Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Friday, January 25, 2013

home from school sick


Faith is a lover of Ramona Quimby and no matter how many times she reads the books and listens to the audio books, she never gets tired of them. Thus, I am quite familiar with all the Ramona stories myself. In one of the Ramona books (Ramona Age 8, I think), Ramona barfs in class, gets sent home from school and spends a couple days at home recovering from a stomach bug. Ramona's third-grade teacher assigns the class to write get-well cards and Ramona's day is significantly brightened by the delivery of a large manila envelope filled with get-well cards from her classmates. Of course, big sister Beezus had to bring her down to earth by telling Ramona that teachers use get well notes for handwriting practice.

When I was a grade-school girl, I have a memory of my own sick-day story. In fact, when I hear that part of the Ramona book, I picture my very own childhood living room where I rested on the sofa during the days after my tonsils came out. I remember the sun shining in the front window printing a patch of golden afternoon light on the textured navy blue carpet. I remember a little girl from my kindergarten class standing at the storm door with a big manila envelope of get well cards. There were few words since we were in kindergarten, but there is just something undeniably moving about having friends say "we miss you" even if it was an assignment by the teacher.

Which brings me to my story today. It's a short story because I have limited time at the computer. In fact, I'm on the kindle and it's hard to blog on this thing. Long, very long, story short, yesterday my doctor ordered a blood test, based, I think on a question or two I answered in such a way that caused her to consider that I had a pulmonary embolism (that and my history of super clotting). I gave my couple of tubes at the lab (until yesterday I thought only ER docs ordered tests "Stat"), had breakfast, schooled a little and then the nurse called to tell me the test was "high" (not good), and a CT scan of my chest was scheduled. It was not a PE, thankfully, but after further tests today I did learn I have a DVT in my left leg. I spent a long time at the hospital but I'm home, resting in front of a fire, watching London Hospital, and stitching. I'm good. I have to give myself twice daily shots of Lovenox for a week and take coumadin for at least three to six months, but I'll spend a nice weekend in front of the fire watching the snow sparkle on the tree limbs out my door. And that's as far as I am projecting right now. I plan to continue my posts on budget cuts, but for now I shouldn't sit at the computer with my leg down.

If any of my classmates would like to practice their virtual handwriting or picture-drawing, I'll be here waiting.

Love ya

24 comments:

  1. Oh, Barbara--I'll be praying for you!!! God bless you! So glad they found it and can treat you.

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    1. Thank you, Jamie. I'm glad they caught it, too. It was like the fly ball that just falls into your kid's glove while he's kicking dirt in the outfield. ;-)

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  2. Praying for you, Barbara! Hugs to you!! Take care of yourself, OK?! <3

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    1. Thank you, Sarah. I'm trying (it's not so easy, though!) :-)

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  3. Oh Barbara, I hope you are feeling well and just being, rather than doing all the time. Praying for you and healing along with an uncomplicated recovery.
    God bless,
    Beth

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    1. I have a hard time just being, but I'll try to do more restful things!

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  4. Oh girl, you are starting to scare me with all these different ailments! I hope and pray you respond well to the new meds. I LOVE Ramona the Pest! Probably one of my all-time favorite books as a kid. I read it over and over. :) Make those young adult people in your house do their own laundry and provide good food for you to eat.

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  5. You have no idea, Cheryl. Or maybe you do. Which is why I'm not projecting. Staying in the moment!

    PS the laundry will keep me busy and I'm not on bed rest. Meals? Well... Faith made brownies!

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  6. i'm so glad you made it home, and you don't have to stay in the hospital! You and Jen Fulwiler can commiserate over the lovenox shots.

    I love Ramona, too. I'd like to get the whole set for Meg....well, me. I think I'd like them better.

    Take care of yourself!

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    1. The hospital was great about doing what my doctor directed. Unfortunately, the snow was coming down hard and the ER was busy, but not a bad experience at all. The tech who drew blood even chatted with Faith and I about how she had been homeschooled. Very cool.

      PS the audio books of Ramona narrated by Stockard Channing are very entertaining. :-)

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  7. Dear Barbara; "WOW!" What a health walk you've been on these past few months! Praying for you, that you'll be able to experience much grace, from "just being" and "hanging out" while healing. Take good care of yourself, the rest of the family will manage. x0x

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    1. As always, Renee, I'm praying for grace! Thanks for the love!

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  8. So glad they figured that out! I hope you're reading this with your foot up!! Rest, read, enjoy some "Ramona" with Faith. You have my prayers!

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    1. Thanks for the prayers, Barb. Not to look at the glass half empty, but it is a mystery as to why the clot developed, but not thinking about the big picture now!

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  9. Barb, I am so sorry! I don not know what you said that captured the doctor's attention but I am sure glad she caught it! Please rest and let others do the things for you that seem important but really are not important at all. Rest and heal. Prayers and peace to you. ~Jan
    P.S. I have always loved Ramona

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    1. I'm not certain what I said but I'm also glad they did.

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  10. Rosie is in love with Ramona, too. Have you seen the movie? It's pretty cute. :-) The mom's eyebrows are kinda weird, though.

    So sick on the couch today, huh? Don't you want to move to Kentucky so I can bring you dinner tonight? I know you do. Think of all the fun we'd have. And I'm generous with the coffee. :-)

    Love you!

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  11. Oh, Barbara, I'm SO glad they found it, and that it's treatable!
    Praying for you and your family. I love Ramona, too, (especially the Kleenex box incident). Your blog has helped me get through a lot of spiritual low points. I wish I could show up at your door with a card and flowers and chicken soup. Thank you for posting! --- Rosemary

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  12. Big hugs, Barbara. I hope you are still resting and recovering. I never had any notes from schoolmates, and I was sick all the time.

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  13. Oh dear! So sorry to hear you have this but so glad it's being treated! (and isn't a PE!) Rest, rest, rest and know we're all thinking about and praying for you!

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  14. Barbara!! What in the heck?!?! I hope that you really are getting to rest and keep your leg up and not having to do the partial resting that most moms settle for when they are in ill health. I am glad that it was caught and that it is not a PE . . . all good things, but still, I know you are ready to call it quits with the medical stuff!!

    You know I'm praying for you and thinking of you!

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!