For the Love of Fun

A friend recently asked me what I do for fun.  My answer??  Sadly, it was something along the lines of "I don't know" or "I don't really have time for fun".  It really got to me.  I knew I had to change things up.  As I pondered the topic for a few days (obsessively almost), I realized that I do have fun.  Quite often actually.  Below are some of the things I do that bring me joy.  Granted, these are things I do often as part of my everyday routine.  I don't typically play paintball or partake in electronic gaming, so others may not find these things fun... but I guess that's not really important to whether or not I should enjoy them...

One day, I will have this body :)

I recently just started to learn the art of stick fighting… that’s not the technical term for it I’m sure, but that’s what I call it, lol!  It’s pretty much amazing.  I get to take out my frustrations on some sticks that can’t feel any pain.  It also gets me moving (which let’s face facts, I don’t do very much outside of walking and lifting my son).  I have gotten to meet some cool new people and am learning how to defend myself should anyone ever come at me with a stick or sword perhaps lol!

I get great joy from learning about medicine.  Not so much anatomy and physiology, but diseases and treatments.  I am pretty much addicted to such shows as Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and House.  It’s funny really because watching these shows has given me a slight advantage in some aspects of my Anatomy & Physiology class. 

I like to read the Bible.  When I’m feeling particularly sad or upset and just not sure what to do or where to turn, I open up my Bible.  Often times I will utilize my mom’s concordance (which I didn’t even know she had until a week or 2 ago) and have access to a plethora of scripture to read and interpret via other scripture.  And while on this topic, it’s always a great time when I can share the Word with those who don’t share my faith or who are so caught up in their troubles that they don’t stop to think about the bigger picture.

 I google a lot.  As well as pinterest.  Who knew those words could be used as verbs?? Lol!  Seriously though, I could spend hours on end just googling and pinteresting.  Funny is my go-to category.  Who doesn’t love to laugh right?  I also spend a lot of time searching for ways to be a better parent for my son.  Every so often I’ll get really wild and attempt to diagnose whatever symptoms I’m having.  Thanks to my medical background, this is easier for me than it is for others.

 

 

I look forward to talking with friends, mainly intelligent conversations.  Now that’s not to say I don’t like talking about nothing from time to time, but I get more enjoyment out of broadening my perspective and/or knowledge on a subject.  When I feel very passionate about a certain topic, I love backing up my position with actual knowledge and facts instead of relying solely on opinions.

I love to eat.  I don’t usually overeat (but sometimes I do and then feel awful, lol) but I do love food.  I can’t cook to save my life, but if I’m given a recipe I can create just about anything.  I have (on several occasions) made my own frosting for cupcakes and even made avocado ice cream this past summer.  My next goal is brownie cookie dough sandwiches, followed by mango ice cream soon after.  And I can make some pretty legit noodles.  And this just gave me an idea for my next post.

So until then, have fun in whatever you do.  Always look for the light at the end of the tunnel and find the fruit loop in a bowl of cheerios.  Make lemonade out of lemons.  Whatever phrase comes to mind, always enjoy life.   Don’t fret the small stuff :)

Surgery and Anesthesia

As I will be having a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of my gallbladder via 4 tiny incisions in my abdomen), I have been chatting with Dr. Google... again!  I've found alot of interesting stories about what people remember and how they felt before, during, and after procedures.  This prompted me to write about my experiences with anesthesia and surgery thus far.  I've had 4 surgeries in the last 20 months and not a single one before that!

C-Section


Kayden, 3 days old. February 20, 2012

Wouldn't you know, the very first surgery I ever had to endure was that of my son's birth.  Do to having undiagnosed (until the OB tried to break my water) placenta previa (where the placenta covers the opening of the birth canal) I had to have an emergency C-Section.  This was February 17, 2011.

I was terrified!  I had no idea what they were doing to me or if I would even survive the surgery.  I had never seen the inside of an OR, I was about to be a mommy, and my own mommy couldn't go into the room with me so I was a mess.  I was shaking, went back and forth from hot to cold, crying, and nauseous from the level of stress I was putting myself through.

I had already been given an IV before I went to the OR, because when you have a child you get an IV no matter what.  Once inside the OR, they moved me to the operating table.  The very kind blonde nurse helped support me while the anesthesiologist gave me an injection in my back.  I didn't even feel the needle going in.  Perhaps this is because I was more concerned about death than pain lol.  I was laid back onto the table and then I felt no pain.  Other than feeling somebody messing with my girl parts (they were inserting the catheter) and pressure in my chest, I felt nothing.  I told my son's dad that I couldn't breathe (because I forced him to hold my hand the entire time... even after Kayden was born lol) and he started to worry.  I then reassured him that this was because there was SO MUCH pressure from the nurse pushing right below my ribcage to push the baby out.

I got very impatient once Kayden was out because I still couldn't move and wanted to very badly.  I kept telling the surgical team to move it along lol.  I recovered nicely (other than the odd spikes in my heart rate and dealing with an elevated blood pressure from pre-eclampsia) and was home 3 days after Kayden was born.  After 2 weeks, I was back to myself doing everything I did before and then some.  There was alot of pain, mainly from laughing and trying to lay flat.  The meds were good at controlling it though.


Wisdom Teeth
In November 2011, I had to have all 4 of my wisom teeth extracted.  I was told I was being put under, but I don't know that I was.  The dentist inserted my IV and put the meds in through that.  As he was doing that, I said to him "Is it normal to have a rapid heart rate during this process?  I don't have one, but I was just wondering." I don't know if he even answered the question because I was out.  I did wake up during the procedure and felt ALOT of pain.  That was the worst part of it really.  When I came to, I called my mom (because I had my cell phone in my back pocket and they didn't know it).  I asked her to come back there and take me home.  I was in pain for several days afterwards.  Icing my face constantly and drinking all of my food was the extent of it though.

Excision of Moles
I have had 2 surgeries to remove lesions.  The first time I had a spot on my back and stomach taken off.  This was done in the office with a local anesthetic.  The anesthetic burns pretty bad, but it's not unbearable.  Awake and asking questions the whole time.  About 20 minutes later and I was back to work.  Because I am lucky enough to work for a surgeon :) 

The second time, I had a spot on my head taken off.  My scalp was numbed which hurt less than the other time I had a local anesthetic. Again, this was nothing and I didn't even need stitches.  A simple cauterized spot on my head and I was back to work.

Extra Info:  The image at the left shows the signs of unhealthy moles.  If you notice any of these signs with any of your spots, get them checked out.  They could be a sign of skin cancer.

Next Surgery
My next surgery will be the lap chole in a couple weeks.  Despite my efforts to have this done with just a local, I have to have general anesthesia.  I'm very nervous about this part of it.  The actual surgery does not scare me at all.  I would prefer to remain awake and watch as they work, but they said no, lol.


So what does General Anesthesia feel like?  Will I fight going to sleep?  Will I wake up like I did when I had my wisdom teeth extracted?  Will I develop the post-op nausea and vomiting that I hear about all too often at work?  Will I have to stay over night?  Will I remember anything?  Will I have horrible nightmares the night after the surgery?  I guess I will answer these questions for you when I get home from surgery...  Unless you can answer them for me now??

For the Love....

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about relationships and God and the love we all want to experience with another person.  Over the course of the past few days especially, I have come across so much information that I just can’t keep to myself.  The first part of this blog deals with God’s love for us.  In the second, I discuss the love that so many people are trying to find (but are failing miserably for obvious reasons) and share how to know that love when it does happen.

First and foremost, we are each loved by the Lord, our God.  John 3:16 tells us straight up “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in his shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”   As a mom, I can tell you that giving your child (let alone your ONLY child) to die for the good of others is love in its most pure and magnificent definition.  As humans—being of flesh, bone and blood—we are sinners.  We are evil doers and should be considered the scum of the earth.  The dirt on the bottom of an old sneaker. We are selfish creatures of habit.  We are greedy and care not how our actions affect those around us.

But when Jesus Christ, Son of God, was crucified, we were allowed to live.  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  It’s astounding!  God loves us SO much that he gave his Son to die for our sins.  I just can’t get over how amazing that love is.  And what do we do to repay Him?  We continue to fulfill our worldly desires—those of the flesh.  And it’s pointless to do so really because when we die (and we will) we don’t take our flesh with us.  What we take when we die is our spirit.  I’ve been told by a good friend on more than one occasion that “it’s not me who does/says these things.  It is the spirit of God in me.  He is working through me.”  That’s not an exact quote but it sums it up pretty well.  If the spirit of God does indeed dwell in us, then my body is not my own—It belongs to my Father in heaven.  And I like it that way.  I prefer it that way.

But anyway, back to His love for us.  All we have to do is confess our sins and be truly genuinely sorry and act better in the future.  We have to accept Him as our Lord and Savior and all is forgiven.  And ps, Jesus doesn’t keep a record of our wrong doings.  Once we are forgiven, we are born anew.  We have a clean slate to start over and work to fulfill His desire.  So, just give up trying to run your own life and trying to be in control of yourself.  You’ll continue to suffer….

Now, onto those pesky little relationships we are all striving to find.  I’ve been through it myself.  I’ve been down that road of “Oh I just want to love and be loved” or “all I want is someone to share my life with….”  Yea, that was me at one point.  Until I realized that I’m never going to find the love I desire in another human being until I discover and appreciate the love of God!  Once I am satisfied with the love He has given me, and I am focused on Him rather than on earthly desires, I will experience that love.  And not until then.  In God’s own timing of course, because let’s face facts… my timing typically sucks anyway lol!

So let’s say we are satisfied with the love of our God.  How do we know when we have found true love?  That’s a simple one.  For that, you need only to refer to your Bible.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says this about love:     “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails…”  It’s right there!  That’s all you need to know to figure out if you have found true love or not.  If your relationship does not have these qualities, it’s not love.  I’m telling you from experience, it’s better to wait around for true love than to give yourself to something less.  Any relationship worth having is one with God at its center.  That being said, if your interest is in a non-believer, it is not true love and can only lead to heartache and trouble.

I could probably go on for days about this stuff, but seeing as how I do have work and class in the morning, I will let it be for now.  I certainly hope this helps some of you out there.  Always remember, God is love.  If you don’t have God, you don’t have love.

That Hurts Mommy

I had the pleasure of conversing with two awesome guys today... both of whom are pro-lifers.  It made my heart smile a bit to know that there are others out there like me whom I am close to.  At any rate, today's blog is going to be on abortion because that's what my heart is focused on.  Well, that and dating (but that's because of an assignment for school and I don't wanna talk about that lol).

A full term pregnancy is 40 weeks.  The way it's counted, when a women conceives (around the time of ovulation) she is already considered around 2 weeks pregnant.  A week after a missed period, when most urine pregnancy tests will pick up the hormone hCG (the "pregnancy" hormone), a woman is already 5 weeks pregnant.  As early as 5 1/2 weeks pregnant (fetal age of 3 1/2 weeks), her baby already has a beating heart that can be detected using an ultrasound machine.

A beating heart (without the use of a ventilator) means that a person is still living.  Therefore, a baby even as early as the 5-6th weeks of pregnancy is living.  That baby is a living person.  Taking any action to end the life of that baby is considered an abortion.  And sadly, ever since Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion has been legal.  Murdering helpless babies--genocide in a form--has been legal.

The debate will continue for years to come so I'm not trying to get into that with anybody right now (although I'm always up for a good fact session...).  I know that murdering helpless babies is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to happen.  But the point of this post is to just give information and shed some light for those who might maybe have a heart of their own??

The only light at the end of this murderous tunnel is this:  An abortion cannot be performed once the baby reaches the point of viability.  "Viable" is defined as "having attained such form and development as to be normally capable of surviving outside the mother's womb" (Webster.com).  In the US, we are making tremendous strides in healthcare.  Babies born after the half-way mark have a chance at survival.  So why then would the law state that an abortion can be performed on a woman who CHOOSES to have one up to the beginning of the 3rd trimester?

To truly understand abortion, you have to know how it is done.  But before I tell you that, I have to tell you this:  Fetuses (babies in-utero) can likely feel pain as early as 20 weeks since the woman's last period.  Keep that in mind as you read the rest of this post. 

Medical Abortion: The Pill
This form of abortion can be utilized until the 8th week of pregnancy.  Meaning 3 weeks (if she finds out VERY early) or 1-2 weeks (if she is like most women) after a positive pregnancy test.  A woman takes a pill at a clinic and then 24-72 hours later she uses another drug to induce uterine contractions.  This can be done in the privacy of her own home.

Aspiration
This procedure is performed during the first trimester of pregnancy.  Before 13 weeks.  During this procedure, the cervix is numbed with a local anesthetic (to prevent any discomfort for the mother) and a long plastic tube is placed in the uterus to quite literally vacuum out the baby and placenta.  The whole process takes roughly 15 minutes.  The woman recovers in the clinic/hospital for a few hours before going home.

Dilation and Curettage: The D&C
Performed during the first 12 to 15 weeks of pregnancy.  This is similar to the aspiration procedure.  The difference here is that a curette (a loop-shaped knife) is used to scrape the lining of the uterus to remove any evidence of pregnancy: baby, placenta, uterine lining.  This procedure is completed within 10 minutes and recovery lasts around 5 hours.

Dilation and Evacutation
This is done between 15 and 21 weeks of pregnancy.  The cervix is dilated using cone-shaped rods of increasing sizes. A cannula (a needle with a plastic tube similar to an IV tube) is inserted into the uterus to remove tissue from the lining of the uterus.  A curette is again used to scrape the remains out of the uterus and as a precaution, the uterus is suctioned.  This takes 30 minutes and the woman will recover for a few hours.

Dilation and Extraction: The Partial Birth Abortion
This procedure is used after 21 weeks of pregnancy.  Laminaria is inserted into the cervix to induce dilation and the woman's water will break on the third day after this insertion.  She goes to the hospital/clinic.  The baby is rotated in the uterus and forceps are used to deliver the baby vaginally until the shoulders are out.  At this point, the baby's skull is cut and a catheter is inserted to vacuum the brain out until the skull collapses.  The baby is delivered the rest of the way and the woman recovers and goes home.

Still Not Convinced?
Watch the video: http://www.gabrielscorner.com/apps/videos/videos/show/13547598
See with your own eyes how horrendous this act is.  See for yourself how inhumane people are being.  See for yourself the pain that this poor child had to endure for his mother's selfish gain....
I'm pretty sure that I don't want to have someone cut my skull and suction out my brains to kill me.  I'm positive that I would be in some pretty intense pain if that happened.  Your baby can feel pain too.  Not only does abortion end a precious life, but it also puts that baby through undue pain and suffering.

Just think about this stuff as you go on with your life.  There are alternatives to abortion.  You may not be able to handle a child or maybe you can and you just don't want to.  Whatever your reason for not wanting a baby, remember that adoption is always a possibility.  Even in the darkest situations, a child is a blessing from God and should be treated as such.  God loves that unborn baby just as much as He loves you.  He would never hurt you and you should know that He is not happy when one of His children is hurt or killed.

Sources:
West Side Pregnancy Clinic. http://www.wpclinic.org/abortion/abortion-procedures/. Accessed October 14, 2012.
Gabriel's Corner.  http://www.gabrielscorner.com/

My Person

My person is kind and gentle.  My person is funny and serious.  My person isn’t afraid to get to the heart of the matter at hand.  My person knows my past and loves me anyway.  My person makes me laugh and drives me crazy at the same time.  My person encourages me to grow in my relationship with God.  My person just happened to fall into my life when I didn't know I needed someone so much.

If I need a friend, an ear, or a Biblical reference…. I know right away who I should reach out to.  When I have something on my mind and want someone to talk to somebody about it who might give me an honest opinion without motive and judgment, I know who to turn to.  When I feel like giving up, I know who will cheer me on.  When I feel like eating cheesecake or ice cream, I know who to call.

The cheesecake and ice cream, although true, are not a required part of being my person.  Sadly, my person did not apply for the position.  There is no salary and no set schedule.  With me, the hours are sporadic and dependent upon my moods.  My person just showed up and hasn’t gotten sick of me yet I guess lol.  I don’t even think this person is aware of the role he continues to play.  While on the topic of choosing to take on this never-ending task of being my person, I must say this: I did not ask for a person nor did I choose who it would be.  It’s just one of those things that only God understands—whatever the reason for this person being in my life, I am extremely grateful and am honored to say that he is my person.

“If I murdered someone, she’s the person I’d call to help me drag the corpse across the living room floor!  She’s my person!”—Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy

“The words that escape a friend’s mouth are ‘I’ll be there when you say you need me’.  But the unheard words from a true friend’s heart are ‘I’ll be there.  Whether you say you need me or not.’”—Random Quote