I could have done without.
I spent eight hours in the emergency room today. I have a concussion. On Wednesday I slipped on some ice at the grocery store and smacked the back of my head on the concrete.
I thought I was fine, other than the pain from the fall, at first. I went home without reporting it to the store. I just wanted to go lie down. I went to the chiropractor less than hour after it happened at the insistence of my midwife. I was quite sore. Falling down did not cause such lasting pain when I was a kid.
Friday I started feeling dizzy and nauseated. It got worse. The midwife and my husband wanted me to go in a be checked out. The ER was slammed. It was six hours before we got back to a room. I had a CT scan. Thankfully, nothing is broken and no bleeding in my brain. I do have a concussion. Wonderful thing is the doc can't tell me exactly how long the headache and dizziness will last. A few days or a few weeks.
*Sigh* I don't have time for this.
Well at least I can scratch that off my bucket list. :P
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Breasts...
were made for feeding babies. It happens to be a perk that my husband likes them, but their primary purpose is to feed a baby. Breasts were specifically made to feed babies. Their position on the body and the fact that when a woman gives birth her body makes milk in them. Milk that changes as the baby ages to best meet the needs of the nursing child. God really did think of everything.
So many times I have heard or read people equate nursing in public to urinating, defecating, or having sex in public. Apples and swingsets. Breastfeeding a child is in no way comparable to elimination or copulation. I've heard people say, "If the child is old enough to ask for it, they are too old". Seriously? So if your kid can ask for an apple or a drink of water you won't give it to them since they are too old? What kind of crazy logic is that? The real kicker was when I was told by a woman regarding breastfeeding, "We are Christians. We don't do that sort of thing.". O.o The idiocy of that comment made me speechless. For real, lady? Why did God make breasts and cause those breasts to make milk if not to feed your baby?
This idea that breastfeeding in public or breastfeeding a toddler or preschooler is dirty comes from a perverted mindset. What people are saying when they say that a child is too old to breastfeed when the child can verbalize their wants is that the child is asking to perform a sexual act with his mother. They are ascribing sexual connotations to the child's desire for sustenance. That is disgusting. It is a perversion of what God created. It shows a preoccupation with sex in the individual who holds such opinions. Projecting sexual motivations onto a child is what pedophiles do. This mentality needs to be rooted out.
Women, we must not be afraid to do what is right, and it is right to feed your baby whenever or wherever he is hungry. It is my own opinion that trying to be 'discreet' by using a cover just draws more attention. It is a hassle to have to carry around a cover and then put it on before you get to feeding your baby. Most of the time when I have nursed in public (NIP) no one noticed. Those who did were usually mothers themselves and I would get a shy smile of encouragement. There have been a few times when I've had negative reactions, but knowing that those who are disturbed by it are perverted in their thinking makes it easier to ignore them. Let us not allow those individuals to disturb our relationship with our children.
So many times I have heard or read people equate nursing in public to urinating, defecating, or having sex in public. Apples and swingsets. Breastfeeding a child is in no way comparable to elimination or copulation. I've heard people say, "If the child is old enough to ask for it, they are too old". Seriously? So if your kid can ask for an apple or a drink of water you won't give it to them since they are too old? What kind of crazy logic is that? The real kicker was when I was told by a woman regarding breastfeeding, "We are Christians. We don't do that sort of thing.". O.o The idiocy of that comment made me speechless. For real, lady? Why did God make breasts and cause those breasts to make milk if not to feed your baby?
This idea that breastfeeding in public or breastfeeding a toddler or preschooler is dirty comes from a perverted mindset. What people are saying when they say that a child is too old to breastfeed when the child can verbalize their wants is that the child is asking to perform a sexual act with his mother. They are ascribing sexual connotations to the child's desire for sustenance. That is disgusting. It is a perversion of what God created. It shows a preoccupation with sex in the individual who holds such opinions. Projecting sexual motivations onto a child is what pedophiles do. This mentality needs to be rooted out.
Women, we must not be afraid to do what is right, and it is right to feed your baby whenever or wherever he is hungry. It is my own opinion that trying to be 'discreet' by using a cover just draws more attention. It is a hassle to have to carry around a cover and then put it on before you get to feeding your baby. Most of the time when I have nursed in public (NIP) no one noticed. Those who did were usually mothers themselves and I would get a shy smile of encouragement. There have been a few times when I've had negative reactions, but knowing that those who are disturbed by it are perverted in their thinking makes it easier to ignore them. Let us not allow those individuals to disturb our relationship with our children.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Our Rescue Kitten
My children have such soft hearts for animals. Especially my 11 year old son. He is forever bringing in pathetic stray kittens. They all need food and medical care. We've had a few of the ones he's brought in die. Two of them from FIP. Those two were so sad because it happened so fast. In the afternoon they started showing symptoms and by night they were gone.
Currently, we have a little orange kitty. She is adorable and so sweet. Ellis found her in the neighbor's front yard but she wasn't from any of their cats. I think someone just threw her out, not wanting to deal with kittens. She is injured somehow and cannot walk right. She stumbles and rolls. She has a persistent bloat that we have tried many different things to alleviate. A couple weeks ago she came down with what the vet was certain was FIP. She recovered. The first time we had her to the vet the vet said, "You won't be able to kill that thing with a bat." I am starting to believe her.
Here's some pics.
Currently, we have a little orange kitty. She is adorable and so sweet. Ellis found her in the neighbor's front yard but she wasn't from any of their cats. I think someone just threw her out, not wanting to deal with kittens. She is injured somehow and cannot walk right. She stumbles and rolls. She has a persistent bloat that we have tried many different things to alleviate. A couple weeks ago she came down with what the vet was certain was FIP. She recovered. The first time we had her to the vet the vet said, "You won't be able to kill that thing with a bat." I am starting to believe her.
Here's some pics.
See how fat her little belly is?
That's when she was sick.
When we first found her
I set up a facebook page for my son to tell about the kittens he has (and will) rescued. Also, I hope it will be a way for people to donate to help pay for the care these animals need. It strains our budget to provide that. LINK
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Too many thoughts...
banging around my head. I can't decide what I want to write about most.
I was wanting to wait to do a politically toned post about the Sandy Hook shooting, but the stuff I've been reading makes me impatient and infuriated. The President pushing for speed in gun control and promising to use all the power of his office to accomplish that.
Then there are a few pregnancy/labor related topics I want to write about. I've learned some new stuff about placental insufficiency and I have some thoughts about labor "management" I'd like to write about too.
Then there is just some random life stuff I could write about.
Ah well, maybe I'll get motivated tomorrow. :P
I was wanting to wait to do a politically toned post about the Sandy Hook shooting, but the stuff I've been reading makes me impatient and infuriated. The President pushing for speed in gun control and promising to use all the power of his office to accomplish that.
Then there are a few pregnancy/labor related topics I want to write about. I've learned some new stuff about placental insufficiency and I have some thoughts about labor "management" I'd like to write about too.
Then there is just some random life stuff I could write about.
Ah well, maybe I'll get motivated tomorrow. :P
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sandy Hook...
I was going to write something about this, but my daughter beat me to it and she is much more eloquent than I so...
Senseless Tragedy
Senseless Tragedy
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Christmas "Shopping"
My eldest son, an eleven year old, is an expert dumpster diver. Where he learned this craft I know not. For the last three years he has obtained Christmas gifts for everyone in the family "shopping" in this manner.
He finds some good stuff. Today, he found a nice pair of roller blades. His other finds from today's foray are now wrapped and sitting under our tree.
His ability to find this stuff doesn't amaze me as much as the fact that it was all just tossed in the dumpster to begin with. There are numerous charitable organizations in town that people could donate their stuff to. Some of them will even come and pick it up from your house. The careless way people throw away perfectly useful things is rather sad.
Over the years he has brought home numerous purses/bags, a television, a DVD player, a stereo system, myriad toys, chairs, clothes, Christmas lights, and so much that escapes me at the moment. All useful, all still in good working order. Why do people just toss this stuff for it to pile up in a landfill instead of being of use to someone?
Ah, well, at least it gives my son something to do. :)
He finds some good stuff. Today, he found a nice pair of roller blades. His other finds from today's foray are now wrapped and sitting under our tree.
His ability to find this stuff doesn't amaze me as much as the fact that it was all just tossed in the dumpster to begin with. There are numerous charitable organizations in town that people could donate their stuff to. Some of them will even come and pick it up from your house. The careless way people throw away perfectly useful things is rather sad.
Over the years he has brought home numerous purses/bags, a television, a DVD player, a stereo system, myriad toys, chairs, clothes, Christmas lights, and so much that escapes me at the moment. All useful, all still in good working order. Why do people just toss this stuff for it to pile up in a landfill instead of being of use to someone?
Ah, well, at least it gives my son something to do. :)
Friday, November 30, 2012
Morally Bankrupt
During the public meetings leading up to the passage of a city ordinance restricting the use of hand held electronic devices while driving the mayor said repeatedly that he had several people say to him, referring to their habit of using their cell phone while driving, "Please pass this so I will stop doing this.".
I find that the most pathetic statement. Really, you need a law to make you do the right thing? If you believe it wrong why do you do it? This person(s) would be murderers apparently if there wasn't a law against it. They would all drive drunk and be hopeless drug addicts or child molesters. If you need a law to force you to exercise common sense you are an idiot. If you need a law to keep you from doing what you believe or know to be wrong you are absolutely without a conscience.
That is where we are I suppose. A nation full of individuals that have no common sense and who must rely on the ordinances of the authorities to inform them of what is right and moral behavior. How utterly pathetic.
I find that the most pathetic statement. Really, you need a law to make you do the right thing? If you believe it wrong why do you do it? This person(s) would be murderers apparently if there wasn't a law against it. They would all drive drunk and be hopeless drug addicts or child molesters. If you need a law to force you to exercise common sense you are an idiot. If you need a law to keep you from doing what you believe or know to be wrong you are absolutely without a conscience.
That is where we are I suppose. A nation full of individuals that have no common sense and who must rely on the ordinances of the authorities to inform them of what is right and moral behavior. How utterly pathetic.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Talk of Secession
Yes. I just wasted about 20 minutes looking through the various petitions on the whitehouse page and typing up how many signers there were for each state's petition. These numbers are going up quickly so I'm sure by now there are a few thousand more at least, but here's the list I made:
Alabama- 30,325
Arizona- 23,458
Arkansas- 23,109
Delaware- 7,667
Florida-34,736
Idaho- 6,340
Illinois- 5,355; 5,272
Kansas- 8,661
Kentucky- 19,025
Mississippi- 18,558
Montana- 13,531
Nebraska- 7,255
Nevada- 10,523
New Hampshire- 5,552
North Carolina- 30,364
North Dakota- 11,571
Oregon- 14,800
Rhode Island- 4,743
South Carolina- 24,320; 15,213
South Dakota- 6,582
Tennessee- 31,031
Texas- 117,214
West Virginia- 7,908
Wisconsin- 7,207
Wyoming- 9,186
No surprise that Texas has the most signatures.
What do I think of this? Well, if it wakes up our legislators to the fact that Americans are very unhappy with the status quo that would be great. However, judging from the comments I've been seeing about this I don't think that will happen. The majority of the comments I have read say that the signers are ignorant. foolish, and other bad things. Is that true of some of them? Sure. It is also true of some of the people who oppose the petitions. There are also two petitions calling for the deportation/exile/expatriation of all who sign the petitions for secession.
It is gonna get ugly folks.
*for states that have more than one petition I linked the name of the state to the petition with the most signatures and the other petitions to the number of signatures. I will try to update these numbers daily. They are going up quickly so likely what you see here is fewer than at present.
*for states that have more than one petition I linked the name of the state to the petition with the most signatures and the other petitions to the number of signatures. I will try to update these numbers daily. They are going up quickly so likely what you see here is fewer than at present.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Childbirth Musings
I am expecting again. Babe #9 will arrive sometime in late March or early April, God willing.
I've been contemplating the birth culture in our country. I've thought about this a lot in the past too. There is so much fear surrounding birth, so much reliance on "science". Instead of embracing birth as a wonderful transition to motherhood and trusting that God created our bodies with the capacity to birth our babies, there is fear and an unwillingness to birth as nature intended.
In most cultures, even in our own before the advent of the male obstetrician, birth is women's domain. Women help each other through this journey to motherhood. When a woman is in labor her mother, her sisters, her cousins, or friends come and stay with her. Perhaps they take care of the older children or cook. They encourage her and comfort her through labor. I wish we had that.
There has been a move toward that. In most places you can hire a doula. This isn't exactly what I would hope for though. Hiring someone to help you seems... wrong somehow. This is something we should do for each other as women. Not because we are getting some financial gain from it but just because we share this thing, this amazing, hard, rewarding, thing called birth. I wish to see women coming together to support each other during pregnancy, birth, and those difficult early weeks. I'm just as guilty as the next woman of neglecting that duty to my fellows. Caught up in my own concerns and unsure of what is the right thing to do.
There are big hurdles in getting to what I think is the right place in birth. Hospitals have policies about how many people can be with the laboring woman during labor and birth. Most women have too much fear surrounding birth to even contemplate a homebirth. Those of us who do homebirth are somewhat isolated. There is also the fact that most women work and can't take off for three days to sit with their friend and comfort her during labor. Or if they do stay home they have kids that must be cared for.
I've had three wonderful homebirths and one pretty awesome hospital birth. I've not had the kind of atmosphere I think is ideal. I like having people around when I am in labor, but it freaks most people out. I have long labors I would hate to be, no I did hate being, isolated during labor. My husband is great and I am so thankful for him being with me for the births of our babies, but even that isn't what my picture of an ideal birth is. With my last two homebirths I had some extra folks around, but they were there mainly to help with the other kids not to be my labor support. I've never had that wonderful feeling of being helped and comforted by those who understand what I'm going through. I want that for myself. I want to be that for someone else.
This isn't the post I set out to write, not exactly. In my mind I was much more eloquent. :) It turned out to be rather jumbled and pointless. Oh well.
I've been contemplating the birth culture in our country. I've thought about this a lot in the past too. There is so much fear surrounding birth, so much reliance on "science". Instead of embracing birth as a wonderful transition to motherhood and trusting that God created our bodies with the capacity to birth our babies, there is fear and an unwillingness to birth as nature intended.
In most cultures, even in our own before the advent of the male obstetrician, birth is women's domain. Women help each other through this journey to motherhood. When a woman is in labor her mother, her sisters, her cousins, or friends come and stay with her. Perhaps they take care of the older children or cook. They encourage her and comfort her through labor. I wish we had that.
There has been a move toward that. In most places you can hire a doula. This isn't exactly what I would hope for though. Hiring someone to help you seems... wrong somehow. This is something we should do for each other as women. Not because we are getting some financial gain from it but just because we share this thing, this amazing, hard, rewarding, thing called birth. I wish to see women coming together to support each other during pregnancy, birth, and those difficult early weeks. I'm just as guilty as the next woman of neglecting that duty to my fellows. Caught up in my own concerns and unsure of what is the right thing to do.
There are big hurdles in getting to what I think is the right place in birth. Hospitals have policies about how many people can be with the laboring woman during labor and birth. Most women have too much fear surrounding birth to even contemplate a homebirth. Those of us who do homebirth are somewhat isolated. There is also the fact that most women work and can't take off for three days to sit with their friend and comfort her during labor. Or if they do stay home they have kids that must be cared for.
I've had three wonderful homebirths and one pretty awesome hospital birth. I've not had the kind of atmosphere I think is ideal. I like having people around when I am in labor, but it freaks most people out. I have long labors I would hate to be, no I did hate being, isolated during labor. My husband is great and I am so thankful for him being with me for the births of our babies, but even that isn't what my picture of an ideal birth is. With my last two homebirths I had some extra folks around, but they were there mainly to help with the other kids not to be my labor support. I've never had that wonderful feeling of being helped and comforted by those who understand what I'm going through. I want that for myself. I want to be that for someone else.
This isn't the post I set out to write, not exactly. In my mind I was much more eloquent. :) It turned out to be rather jumbled and pointless. Oh well.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
My reaction to Obama's reelection
Meh. Realistically, it was him or Romney and they are too much alike for me to lament. I have given up on ever supporting a candidate from the Democratic or Republican parties ever again. I will not play the stupid political game anymore. I will not be duped into thinking there is some discernible difference between the two.
The only issues they really disagree on are abortion and gay marriage. Peripheral issues that should not be a determining factor in anyone's vote. They claim a difference in economic policy while both advocating for the same kind of regulations and stimulus that is killing our economy. Not to mention the unaccountable FED.
What this election shows most of all is how easily people are led. How easily they are brainwashed and dumbed down. So little critical thinking and a shocking amount of cognitive dissonance.
It is a sad day for America, but not because of who sits in the White House...
The only issues they really disagree on are abortion and gay marriage. Peripheral issues that should not be a determining factor in anyone's vote. They claim a difference in economic policy while both advocating for the same kind of regulations and stimulus that is killing our economy. Not to mention the unaccountable FED.
What this election shows most of all is how easily people are led. How easily they are brainwashed and dumbed down. So little critical thinking and a shocking amount of cognitive dissonance.
It is a sad day for America, but not because of who sits in the White House...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
