Month: October 2008

So now I’m staying at Monica Reich’s house for a few days. I don’t like to stay by myself so I’ve been crashing from place to place. Today Shawn and Monica took me out to eat and then to get a massage at some swanky place in Lexington! SWEET! It’s my first! They rubbed these hot stones on me – it was like a moving heating blanket! Then they massaged me from head to toe – really focusing on my “head” and “neck”.

Today I woke up without the major headache again! YEAH! After my “oil treatment” from the other day, this relaxing massage today, and thinking about next week at the migraine clinic – I think things might actually be okay for the first time in a long time! Or is that that “positive oil” talking again! LOL!

THANK YOU SO MUCH MONICA AND SHAWN FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT TODAY!

So yesterday I met with the QUEEN OF OILS. I spent about 3 hours with her and Angel and Angel’s mother. Now – I explained to Janeil what this lady did for me to “cleanse my auroras” and he laughed at me and told me there is no way I can blog about it without people calling me and her crazy. He is correct so I won’t even try – you wouldn’t understand. 

What I will say about this lady is that she is a CHRISTIAN LADY. She has a lot of knowledge and knew many things about me and my health without having ever met me. She did several little tests on me (which if I explained them you would laugh). After I was “cleansed”  – she rubbed/massaged my forehead and the back of my head with all these different oils – probably 20 of them or so. 

Now – Janeil being the skeptic he is – tells me that it’s my subconscious making me feel better – I don’t care what it is but today is the FIRST day in about 2 weeks where I haven’t woken up crying because my head hurt!!! AND last night was the first night I actually SLEPT through the entire night  – I slept solid! 

So she told me now that she has “cleansed” me – my body will accept the oils and medications that I need to take. NOW  – QUIT CALLING ME CRAZY! I know it all sounds like voodoo or something – but it’s not! 

I did see the doctor today – my diverticulitis has been acting up. It looks like I’m going to have to get a blood transfusion on Friday if my blood count drops any lower. She also did a spinal tap and checked my spinal column fluid just to make sure everything is okay (thinking back to the bad epidural). 

Now I’m not sure if it’s the POSITIVE OIL that the lady rubbed on the back of my knee – but I’ve actually felt more positive and alive and normal – than I have for weeks! I still carry a dull headache at all times – but the thing that was different today is that massive headache that makes me cry – it didn’t come. Not to say it is gone forever but I thank God for giving me a day off from the pain!

Next week I’ll be heading to a migraine clinic. I plan to fly into Haiti right after that!

I’ve been posting more on the serious side of things here lately and felt like we needed something a little bit on the lighter side! Some of these I came up with and some of these I’ve heard! 

1. A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills… she has 14 kids but doesn’t really care.  

2. One of life’s mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

3. My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

4. The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

5. The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don’t know what you are doing, someone else does.

6. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

7. Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

8. Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain consciousness.

9. I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting fire to my shorts.

10. Amazing! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks 2 sizes!

11. Skinny people irritate me!  Especially when they say things like…’You know sometimes I forget to eat!’ Now I’ve forgotten my address, my mother’s maiden name and my keys, but I have never forgotten to eat.  You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat!

12. The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing and then they marry him.

13. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding?  That’s my idea of a perfect day!

I heard a really great sermon yesterday that talked about the upcoming elections. Something about the way he worded it made me have peace and I thought I would share that with you. Do you realize that regardless who wins – God always has 51%? By acting like we as people can actually “control” the elections is acting like God doesn’t have anything to do with it. God used a Donkey in the Bible to talk (often worded another way). So if God Can use a Donkey – he can use any candidate that would actually win our elections! If God wanted to take either of them out – with a snap of His fingers – it would be done!

So take a deep breath – remember who we are – remember who He is – and do your part and vote! Remember God always wins Majority! He is always 51%.

So last night I was up as usual only I’m staying with my sister until my doctor’s appointment. She doesn’t have my favorite – HGTV – but she does have TLC. So I was flipping through the channels and found this show called 17 Kids and Counting. This couple actually “birthed” 17 kids!!! No joke! They are completely debt free as well! What? That’s what I said!

I thought I had a bunch of kids – but wow! I’m not exactly sure their beliefs are the same as mine – but there is a love for God which you can’t deny. So, I’m watching how this Christian mother disciplines her kids, keeps up with all her kids, and just loves on all her kids. She has home-schooled all of them and they each can play an instrument. I’m completely amazed.

On the show I’m watching – they’re heading to the Today Show in New York. Having driven what feels like a bus load of car seats and flying with a bunch of kids – I was truly interested in how their family was transported around. They actually drive one of those airport-looking shuttles. They had to pack over 15 bags for their 3-day trip. It was funny seeing the little kids stick each other “in” the luggage as they were packing and wheeled them around! What a great way to avoid expensive tickets! Just “check” them. 🙂

All the older kids are buddied up with the littlest kids – that way it’s easier to keep up with all of them! When I think I couldn’t be anymore amazed they all start singing together on the bus while they drive! It’s like the Partridge Family on STEROIDS! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry! 

I always try to get our family of 7 all in the same rows on the plane – imagine trying to get 17 kids all on the same rows! I’m thinking this family is so different and yet I was completely in awe of this mother. The way she gave each child individual attention – even when the kids acted up – she kept a cool voice and didn’t yell and they all listened for the most part. I thought that perhaps she was just “faking it” for the cameras but she’s very “real”. 

I took away a lot of ideas from the show – especially about how to travel with kids – but the most important thing I saw was how important it is to spend time with your children – regardless of how many you have! It was very obvious that the older children were just like their parents. They were strong Christians – very respectful – and very mature for their age. All reflections of great parenting. 

I often feel like there just isn’t enough time in the day to get work done and spend time with our kids. I think back to the Catalyst Conference where they talked about not sacrificing your children on the alter of ministry. I also remember them saying that if Christians spent more time with their kids – this world would be a different place. I also remember hearing that the Church (Sunday School or whatever program your kids attend) at best get 50 hours a year with our children. Parents, however,  have them thousands of hours a year. So would it not make more sense as a church to focus on the parents and how to get them to connect with their children? Family ministry will always yield more results just from simply the amount of time that we automatically have with them on a daily basis. 

There was something about watching this show, feeling slightly guilty for not having spent more time with my own kids – that actually gave me hope. If she can find time for all 17 of her kids – there is no reason why I can’t find time to spend with my 5!

By the way – when the show ended – the lady said she was pregnant again! Expecting child number 18!! I thought that stuff only happened in foreign countries!

Here is a link to their personal family website – it’s very interesting. They’re apart of a new movement which I find fascinating. I love their website –  17 and Counting Website

I appreciate all your prayers. I have already gotten my records from Central Baptist and dropped it off at the neurology office. I had a conversation with the neurologist’s nurse and didn’t get any peace from that conversation. It looks like even if we know that it’s the bad epidural that caused all of this – there’s still no other treatment. Even if we find out why I have them – the treatment is still the same – dealing with the effects of the headaches. So that’s kind of a bummer 🙁

I still don’t have appointments before next week but I still believe God is here – and I can feel all your prayers. As soon as I really have information I will pass it along and please continue to pray for my family.

So it’s about 4am and here I sit. You know what’s on TV at 4am – NOTHING! I’m sitting here watching HGTV (I know it’s sad). I watch HGTV so much that now as I drive past any house I think about whether it has Curb Appeal or what needs to be fixed so it could sell quickly.  

I’m wishing that I could just drift to sleep. I laid down at 3:00am and my head began to hurt – I kept thinking that if I really drifted to sleep then I would wake up in pain as I have been doing every morning – so for some reason my body just refuses to sleep. 

So I thought now is as good a time as any to start my first blog poll. Today as I was riding the plane I had this really sweet old lady talk to me about who I was voting for in the elections. She was telling me that she was Republican and she votes Republican every election. An even older lady was sitting beside her and she said that Obama really is a better choice even though she’s Republican. I sat there and listened as these two friends in their 60’s were arguing about the upcoming elections.  Funny – but when you live in Haiti – it’s hard to keep up with the politics. I have been blessed to watch some really funny skits on Saturday Night Live – and that’s basically where I get my news from!

I wasn’t sure whether my poll question should be about your favorite Haitian Meal or whether you secretly watch Hannah Montana. However – since it seems like every other commercial is about politics – I thought this might be a good one!

So here is my first poll question:

I’m in Kentucky. Janeil and Ne Ne came to get me in Louisville. I got to spend some time with little Ruby. WOW – how gorgeous is she! She has the perfect little face and head and little body! You just want to cuddle with her all day. She might actually be worth the headache  – because I had to fly out but I got to see her!

I had dinner with Angel – which is always a treat! My sister surprised me and drove down to spend the night with me. I am very blessed. Tomorrow I will go to Central Baptist Hospital and get my records from Gabriel’s birth with the bad epidural. I will then take that and drop it off at the neurologist’s office. Right now I don’t have an appointment before Monday of next week – so I’m pushing to be seen earlier. So pray I’m able to get an earlier appointment. 

Thanks for the prayers – I made all my flights and there is peace in knowing that I might be close to finding answers!

I’ll be leaving tomorrow to fly to Miami and overnighting and flying to Kentucky on Tuesday. Please be in prayer for me as I travel – I’m going stand-by and I really want to make all my flights. I hope to be seeing my neurologist on Wednesday and then we’ll just go from there. 

It absolutely breaks my heart to be leaving Haiti and my family here – but I’m not much good to either one when I can’t stand-up straight!