasogastric tube!!!
Something that's funny to me is that all of the patients at the hospital do not wear drawers. This fact does not in any way disturb me or make me uncomfortable. I think absolutely nothing of seeing a person in their birthday suit. HOWEVER....if a person was just sitting around in their underpants at the vein practice, I would be so embarassed and uncomfortable I couldn't hardly stand it!! Makes no sense does it? It is what it is though. We don't sit around in our drawers at home either and Pete never hangs out shirtless. I guess we are just modest folks.
All in all, I like my new job. I really love that I am helping comfort people that are in a really tough spot in their life. I love using the nursing skills that I spent several thousands of dollars on!!! The thought did cross my mind today that maybe I should have gone into floral design or something less stressful!! Nahhhhhhhh
Friday, March 19, 2010
A few of my favorite things
Here are a few of my favorite things, the things that make me happy!
1) Going and visiting my little buddy Lyle, his mommy Sherry and his baby brother Emory. They are a beautful family and I enjoy my friend Sherry a lot. She is a beautiful soul that seems to except me for exactly who I am and that is something great!
2) Our small group meetings at the Legg's house on Sunday nights. We get to enjoy a great meal together and then have a wonderful lesson. It's very fulfilling.
3) My friends. I can not begin to name all of the people that are special to me. I am surrounded by many women and men whose spirits shine with the light of the Lord. I would love to have a book documenting each one's testimony. Each testimony is so special and really touches my heart.
4) My neighborhood family. We are here for a reason. There are so many special families and singles that live here. I love being able to walk the neighborhood and speak to folks.
5) Cliff Mojo bars (peanut butter and pretzel) and a cup of coffee. I can't begin to tell you what a treat that is for me.
6) A comfortable pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. Although they aren't fancy duds...they are most representative of my style....always have been, always will be!
7) My cat Jack. Or Jack a poo tee as Lyndi calls him. He is an orange manx. For some reason, he just brings me joy. He is a funny cat. He drives Pete nuts and claws things up from time to time. But what can I say? I love him.
1) Going and visiting my little buddy Lyle, his mommy Sherry and his baby brother Emory. They are a beautful family and I enjoy my friend Sherry a lot. She is a beautiful soul that seems to except me for exactly who I am and that is something great!
2) Our small group meetings at the Legg's house on Sunday nights. We get to enjoy a great meal together and then have a wonderful lesson. It's very fulfilling.
3) My friends. I can not begin to name all of the people that are special to me. I am surrounded by many women and men whose spirits shine with the light of the Lord. I would love to have a book documenting each one's testimony. Each testimony is so special and really touches my heart.
4) My neighborhood family. We are here for a reason. There are so many special families and singles that live here. I love being able to walk the neighborhood and speak to folks.
5) Cliff Mojo bars (peanut butter and pretzel) and a cup of coffee. I can't begin to tell you what a treat that is for me.
6) A comfortable pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. Although they aren't fancy duds...they are most representative of my style....always have been, always will be!
7) My cat Jack. Or Jack a poo tee as Lyndi calls him. He is an orange manx. For some reason, he just brings me joy. He is a funny cat. He drives Pete nuts and claws things up from time to time. But what can I say? I love him.
The Beauty of It All
I began my new job working with long term care patients part time in town. I will continue work part time for the vein practice I've been at for the last year and a half. Let me just say that I am so incredibly busy in my life now. I thought I was busy before. My life was sitting on snooze before! I just didn't know.
I really like my new job. The patients are all total care. Most of the patients I've worked with are on a vent or have a tracheostomy. Some patients are there due to car accidents, severe stroke, failed attempts at suicide or just plain rotten health. I wondered how I would feel working with patients that were almost all in such a bad state of being. Truly it hasn't bothered me yet. After having worked in oncology, home health and acute care, I feel more adept at caring for these patients. I also know that I don't plan to dig deep into their personal lives. The less I know about them as a person (a healthy, living person) the better. My goal is to provide comfort and well being to each person to the best of my ability. I already know going into this sort of environment that some people never really get better. Comfort is key...full recovery is not. If a person is able to overcome their circumstances and graduate out of our facility, what a blessing!!
Coming from a little office of only 5 people, into a group of double digit nurses, plus office and other staff members is a big change. There are some interesting dianamics that I haven't really encountered before. I have sensed that there is a lot of tension between nurses. The Chaplain explained that this phenomenon is due to the high stress and the negativity related to all of the really sick patients. These patients are really needy and often have demanding family members. Those sorts of things tend to wear on the nurses and causes them to take it out on eachother. I personally believe that a lot of nurses have issues with control. They want to be in control of their patients, themselves and their environment. Of course this isn't a realistic expectation. At times, when the world isn't cooperating, the nurses get upset and lash out. Power struggles play out too. Instead of each person looking at their coworkers as a huge source of knowlege and assistance, some nurses feel inferior or even superior and then the horn clashing begins.
I've noticed a good bit of eye rolling, hen like cackling and ruffled feathers. It's a shame too. I see why it happens though. My goal is to avoid this drama and head butting as much as possible. I know that so much of what goes on in places like that have nothing REALLY to do with me personally. I will try to just do my job to the best of my ability, care for my patients in a manner that I have been called by God to do and then head home knowing that I made a difference. That's my goal. My prayer is that God will help guide me through all of this and help me to avoid major obstacles and that he will take my own burdens up on HIS shoulders.
In this life I have been given, I learned a few years ago that I have control of NOTHING. I learned from my previous marriage that I can not change anyone. I have learned to take each day as it comes. And I have learned from being a nurse that each patient, no matter what level of consciousness they may appear to be at, is still a human being with needs. The one thing that I learned from a dear friend/cancer patient named Terry, is that it is so important for each patient to feel like a human being and not like a disease (or a number).
So for my first days at the hospital, I feel like I am starting all over. I am so thankful that I haven't lost every bit of knowlege that I have about nursing. I have been thrilled over the moments of knowlege that come to me. I thought my bulb had burned out completely...I guess not! That little bulb turns on and shines from time to time!!! I'm rusty in my practice but still salvageable!
I find it so interesting that God has brought me to this place at this time in my life. My hope is that he will use me to help further HIS Kingdom. I am really looking forward to being witness to these situations I am talking about. I know that I have been so blessed in every area of nursing that I have worked in. Naturally there have been ups and downs in all of the places I've worked. That's life. The bad helps us to appreciate the good. It's my hope though that the good out weighs the bad! But the absolute miracles and examples of God's grace and mercy have been so amazing!!
So now if you see me on a Tuesday night, Wednesday night or Thursday night, know this: I probably have just worked a 12 hour shift with some really, really sick people; I worked Wed. at the Vein practice and Im still tired from my previous 12 hr shift and then will be at church that evening; Thursday will be another 12 hour shift taking care of really, really sick people. Please be understanding of my yawns and stretching...it's not a show of disrespect!
Thank you God for getting me to this point, even if it took months for you to go from saying "be still and wait", to "YES!"
I really like my new job. The patients are all total care. Most of the patients I've worked with are on a vent or have a tracheostomy. Some patients are there due to car accidents, severe stroke, failed attempts at suicide or just plain rotten health. I wondered how I would feel working with patients that were almost all in such a bad state of being. Truly it hasn't bothered me yet. After having worked in oncology, home health and acute care, I feel more adept at caring for these patients. I also know that I don't plan to dig deep into their personal lives. The less I know about them as a person (a healthy, living person) the better. My goal is to provide comfort and well being to each person to the best of my ability. I already know going into this sort of environment that some people never really get better. Comfort is key...full recovery is not. If a person is able to overcome their circumstances and graduate out of our facility, what a blessing!!
Coming from a little office of only 5 people, into a group of double digit nurses, plus office and other staff members is a big change. There are some interesting dianamics that I haven't really encountered before. I have sensed that there is a lot of tension between nurses. The Chaplain explained that this phenomenon is due to the high stress and the negativity related to all of the really sick patients. These patients are really needy and often have demanding family members. Those sorts of things tend to wear on the nurses and causes them to take it out on eachother. I personally believe that a lot of nurses have issues with control. They want to be in control of their patients, themselves and their environment. Of course this isn't a realistic expectation. At times, when the world isn't cooperating, the nurses get upset and lash out. Power struggles play out too. Instead of each person looking at their coworkers as a huge source of knowlege and assistance, some nurses feel inferior or even superior and then the horn clashing begins.
I've noticed a good bit of eye rolling, hen like cackling and ruffled feathers. It's a shame too. I see why it happens though. My goal is to avoid this drama and head butting as much as possible. I know that so much of what goes on in places like that have nothing REALLY to do with me personally. I will try to just do my job to the best of my ability, care for my patients in a manner that I have been called by God to do and then head home knowing that I made a difference. That's my goal. My prayer is that God will help guide me through all of this and help me to avoid major obstacles and that he will take my own burdens up on HIS shoulders.
In this life I have been given, I learned a few years ago that I have control of NOTHING. I learned from my previous marriage that I can not change anyone. I have learned to take each day as it comes. And I have learned from being a nurse that each patient, no matter what level of consciousness they may appear to be at, is still a human being with needs. The one thing that I learned from a dear friend/cancer patient named Terry, is that it is so important for each patient to feel like a human being and not like a disease (or a number).
So for my first days at the hospital, I feel like I am starting all over. I am so thankful that I haven't lost every bit of knowlege that I have about nursing. I have been thrilled over the moments of knowlege that come to me. I thought my bulb had burned out completely...I guess not! That little bulb turns on and shines from time to time!!! I'm rusty in my practice but still salvageable!
I find it so interesting that God has brought me to this place at this time in my life. My hope is that he will use me to help further HIS Kingdom. I am really looking forward to being witness to these situations I am talking about. I know that I have been so blessed in every area of nursing that I have worked in. Naturally there have been ups and downs in all of the places I've worked. That's life. The bad helps us to appreciate the good. It's my hope though that the good out weighs the bad! But the absolute miracles and examples of God's grace and mercy have been so amazing!!
So now if you see me on a Tuesday night, Wednesday night or Thursday night, know this: I probably have just worked a 12 hour shift with some really, really sick people; I worked Wed. at the Vein practice and Im still tired from my previous 12 hr shift and then will be at church that evening; Thursday will be another 12 hour shift taking care of really, really sick people. Please be understanding of my yawns and stretching...it's not a show of disrespect!
Thank you God for getting me to this point, even if it took months for you to go from saying "be still and wait", to "YES!"
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tragedy
I feel as though I have been able to recovery emotionally from the tragedy that I witnessed a couple of days ago......
As I was on Oglethorpe Ave, waiting at the light to turn left onto Hawthorne, I saw a gentleman attempting to maneuver his bicycle across the traffic laden road in the gas stations parking lot. This poor soul was finally able to semi-pedal and semi-push his bike across the street. This task was not made easy because he carried in his arms a brown paper bag. Thinking that Bell's grocery is just down the street, I thought...This poor fellow could really mess himself up and drop his sack of groceries! WHEN SUDDENLY....As he began trying to mount his metal steed and maintain control of his handle bars with one hand and hold the grocery sack in the other....the handle bars went left and the sack pitched to the right and fell in S-L-O-WWWWWWW motion to the ground. The contents of that bag began to foam and spew all over the ground!!!!!!!!!!! The golden rich barley concoction WASTED on the parking lot!!!!!!
Because I am pretty talented in the art of reading lips....I observed this gentleman fling his arms up to the Heavens and exclaim "OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SUGAR SMACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He then began pumping his arms up and down and stamping his feet in disgust.
While observing all of this, I was talking to my friend India on the phone. I told her of the events that I had observed. She explained that that gentleman was probably having to ride that bike in the first place because of his inablity to maintain the contents of his brown bag! She is so wise!
Poor fella! I know on game days when we used to make people pour out the contents of their little brown bags...they nearly wept and wanted to exclaim "AWWWWWWWWWWW SUGAR SMACKS!!!!" I know that's what they really wanted to say!!!
As I was on Oglethorpe Ave, waiting at the light to turn left onto Hawthorne, I saw a gentleman attempting to maneuver his bicycle across the traffic laden road in the gas stations parking lot. This poor soul was finally able to semi-pedal and semi-push his bike across the street. This task was not made easy because he carried in his arms a brown paper bag. Thinking that Bell's grocery is just down the street, I thought...This poor fellow could really mess himself up and drop his sack of groceries! WHEN SUDDENLY....As he began trying to mount his metal steed and maintain control of his handle bars with one hand and hold the grocery sack in the other....the handle bars went left and the sack pitched to the right and fell in S-L-O-WWWWWWW motion to the ground. The contents of that bag began to foam and spew all over the ground!!!!!!!!!!! The golden rich barley concoction WASTED on the parking lot!!!!!!
Because I am pretty talented in the art of reading lips....I observed this gentleman fling his arms up to the Heavens and exclaim "OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SUGAR SMACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He then began pumping his arms up and down and stamping his feet in disgust.
While observing all of this, I was talking to my friend India on the phone. I told her of the events that I had observed. She explained that that gentleman was probably having to ride that bike in the first place because of his inablity to maintain the contents of his brown bag! She is so wise!
Poor fella! I know on game days when we used to make people pour out the contents of their little brown bags...they nearly wept and wanted to exclaim "AWWWWWWWWWWW SUGAR SMACKS!!!!" I know that's what they really wanted to say!!!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Editor Needed
Today I realized what a terrible job I've done with these postings. Please forgive me for the posts that I've written that contain type-os, poor grammar and generally stink. I can honestly say that I've written many a blog while being half asleep, under the influence of cold medicine or just plain crazy from dealing with things (kids, work, family, stress, stress, stress). Hopefully you don't mind cutting me some slack. Know this: I always MEAN TO hit that little spell check button...it just doesn't always happen!!! Please, please forgive me!
Obviously Not in Kansas Anymore!!!
Tonight is supposed to be one of the brightest full moons EVER....or something like that. My coworker informed me of this neat fact. I told her that the full moon is creating havoc in my life. My children have been acting like maniacs. They are constantly fighting with eachother. My oldest has taken to screaming at the top of her lungs at the 3 year old. Both kids have been yelling at us (yea that goes over well). And neither one of them wants to got to bed or sleep. I too have been having trouble falling asleep the last few nights. With all of this lack of sleep going on, there have been some cranky folks at my house....ME INCLUDED...maybe even ESPECIALLY!!!
This whole full moon thing is not bunk. Anyone that thinks that there is nothing to this concept must live under a rock!! It really all makes sense if you think about it. As humans, we are made up of approximately 75% water. The moon has an effect on the oceans tides. Its bound to have an effect on us humans. Nevermind that every time there is a full moon the following events occur more frequently: 1)arrests 2)drunken brawls (that lead to arrest), domestic violence goes up (leading to increased hospital visits and to jail), baby births, mental breakdowns, murders (probably from mental breakdown) and my children lose their minds. Ok, so maybe I haven't really looked up the statistics on these things!! BUT, I do know from working in law enforcement and working in the ER that these things really do happen more frequently when there is a full moon. And the part about my kids losing their minds.....come over to my house during a full moon if proof is really needed!!!!
So I heard the greatest story today. As far as I know its a completely true story. One of my patients told me that her father was a chicken farmer. He had 3 working chicken houses. Well, because he was getting older (70's), he wasn't so sure that he wanted to continue having to care for these houses. Christmas day, he went out on the front porch and prayed to God about whether or not HE wanted him to continue in the chicken business. Once through praying, he went back inside the house. Later that afternoon, his neighbor came to his house and told him that he really needed to check on his chicken houses. What he saw would/should boggle the mind of any person...especially a non believer. A Christian should not be overly surprised!! When he checked those chicken houses, he found that a tornado had blown through and taken out all three of his houses. Nothing could be salvaged. No other house or property had been hurt from this tornado!!! Can you imagine a more perfect response to his prayer? Had only one chicken house been ruined, he might not know what that meant. Had a roof been damaged, he surely wouldn't have known. Total destruction of all 3 houses...no questions asked! Needless to say, he hung up his farming hat. He also did not mention to the insurance man that he had prayed about this...I'm sure the insurance company would have tried to figure a way out of paying for his loss!! They would have tried to say that he had special connections and had caused this to happen! How great to have THOSE kinds of connections with God!! Usually when I pray about something, I get the answer,"Not now, wait!!" or "Be still." Being that I'm deathly afraid of tornadoes...I'm ok with waiting!
This whole full moon thing is not bunk. Anyone that thinks that there is nothing to this concept must live under a rock!! It really all makes sense if you think about it. As humans, we are made up of approximately 75% water. The moon has an effect on the oceans tides. Its bound to have an effect on us humans. Nevermind that every time there is a full moon the following events occur more frequently: 1)arrests 2)drunken brawls (that lead to arrest), domestic violence goes up (leading to increased hospital visits and to jail), baby births, mental breakdowns, murders (probably from mental breakdown) and my children lose their minds. Ok, so maybe I haven't really looked up the statistics on these things!! BUT, I do know from working in law enforcement and working in the ER that these things really do happen more frequently when there is a full moon. And the part about my kids losing their minds.....come over to my house during a full moon if proof is really needed!!!!
So I heard the greatest story today. As far as I know its a completely true story. One of my patients told me that her father was a chicken farmer. He had 3 working chicken houses. Well, because he was getting older (70's), he wasn't so sure that he wanted to continue having to care for these houses. Christmas day, he went out on the front porch and prayed to God about whether or not HE wanted him to continue in the chicken business. Once through praying, he went back inside the house. Later that afternoon, his neighbor came to his house and told him that he really needed to check on his chicken houses. What he saw would/should boggle the mind of any person...especially a non believer. A Christian should not be overly surprised!! When he checked those chicken houses, he found that a tornado had blown through and taken out all three of his houses. Nothing could be salvaged. No other house or property had been hurt from this tornado!!! Can you imagine a more perfect response to his prayer? Had only one chicken house been ruined, he might not know what that meant. Had a roof been damaged, he surely wouldn't have known. Total destruction of all 3 houses...no questions asked! Needless to say, he hung up his farming hat. He also did not mention to the insurance man that he had prayed about this...I'm sure the insurance company would have tried to figure a way out of paying for his loss!! They would have tried to say that he had special connections and had caused this to happen! How great to have THOSE kinds of connections with God!! Usually when I pray about something, I get the answer,"Not now, wait!!" or "Be still." Being that I'm deathly afraid of tornadoes...I'm ok with waiting!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Pop goes the weasel...Jack
Ok, as I was sitting here on the bed, reading The Pioneer Woman's blog.....
Pete scoops up our teenager manx cat Jack-a-poo-tee (as Lyndi calls him). He asks Jack how he got a plug taken out of his chest (because he is either a tough fighter or can't fight worth a lick). Jackapootee, obviously not liking that Pete was inquiring about his personal business, raised his paw and popped Pete right on the nose. Pete put him down and called him a son with no father!!! I still have tears in my eyes from laughing. Pete had a drop of blood on his snout. Now we know...never comment on a cat's war wounds...they dont like it!!!
Pete scoops up our teenager manx cat Jack-a-poo-tee (as Lyndi calls him). He asks Jack how he got a plug taken out of his chest (because he is either a tough fighter or can't fight worth a lick). Jackapootee, obviously not liking that Pete was inquiring about his personal business, raised his paw and popped Pete right on the nose. Pete put him down and called him a son with no father!!! I still have tears in my eyes from laughing. Pete had a drop of blood on his snout. Now we know...never comment on a cat's war wounds...they dont like it!!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Better Since I Left the Room!
So today my embalmer friend from the other day returned for another procedure. There is something about this fellow that I really appreciate. Maybe its his down to earth attitude and honesty. He just seems like a good guy.
After his procedure was complete I said, "Hey ______ you doing all right now?" He said,"Yea Marci, I actually started to feel a lot better once you left the room!".....WOW!!!! I told him that he was talking awful big now that there weren't any sharp instruments being pointed at him!! I had to laugh. I'm a big enough girl to take some ribbing. And I have to say that he didn't leave out of that office without hugging me bye and thanking us for doing a great job. So I didn't let it get under my skin. He was being rather brave making a comment like that to a woman that could be peri-menopausal, generally hormonal or pregnant!!! But I am definitely NOT pregnant should that horrifying thought even begin to cross your mind!!!!!!!
Then today I had a patient preface a question with," I'm going to ask you a personal question that you might think is me trying to set you up for failure." I went ahead and told her that the shorts she had on did NOT make her butt look big!! But what she really wanted to know was.....If getting rid of her spider veins was going to make her into a SEX KITTEN!!! Was her husband going to be harassing her and pawing at her? Hmmmmmm....I wasn't quite sure if she wanted to be pawed or didn't want to be pawed. You know how married women are.....either they are a sex kitten or they seem to suffer from recurrent headaches. She also wanted to know if the compression stockings she would be wearing might be a turn on for her husband......I'm like....Lady, I don't know your husband, he MAY just have a fetish for ladies wearing grandma style hosiery! Nothing surprises me anymore.
So I called my in laws tonight. My father-in--aw that's 71 answered the phone. I asked what he was up to and he said he was walking on his treadmill. I asked him how long he walked...30 minutes every single day!! How bout that? Grandpa totally shows me up on a daily basis!! I really need to get back to working out!! Maybe if I get back to working out....I too can be a SEX KITTEN!!
The patient that asked me about becoming a sex kitten was 51 years old. And my father-in-law (as I said) is 71. I am almost 37.....there is something really wrong with this picture.
These two separate incidents tell me couple of things:
1) Middle century, mature (my patient's wording) women think about being sexy.
2) My parents and everyone else's parents maybe having sex, thinking about being a sex kitten and have weird hosiery fetishes.........ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!
After his procedure was complete I said, "Hey ______ you doing all right now?" He said,"Yea Marci, I actually started to feel a lot better once you left the room!".....WOW!!!! I told him that he was talking awful big now that there weren't any sharp instruments being pointed at him!! I had to laugh. I'm a big enough girl to take some ribbing. And I have to say that he didn't leave out of that office without hugging me bye and thanking us for doing a great job. So I didn't let it get under my skin. He was being rather brave making a comment like that to a woman that could be peri-menopausal, generally hormonal or pregnant!!! But I am definitely NOT pregnant should that horrifying thought even begin to cross your mind!!!!!!!
Then today I had a patient preface a question with," I'm going to ask you a personal question that you might think is me trying to set you up for failure." I went ahead and told her that the shorts she had on did NOT make her butt look big!! But what she really wanted to know was.....If getting rid of her spider veins was going to make her into a SEX KITTEN!!! Was her husband going to be harassing her and pawing at her? Hmmmmmm....I wasn't quite sure if she wanted to be pawed or didn't want to be pawed. You know how married women are.....either they are a sex kitten or they seem to suffer from recurrent headaches. She also wanted to know if the compression stockings she would be wearing might be a turn on for her husband......I'm like....Lady, I don't know your husband, he MAY just have a fetish for ladies wearing grandma style hosiery! Nothing surprises me anymore.
So I called my in laws tonight. My father-in--aw that's 71 answered the phone. I asked what he was up to and he said he was walking on his treadmill. I asked him how long he walked...30 minutes every single day!! How bout that? Grandpa totally shows me up on a daily basis!! I really need to get back to working out!! Maybe if I get back to working out....I too can be a SEX KITTEN!!
The patient that asked me about becoming a sex kitten was 51 years old. And my father-in-law (as I said) is 71. I am almost 37.....there is something really wrong with this picture.
These two separate incidents tell me couple of things:
1) Middle century, mature (my patient's wording) women think about being sexy.
2) My parents and everyone else's parents maybe having sex, thinking about being a sex kitten and have weird hosiery fetishes.........ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
I WILL RISE!!!
Ok, its not even 9AM and I've been through about every emotion known to man...or woman...in my case!
This AM, Lyndi decided to have a falling out fit because her cereal wasn't in a BIG bowl. I'm sorry, I put it in a travel worthy bowl like I do EVERY morning when we have to eat on the run. But because I fell short of her expectations....since Pete was at home sick with the stomach yucks and I had to get Lila to school too.....she had to FALL OUT on the floor and practically be dragged to the car. Thanks to Pete for actually getting her UP in her seat and buckling her in...cause if I had to do it...I might have had to ___________ her (you can fill in any verb you can think of that semi-resembles torture).
So, once we got Lila to school, Lyndi asked me for the 1000000 time whether or not we were going to church tonight. She LOVES to go to church. And I LOVE that she LOVES to go to church. And what a sweet blessing that (despite the fact that she had a blooming fit at the house)she sat in the back seat singing to (at the beautiful tender age of 3)"I Will Rise" by Matthew West. She may not know what the words really, really mean YET, but she sang them with all of her heart. And I strained to hear her. I bet that God probably strained his ear a bit to hear her sweet little self singing HIS praises this morning too.
I would be so selfish to say that the blessings ended there for me....
While we were driving in, I thought that since I was running early that I should stop by and see my dad on the way in at work. For a moment I wavered on that thought. But then I drove up the drive to the shop. When I walked in I saw one of my dad's coworkers. I joked with him that if I called out "DAD", how many of the men at the body shop would turn around! I called "dad" and my dad did turn around! :) Along with about 3 others. But I wondered inside if my dad recognized my voice, the voice of his child that he had heard call his name for almost 37 years.
I told Dad that he needed to come out and see Lyndi. She loves her Papa so much!! She wanted to see him so badly. So he went out and hugged her and kissed her on the forehead. He stooped down and talked to her while she sat in her car seat. She didn't have a lot to say but I could tell that she was so completely crazy in love with talking to her Papa.
I asked Dad if he knew how his coworker David White was doing. David recently lost his 44 year old wife quite unexpectedly to Meningitis. Within less than one week, his wife went from having an ear ache to going to the hospital...to going on a vent...to being disconnected...to dying. They had (I think) 3 teenage children together. Dad said that he wasn't sure how he was doing since it had been a week since she had passed and he had not been back to work.
No sooner had we spoken of David and dad said,"Well here comes David now!" David walked up and I introduced myself. I hugged him and told him that we had been praying for him at our church in Comer. I told him that I was sorry for his sudden loss and that although we can not always understand why these things happen, God does have a great plan in everything. Across his face, there was a flash of sadness that was replaced with a gleam of pride and love. He told me that his wife, who had died before her time was a Christian woman who whole heartedly believed in God. She was a very good woman that was unselfish, always doing for others and was very kind. He knew where her heart was...with the Lord. I thought, what an awesome blessing to KNOW without a doubt that she BELIEVED. Not only did she BELIEVE, but she was a woman with a big, unselfish heart that did for others. He said that he thought he needed to get back to work and to move on into the next chapter of his life. And I knew what he meant. He needed to get back to DOING something so he didn't sit at home dwelling on his loss. He needed a distraction. But at the very least, he had peace in his heart. I am so grateful for him for that.
But then came an extra blessing for me. As I told my dad that I needed to go, I hugged him bye. When I hugged him, for some reason TODAY, it took me back. It took me back to all those years when I hugged my dad and felt that warm, cozy, comfortable love that I felt as a young girl...back when I was a true Daddy's girl. The warmth and safety I felt there....that I haven't felt in a long time...was THERE!! It was like having a renewed belief in the Santa Clause I believed in as a child. As we grow up and find out the truth about Christmas (and come to understand that we celebrate Christmas because of Christ and not because of the man in the red suit) and begin to forget the excitement and joy that we felt for the man we know as Santa....I felt that overwhelming joy and love for my Dad just like I used to feel for him like I did as a child. Not that I don't love my Dad now. I surely do...but to experience the same love as a child and probably just as Lyndi felt for him.....was a beautiful, sweet blessing.
As we grow up and grow older, we start to see our family members and parents for the true people that they are and not just as our sister, brother, mother or father. We learn about them as a provider, about their hopes, dreams and disappointments. We may even have hurts and disappointments tied to our relationships with them. But today, being able to see my Dad through the eyes of a child and not thinking about any other feeling but the love I felt for him really made my visit extra special. And knowing that David suffered a huge loss, his time with his wife cut short, made me recognize what a special gift I received this morning. And I am truly, deeply thankful for that!
This AM, Lyndi decided to have a falling out fit because her cereal wasn't in a BIG bowl. I'm sorry, I put it in a travel worthy bowl like I do EVERY morning when we have to eat on the run. But because I fell short of her expectations....since Pete was at home sick with the stomach yucks and I had to get Lila to school too.....she had to FALL OUT on the floor and practically be dragged to the car. Thanks to Pete for actually getting her UP in her seat and buckling her in...cause if I had to do it...I might have had to ___________ her (you can fill in any verb you can think of that semi-resembles torture).
So, once we got Lila to school, Lyndi asked me for the 1000000 time whether or not we were going to church tonight. She LOVES to go to church. And I LOVE that she LOVES to go to church. And what a sweet blessing that (despite the fact that she had a blooming fit at the house)she sat in the back seat singing to (at the beautiful tender age of 3)"I Will Rise" by Matthew West. She may not know what the words really, really mean YET, but she sang them with all of her heart. And I strained to hear her. I bet that God probably strained his ear a bit to hear her sweet little self singing HIS praises this morning too.
I would be so selfish to say that the blessings ended there for me....
While we were driving in, I thought that since I was running early that I should stop by and see my dad on the way in at work. For a moment I wavered on that thought. But then I drove up the drive to the shop. When I walked in I saw one of my dad's coworkers. I joked with him that if I called out "DAD", how many of the men at the body shop would turn around! I called "dad" and my dad did turn around! :) Along with about 3 others. But I wondered inside if my dad recognized my voice, the voice of his child that he had heard call his name for almost 37 years.
I told Dad that he needed to come out and see Lyndi. She loves her Papa so much!! She wanted to see him so badly. So he went out and hugged her and kissed her on the forehead. He stooped down and talked to her while she sat in her car seat. She didn't have a lot to say but I could tell that she was so completely crazy in love with talking to her Papa.
I asked Dad if he knew how his coworker David White was doing. David recently lost his 44 year old wife quite unexpectedly to Meningitis. Within less than one week, his wife went from having an ear ache to going to the hospital...to going on a vent...to being disconnected...to dying. They had (I think) 3 teenage children together. Dad said that he wasn't sure how he was doing since it had been a week since she had passed and he had not been back to work.
No sooner had we spoken of David and dad said,"Well here comes David now!" David walked up and I introduced myself. I hugged him and told him that we had been praying for him at our church in Comer. I told him that I was sorry for his sudden loss and that although we can not always understand why these things happen, God does have a great plan in everything. Across his face, there was a flash of sadness that was replaced with a gleam of pride and love. He told me that his wife, who had died before her time was a Christian woman who whole heartedly believed in God. She was a very good woman that was unselfish, always doing for others and was very kind. He knew where her heart was...with the Lord. I thought, what an awesome blessing to KNOW without a doubt that she BELIEVED. Not only did she BELIEVE, but she was a woman with a big, unselfish heart that did for others. He said that he thought he needed to get back to work and to move on into the next chapter of his life. And I knew what he meant. He needed to get back to DOING something so he didn't sit at home dwelling on his loss. He needed a distraction. But at the very least, he had peace in his heart. I am so grateful for him for that.
But then came an extra blessing for me. As I told my dad that I needed to go, I hugged him bye. When I hugged him, for some reason TODAY, it took me back. It took me back to all those years when I hugged my dad and felt that warm, cozy, comfortable love that I felt as a young girl...back when I was a true Daddy's girl. The warmth and safety I felt there....that I haven't felt in a long time...was THERE!! It was like having a renewed belief in the Santa Clause I believed in as a child. As we grow up and find out the truth about Christmas (and come to understand that we celebrate Christmas because of Christ and not because of the man in the red suit) and begin to forget the excitement and joy that we felt for the man we know as Santa....I felt that overwhelming joy and love for my Dad just like I used to feel for him like I did as a child. Not that I don't love my Dad now. I surely do...but to experience the same love as a child and probably just as Lyndi felt for him.....was a beautiful, sweet blessing.
As we grow up and grow older, we start to see our family members and parents for the true people that they are and not just as our sister, brother, mother or father. We learn about them as a provider, about their hopes, dreams and disappointments. We may even have hurts and disappointments tied to our relationships with them. But today, being able to see my Dad through the eyes of a child and not thinking about any other feeling but the love I felt for him really made my visit extra special. And knowing that David suffered a huge loss, his time with his wife cut short, made me recognize what a special gift I received this morning. And I am truly, deeply thankful for that!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Fun With The Dead
I really don't have a lot to say about "Fun With the Dead", but I had a patient today that used to be an embalmer...and it sounded like "back in the day" that he and his friends had a good time. Death can be such a depressing thing. All people that work around death and dying have to have a release. Humor has to be a daily part of a service person's life. Nurses, doctors, police officers, funeral directors and fire persons all have a heavy emotional load to carry. Maybe I need to add DFACS workers and counselors to that list too.
Understand this, my patient didn't necessarily have fun with the dead, but instead with the live folks that got the heeby jeebies being around dead folks. As a young 20 year old, I can still remember having to deliver flowers to a black funeral home. I had never really been around dead people much, let alone dead black people. If you have never seen a deceased black person....they do NOT look dead. When white folks die, they get a pale, grayish tint to their skin. If a white person doesn't appear gray, they look like manequins from all the pancake makeup. Black people, they retain the natural color of their skin. They actually just look like they are asleep. This is a very unnerving thing to many white folks. But what's funny to me is that many, many black people that I have worked with get really freaked out around people that are dead.
I remember a girl I worked with at a hospital. She was a 20 something black female, patient care tech. All day, we had been waiting for a patient to pass. This gentleman had been really sick for a long time. We knew that death was imminent. That tech would have walked to China to get take out if it meant that she could avoid having to go in and be around this patient that she knew could be dead. Once the patient passed, I thought this girl was going to have a heart attack. She begged and pleaded to not have to go into the patients room. Unfortunately for this tech, it was part of her job description to have to help prepare patients after ceasing to be of this world. I have to admit that inside I was giggling!! If that patient's hand had moved even one millimeter toward her because of gravity...she would have ran to China!!!
Speaking of the dead, Pete felt half dead today. Last night he came down with a very unpleasant stomach virus. Pete spent the evening running back and forth to the bathroom. The runs and vomiting pretty much ruined the hope of a decent night's sleep. He was achy and had chills. Tylenol has been his friend. Toast and chicken noodle soup have been his gourmet meals. Woohoo!
This year marks five years of nursing for me. This also means that one of my Federal loans gets forgiven. I couldnt be more thrilled about this major event. I also can not believe that this year marks my 5th anniversary of nursing. It seems so hard to believe that this much time could have passed. Now if I can just get the other school loans paid off....I'll be 52 years old when this happens....booo.
Lila told me tonight that I was the best mom in the whole world. Sorry ladies....I know you had hoped to get that award....but 2010 is MY year!!! Lila used to tell me almost every day that I was the BESTEST Mommy in the World. Then from about 6-7 yrs she kind of backed off from that....I wonder why???? hmmmmm Don't guess it had anything to do with me being a strict meanie? Oh well....Lila's a good girl most of the time...a little whiney and will cry at the drop of a hat....but sweet most of the time. I'm really glad that she loves me and appreciates me despite the fact that Im strict.
Can I just say it??? I love my family!
Understand this, my patient didn't necessarily have fun with the dead, but instead with the live folks that got the heeby jeebies being around dead folks. As a young 20 year old, I can still remember having to deliver flowers to a black funeral home. I had never really been around dead people much, let alone dead black people. If you have never seen a deceased black person....they do NOT look dead. When white folks die, they get a pale, grayish tint to their skin. If a white person doesn't appear gray, they look like manequins from all the pancake makeup. Black people, they retain the natural color of their skin. They actually just look like they are asleep. This is a very unnerving thing to many white folks. But what's funny to me is that many, many black people that I have worked with get really freaked out around people that are dead.
I remember a girl I worked with at a hospital. She was a 20 something black female, patient care tech. All day, we had been waiting for a patient to pass. This gentleman had been really sick for a long time. We knew that death was imminent. That tech would have walked to China to get take out if it meant that she could avoid having to go in and be around this patient that she knew could be dead. Once the patient passed, I thought this girl was going to have a heart attack. She begged and pleaded to not have to go into the patients room. Unfortunately for this tech, it was part of her job description to have to help prepare patients after ceasing to be of this world. I have to admit that inside I was giggling!! If that patient's hand had moved even one millimeter toward her because of gravity...she would have ran to China!!!
Speaking of the dead, Pete felt half dead today. Last night he came down with a very unpleasant stomach virus. Pete spent the evening running back and forth to the bathroom. The runs and vomiting pretty much ruined the hope of a decent night's sleep. He was achy and had chills. Tylenol has been his friend. Toast and chicken noodle soup have been his gourmet meals. Woohoo!
This year marks five years of nursing for me. This also means that one of my Federal loans gets forgiven. I couldnt be more thrilled about this major event. I also can not believe that this year marks my 5th anniversary of nursing. It seems so hard to believe that this much time could have passed. Now if I can just get the other school loans paid off....I'll be 52 years old when this happens....booo.
Lila told me tonight that I was the best mom in the whole world. Sorry ladies....I know you had hoped to get that award....but 2010 is MY year!!! Lila used to tell me almost every day that I was the BESTEST Mommy in the World. Then from about 6-7 yrs she kind of backed off from that....I wonder why???? hmmmmm Don't guess it had anything to do with me being a strict meanie? Oh well....Lila's a good girl most of the time...a little whiney and will cry at the drop of a hat....but sweet most of the time. I'm really glad that she loves me and appreciates me despite the fact that Im strict.
Can I just say it??? I love my family!
Monday, January 25, 2010
True Friends
From the time we are very young, we have to ask ourselves what characteristics we think it takes to be a good friend. What makes a person a true friend as opposed to an acquaitance? What is it that binds us to one another? What experiences, emotions, actions or conversations takes a person up to the level of friend?
I can say that I have friends that I have had from the time I was in 3rd grade. I am almost 37 years old and I am still friends with people that have known me for most of my life. Oh the changes our lives have gone through!!!
This weekend, Pete asked me what I had to call my friend to talk to her about. I told him that I didn't NEED to call her about anything. I called her because she is my friend. The difference between me and Pete is that there are people that I love and care about. I try to keep up periodically....sometimes pathetically enough...the conversations are months apart! But, I dont have to have a reason to call. However, in this friend's case, I know she is having a hard time and I wanted to call her and offer a little bit of support. That's what real friends do. Real friends reach out from time to time to check in and check on eachother. I don't know if men do this.
Men call eachother to see if they want to hang out and watch a game. Men call because their wives tell them they must...like telling them to call their mother!
I am not trying to say that men can't have REAL friendships.
I can say that I have friends that I have had from the time I was in 3rd grade. I am almost 37 years old and I am still friends with people that have known me for most of my life. Oh the changes our lives have gone through!!!
This weekend, Pete asked me what I had to call my friend to talk to her about. I told him that I didn't NEED to call her about anything. I called her because she is my friend. The difference between me and Pete is that there are people that I love and care about. I try to keep up periodically....sometimes pathetically enough...the conversations are months apart! But, I dont have to have a reason to call. However, in this friend's case, I know she is having a hard time and I wanted to call her and offer a little bit of support. That's what real friends do. Real friends reach out from time to time to check in and check on eachother. I don't know if men do this.
Men call eachother to see if they want to hang out and watch a game. Men call because their wives tell them they must...like telling them to call their mother!
I am not trying to say that men can't have REAL friendships.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Book
Tonight was the first time in FOREVER that Pete and I got to go out on a date. My friend Jason was great enough to take on two MORE girls (ours + his) and let us have some grownup time! For that, I am very grateful.
We set off from Jason's house and went directly to Hobby Lobby...... Last night, I went to our church to try my hand at scrap booking with our pastor's wife and a few other ladies. I had a bit of stress to work through. I have to admit that scrap booking was rather therapeutic. So tonight I went and got a few supplies for me to use to finish working on Lyndi's baby album...you know, the one that I haven't ever gotten around to working on yet, despite the fact that Lyndi is now 3 years old! And just stuffing her baby pictures inside the front flap of the photo album doesn't really cut it huh?!!!
But our date did not stall out there!!! We had a nice dinner at Red Lobster. We got there about 5:30 so we were able to beat the real crowd!! whew! Then we went to see the movie "The Book of Eli". I really did not have any idea about what the story line was for this movie. I didn't know if it was a thriller, a drama, a comedy...whatever. I kind of figured from the death and destruction starting out that it probably wasn't going to be a romantic comedy. Although people did snicker during the first scene when Eli shoots a cat with a arrow...and makes dinner out of the kitty. But anyway.....
The movie was a good one, I think. It was thought provoking. I have some questions about it now that I've had time to think. Despite the fact that the main story line is that Eli has a Bible that he is trying to get to somewhere...and he will fight to the death to protect it...Eli doesn't really spend a lot of time talking about God. He mentions faith. He recites a couple of verses. Other than a few random mentionings of these things, that's about all of the religious topics put out there by the movie. I'm really kind of curious about that. Faith, prayer and the Book are mentioned. At one point Eli speaks the verse from the Bible that explains that we were made from dust and will return to dust.
As we were walking out, I kept wishing that I could know what others thought about that movie. What if many of the other viewers had no idea what the movie was supposed to be about, just like me? Were those viewers disappointed. Was the idea of God lost on them? Were they touched by God's word and power? Was a seed planted?
While walking out of the theater, I heard a young man behind us comment,"Man, that sure was cool when he smashed that guys head into the counter!!" I told Pete, "Sure, one could walk away with that message from the movie...or they could walk away with the message I got....(about God!!)" I think the whole concept was lost on that kid...or maybe he was just trying to seem cool in front of his friends, but secretly inside, he wondered about our Lord? I'd love to think that that was the case.
Too often these days, some people are trying their hardest to take God out of our lives. I read recently that educators in Texas were having to meet to discuss how they were going to write their history books. They were going to mention the creator of Mary Kay products. She was mentioned twice in a text book already. However, the conflict they were having was over how much they should mention about MLK's religious beliefs. Some groups that really believe in the separation of Church and State, felt like there should be no mention of the fact that MLK was a Christian. Also, they didn't think that we should mention any thing about our founding father's religious beliefs. They think that our founding fathers wanted to push Christianity. I always thought that our United States was supposed to be a place for religious FREEDOMS...we could worship polar bears if we wanted to...What do I know? But I do know this...MLK....he was Dr. Martin Luther King...the REVEREND Martin Luther King. His speeches were delivered to the congregation of his church and in other arenas. He was a Christian. Because of his Christian beliefs, that support peace, love and hope, he HAD A DREAM. But hey, if one person can go into the movie "The Book of Eli" and come out totally impressed that Eli smashed a guys face into a counter.....and I can leave out thanking God for being such an awesome, loving God.....Then, I can thank God that our founding fathers were courageous enough to separate from the Queen and create a New World where we have religious FREEDOMS!!
We set off from Jason's house and went directly to Hobby Lobby...... Last night, I went to our church to try my hand at scrap booking with our pastor's wife and a few other ladies. I had a bit of stress to work through. I have to admit that scrap booking was rather therapeutic. So tonight I went and got a few supplies for me to use to finish working on Lyndi's baby album...you know, the one that I haven't ever gotten around to working on yet, despite the fact that Lyndi is now 3 years old! And just stuffing her baby pictures inside the front flap of the photo album doesn't really cut it huh?!!!
But our date did not stall out there!!! We had a nice dinner at Red Lobster. We got there about 5:30 so we were able to beat the real crowd!! whew! Then we went to see the movie "The Book of Eli". I really did not have any idea about what the story line was for this movie. I didn't know if it was a thriller, a drama, a comedy...whatever. I kind of figured from the death and destruction starting out that it probably wasn't going to be a romantic comedy. Although people did snicker during the first scene when Eli shoots a cat with a arrow...and makes dinner out of the kitty. But anyway.....
The movie was a good one, I think. It was thought provoking. I have some questions about it now that I've had time to think. Despite the fact that the main story line is that Eli has a Bible that he is trying to get to somewhere...and he will fight to the death to protect it...Eli doesn't really spend a lot of time talking about God. He mentions faith. He recites a couple of verses. Other than a few random mentionings of these things, that's about all of the religious topics put out there by the movie. I'm really kind of curious about that. Faith, prayer and the Book are mentioned. At one point Eli speaks the verse from the Bible that explains that we were made from dust and will return to dust.
As we were walking out, I kept wishing that I could know what others thought about that movie. What if many of the other viewers had no idea what the movie was supposed to be about, just like me? Were those viewers disappointed. Was the idea of God lost on them? Were they touched by God's word and power? Was a seed planted?
While walking out of the theater, I heard a young man behind us comment,"Man, that sure was cool when he smashed that guys head into the counter!!" I told Pete, "Sure, one could walk away with that message from the movie...or they could walk away with the message I got....(about God!!)" I think the whole concept was lost on that kid...or maybe he was just trying to seem cool in front of his friends, but secretly inside, he wondered about our Lord? I'd love to think that that was the case.
Too often these days, some people are trying their hardest to take God out of our lives. I read recently that educators in Texas were having to meet to discuss how they were going to write their history books. They were going to mention the creator of Mary Kay products. She was mentioned twice in a text book already. However, the conflict they were having was over how much they should mention about MLK's religious beliefs. Some groups that really believe in the separation of Church and State, felt like there should be no mention of the fact that MLK was a Christian. Also, they didn't think that we should mention any thing about our founding father's religious beliefs. They think that our founding fathers wanted to push Christianity. I always thought that our United States was supposed to be a place for religious FREEDOMS...we could worship polar bears if we wanted to...What do I know? But I do know this...MLK....he was Dr. Martin Luther King...the REVEREND Martin Luther King. His speeches were delivered to the congregation of his church and in other arenas. He was a Christian. Because of his Christian beliefs, that support peace, love and hope, he HAD A DREAM. But hey, if one person can go into the movie "The Book of Eli" and come out totally impressed that Eli smashed a guys face into a counter.....and I can leave out thanking God for being such an awesome, loving God.....Then, I can thank God that our founding fathers were courageous enough to separate from the Queen and create a New World where we have religious FREEDOMS!!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Satan's demise
2010 begins. We are now 3 days into the new year. I'm asking myself what God has in store for me this year. What does he want me to do with his life. I say His life because really, my life is His. I don't know what I can do or would do without Him. Nothing would make sense I think. I would feel lost and alone.
This morning, at church, our Pastor used a smart analogy. He said that if a person stands in front of a drink machine and just stares at it, nothing happens. Only when that person puts his 50 cents in the machine does he get something out of it. He was saying that when we go to church and just sit there in the pews and don't ever put anything into our worship, we won't ever be able to get anything out of it. This is true about everything in our lives. Standing back and waiting for something to happen, will never bring anything to fruition in our life.
Our Pastor has a vision for our church. It is unbelievable how many non believers there are in our county. Never mind our whole nation. Just locally, only 30% of our population are believers in Christ. Broken down, that means that 8.7 people die every day in our county that are unsaved. How heart breaking.
Part of the vision for our church is that we become more involved in missions. Local missions, not foreign missions to start. There is a mission being put together by the Southern Baptist Convention to seek out souls in Atlanta. 90% of people in an area located near 285 are non believers. My guess is that life has become so overwhelming that people have lost sight of God.
Last year, Pete and I participated in AWANA. AWANA is a children's ministry. I never felt overwhelmingly compelled to teach AWANA. I participated and really appreciated seeing God move in a couple of the children's lives. But as far as whether I am called to work with children or not, I would say no. I prayed and prayed about it but never felt that God was leading me in this direction.
This year, I will be praying that God give me guidance as to whether or not He wants me to do HIS work in Missions. Does HE want me to go to Atlanta and be a part of this missions group? Only time will tell I suppose.
For now, I am grateful that I am one of God's children. I am thankful to be saved. I find great comfort and joy in being one of HIS. For now, I look forward to learning more about God's plan for me and my family. And I pray that God will use me for HIS good.
Sure sounds like a BIG way to start a new decade and new year!
This morning, at church, our Pastor used a smart analogy. He said that if a person stands in front of a drink machine and just stares at it, nothing happens. Only when that person puts his 50 cents in the machine does he get something out of it. He was saying that when we go to church and just sit there in the pews and don't ever put anything into our worship, we won't ever be able to get anything out of it. This is true about everything in our lives. Standing back and waiting for something to happen, will never bring anything to fruition in our life.
Our Pastor has a vision for our church. It is unbelievable how many non believers there are in our county. Never mind our whole nation. Just locally, only 30% of our population are believers in Christ. Broken down, that means that 8.7 people die every day in our county that are unsaved. How heart breaking.
Part of the vision for our church is that we become more involved in missions. Local missions, not foreign missions to start. There is a mission being put together by the Southern Baptist Convention to seek out souls in Atlanta. 90% of people in an area located near 285 are non believers. My guess is that life has become so overwhelming that people have lost sight of God.
Last year, Pete and I participated in AWANA. AWANA is a children's ministry. I never felt overwhelmingly compelled to teach AWANA. I participated and really appreciated seeing God move in a couple of the children's lives. But as far as whether I am called to work with children or not, I would say no. I prayed and prayed about it but never felt that God was leading me in this direction.
This year, I will be praying that God give me guidance as to whether or not He wants me to do HIS work in Missions. Does HE want me to go to Atlanta and be a part of this missions group? Only time will tell I suppose.
For now, I am grateful that I am one of God's children. I am thankful to be saved. I find great comfort and joy in being one of HIS. For now, I look forward to learning more about God's plan for me and my family. And I pray that God will use me for HIS good.
Sure sounds like a BIG way to start a new decade and new year!
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