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random and pressing details: 03/01/2010 - 04/01/2010

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Update


I just wanna say that God is Good! Great and Awesome actually.

I posted about my friend and her newborn just a while back.  I felt it was only fair to those who don't know her to bring y'all up to speed.  The babe has had his surgery.  He came through it like a ROCK STAR!!

The alarms, meds, bells, whistles, and tubes are fallin' by the wayside in short order.  If he keeps doing as well as he is, he will be home sooner than later.  That doesn't mean he doesn't still need our prayers for continued healing, growth and health, or that mommy and daddy and sis don't need prayers for comfort, strength, and blessings.  But, man.... they have had a long journey in a short time and come a looooooong way!!

So thanks to everyone who said a prayer or kept a positive thought or sent positive energy their way.  Keep it up.

If you wanna read up on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, click the link http://www.breathofhopeinc.com/





And remember, 

March 31 is National CDH Awareness Day!


Rock Turquoise in support of the babies and families affected by this condition!

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Store that Rhymes with "Paul Hart" Might be Hell's Lobby


So, yeah... you know what Super Mega-Lo-Mart retailer I'm talkin' about.  I don't trust those Ozark based corporate giants enough to use their proper name.  We'll just call it "the store."  And yes, I do believe it might be the Pier where the Ferryman for the River Styx docks to pick up his passengers.

On a normal day I loathe going into that store.  It's like a vortex of unintentional and largely unnecessary spending.  Even if you go in with a list and iron resolve, you almost always come out with at least one thing you neither needed nor wanted.... at least not consciously.  On a normal day, I go in for coffee, a loaf of bread, and toilet tissue and walk out with a picture frame, orange juice, and socks.  I'm sure there is a whole scientific explanation for that, involving magnetic fields and nuclear fission, but it gives me a headache to think about it.

Anyhoo.... Mephistopheles really laid out the welcome mat today.  The boy and I went in the store this afternoon to pick up a few groceries, shampoo, and other un-fun stuff.  Since I had the boy with me, I was counting on having one or two things in the cart I didn't intend to buy...  But I digress.

We're meandering through the store, not in any hurry because it was raining like crazy.  We came up on a clearance rack of boys' tee shirts, so I was looking for the kiddo's size.  That's when it happened.  In the boy's clothing department.

*sigh*

"Mama? What is this?  It feels greasy..."


I turn to see a puzzled, slightly disgusted,  look on the boy's face (think MC Serch, 3rd Bass-style Gas Face), and him holding, of all things, an unrolled, but (please Lawd, please...) unused condom.  A Magnum from the look of it....but that's neither here nor there.

"Put it down, baby.  Just put it down..."

"But what IS it???"

"Not now... Let's go wash your hands..."

"But Mama... what was it doing there? What is it?"

"Not now... go in the bathroom and wash your hands."

"Will you tell me later?"

"Yes... go wash your hands."

So he goes into the bathroom, and I find a sales associate at the back service counter.  I tell this 50-ish, very Pentecostal looking woman what my son found and where he found it.  She takes a deep breath and gives me a very put upon look.  At which point I'm seriously irritated.  Now mind you, she might have looked like a Pentecostal lady, but she works at the store, and she has an attitude that says she really doesn't want to be bothered, so she is clearly one of the devil's minions!  "What do you want me to do about it?"

What??

"Lady, I'm just telling you what and where it is, so someone can go dispose of it.  Please believe me when I say I'm showing restraint.  Coz I'm about a microsecond away from a full out tirade.  When I leave here, I have to explain this to a very bright and curious 7 year-old who isn't gonna fall for any bull.... and I'm not amused by that at all!!"

An eyeroll and a huff later... she's on her walkie talkie, presumably with the poor schlub who was to go on the Great Condom Seek and Destroy Mission.

So about 20 minutes and 1,000,000 questions later.... we're getting in the MommyVan.

"Mommy... what was that thing?"

This post is already a tome, so I won't go through the whole clumsy conversation.  Let's just say, answering one question gave rise to another, and another, and another...  The variety and complexity of the peripheral conversation solidified the headache that always starts when I go to that store.

And if I doubted it before, I'm absolutely certain of it now... that place truly is Hade's Lobby.

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

I hate it when I can't fix things...(UPDATED)



Turquoise Ribbon for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day, March 31, 2010





Anyone who follows me on the Twittah or is a Facebook friend knows that my friend Adwina is going through the worst possible kind of parental hell on earth right now.

Dwina gave birth 10 days ago to a sweet, beautiful baby boy.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that he was born very sick, and has spent his whole life so far at Children's Hospital in St. Louis.

Every communication I have had with Dwina has been very hopeful, and everyone else I know who has talked to her has commented on how "upbeat" she has been.  And things are actually looking pretty good for Lil' Man at this point.

But today, on her FB status, Dwina finally let some of the hurt and anger out.

I, for one, applaud her!!  I wanna holler with her!  While we're all praying our collective asses off for Lil' Man's healing and for the family's comfort and support, I think it's perfectly normal, natural and expected for Dwina to be a lil' miffed at the Almighty.  I mean, she was a good pregnant mommy.  She went to the doc, ate well, took care of herself.... and it's just not fair that this arbitrary bullshit random congenital condition should befall Lil' Man.

And you know what?  I feel pretty sure that God ain't mad.  I think He's in His heaven, with a tear in His eye, saying to Himself, "You're right.  It ain't fair.  But I'm here.  We'll get through it, one way or another."

The Big Dude knows this is some ol' bullshit, and He understands that we're only human.  We tend to get in our feelings a little somethin' over stuff like this.  He gets it.  He made us, for cryin' out loud.  He knows how we are.

So Dwina... I'm glad you gave voice to those emotions.  The pressure of holding it back... or in, or down, or whatever... well, it could only result in disaster later.  I admire you for having the courage to let us see that you aren't impervious.  Like I told you on FB... If you didn't have moments like those, it would make you a Stepford Wife.  And that would be creepy and wrong.

I'm still prayin' my ass off for you all, girl.  And I'm holding that faith and belief in my heart that it's gonna be alright!




UPDATED (3/13/10 5:15pm):  Things are looking pretty good today!  Dwina's FB status from earlier today:




 "Blood transfusion went well!!! I got to do some care for him this afternoon!!! Which makes me feel like a mother!!! His fio2 is down to 73% and his o2 sats are great!!! He looks nice and relaxed!! Grandma sent me and Jeff videos of sis riding a bike, then checkin out the baby chicks at rural king!!! She looks like sheis having a blast at Camp Grandma/Papa!!!!! I get to see her tomorrow, YAY!!!"


To learn more about Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) follow this link:



UPDATED (3/16/10 12:00pm)Things are again looking better!  Lil' Man was declared strong enough for surgery today, and is in the OR as I type this!  Expect news later this evening!

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

National Women and Girls' HIV/AIDS Awareness Day


Ok, this post is late in the day.  Blame my laptop, coz it's trippin'.... might be time to upgrade to that Apple I keep thinking about.  But that's a post for another day....

Today is National Women and Girls' HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.... and it's time for my periodic rant a discussion about the virus again.

However, today instead of my usual statistics, facts and examples, I wanna say a couple of positive and personal things.  I have always said that my motivation to be involved with the Red Pump Project and HIV/AIDS awareness stemmed from my profession as a nurse.  Weeeeelllllll..... yeah, but naw.

A big part of it is that a friend I met about 18 years ago, and loved well, died of AIDS related pneumonia in 1998.  But here's the thing.  She had a daughter.  Her daughter was born before HIV was part of the picture.  However, she was still left to carry on with the stigma that "Your mama died of AIDS."

She didn't get resentful or bitter.  She started advocating.  She started talking and educating.  And she started doing this at about 16 years of age, when it is really not the easiest thing to do to go against the opinions of your peers.

She's an inspiration to me.  She went on to get a Master's in Social Work, and lives in Northern California, working as a family therapist.

The moral of the story, there is life after HIV.  Not just for the loved ones who lost someone to the virus, but especially for people who are infected and managing the virus.

Follow the links below for facts and examples!

Much love and blessings to all.  Get tested, know your status and protect yourself.

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com

http://www.theredpumpproject.com

http://www.raelewisthornton.com/

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/

http://www.aidsbeacon.com

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Friday, March 5, 2010

McDonald's Drive Thru and High People Do Not Mix

So yesterday, I'm headed to work.  I work evenings now, so it's about 1pm.  I decide to stop at MickeyD's for a quick bite that I can eat on the way.  Yeah....



Problem with that plan is the silver Toyota in front of me.  I can see that there are four people in the car. It was a nice day in the cornfield, so my window was down.  The Toyota pulls up to the speaker, and the chick driving starts ordering.  Then she starts giggling like an idiot at something (??).  Then a white Chevy pulls up in the parking lot along side the passenger side of the Toyota.


At that point, I realize this is gonna be an ordeal.

So Giggle Girl is ordering half the menu.  Driver of the Chevy is out of her car, leaning in the passenger window of the Toyota, handing someone some money.  Driver gets back in the Chevy and leaves.  I hear Giggle Girl say "Ummm.... yeah.... and a large fry and that's it I think."  So I'm now thinking, maybe this won't be so bad.

But no.

The Toyota pulls up about 18 inches, and a white boy with dreds (this is one of my all time biggest pet peeves, btw!) proceeds to lean out the back driver side window, and begin his own monumental munchie order...

*sigh*


I am deeply regretting the choice I made to pull into this drive thru.  And the sad part is, it's one of those that is bordered by a concrete barrier on one side and the building on the other.... so I'm trapped like a rat.
Then I hear Dred Boy say the following, "Okay, on my second order...." followed by more hysterical laughter from inside the car.


By this time, I have decided in my judgemental mind realized  "These jokers are high as a mug..."

So the ordering phase is over for the Toyota, and they pull away from the speaker.  I pull up, give my 5 second order--coz I'm in my right mind, know what I wanna order, and have places to go dammit--and pull up.  All acceptable drive thru etiquette, thankyouverymuch!

And what do you think I see??

If you said the heffa driving the Chevy being handed food out the front passenger window of the Toyota, you get a gold star with a handful of glitter!  That's right, the Chevy hadn't left... just drove around to the other side of the building, parked, and waited on the Toyota to reach the window.

WTF??? Who does this? How the hell you gonna be too lazy to order and pick up your own damn food in a drive thru?  Did it not take more effort to get out the car and retrieve your isht from the other car than it would to have ordered and driven thru to get it yourself?  I dunno... maybe heffa's gas was on E or somethin'... but it didn't make sense to me!

When I finally reach the window, I have the most irritated, puzzled look on my face.  I know this because the chick who hands me my food says, "Yeah... I don't get it either... Have a nice day, and come back again."

Moral of the story....

If you're high, GO IN to order.  If you get trapped behind high people in the drive thru, be prepared to wait, and don't try to make things make sense.

In the immortal words of Jeff Spicoli  "People on 'ludes should NOT drive!!"

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