Friday night, Maria and Nick were sopose to mop the floor and Nick was sopose to feed his snake. I was relaxed in my recliner, Maria was asleep on the couch with Claire, Paul was on the computer and Katelyn was coloring at the table.
From the otherside of the house I hear Nick screaming, Help!! Help!!. I didn't move or acknowdlege him as he and his brother are constinatly fighting and usually there is no blood or broken bones. He kept screaming. I yelled knock it off you two! Andrew yelled I'm in here mom. He was next to Paul. Everyone jumped at once now realizing that he must be hurt.
He comes running down the hall with our ball python wrapped around his arm and its fangs clamped on his finger. Droplets of blood were forming on his hand.
Relax I tell him. Great advice. It didn't work. Then again I don't really know if he relaxed. I tell everyone to stay calm that eventually the snake will realize he can't swallow Nick and will have to let go. Nick is turning a little red from holding his breath.
Here comes dad's advice. (Paul is terrified of snakes. Paul who barely ever cusses, who couldn't hurt a flea or any other animal except snakes is pumped.) I'll get a shovel and chop it's head off. Get the f'n santanic creature off his arm and I'm going to blow it's head off.
Come on we have to think, I say- relax.
Nick-- Mom, can I please say shit.
OK
SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul- I know let's shock him with ice.
Applied Ice- Snake tightens the grip and the fangs.
HUMMM ... hummm..... hummm...
Mom- I know let's put him in water. He'll have to come up for air.
Paul- ICE WATER!!!!
It worked the snake let go and boy was he mad. Andy armed with gloves, stick and a pillow sack and I wrestled the snake into the bag.
Paul and Andy went to return the snake to his cage and the snake wouldn't go in. Paul actually showed the snake his fist and said to it that he'd punch it if it didn't go in.
Now we are all laughing. Nick in tears- not wet ones. We called the doctor. Urgent Care $50, Antibodics $20 and 2 hours later all was calm.
Two morals to this story...
1. Don't cry snake because when you really need help no one will come.
2. Follow your mom's instructions, and feed your snake in the feeding tank do not stick your hand in with a mouse in it's regular cage or it might think you are a mouse.
P.S. Paul couldn't sleep knowing the snake was living in our house. The boys had to find him a new happy home. We still have 2 snakes though.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Confessions of a Mother
Recently, I had an incident with a woman at church. She was under a lot of stress and I was her nearest target when she decided to blow. She stuck her finger in my face and started a baragge of misinformed accusations. If I had listened, I would know what was going on. She specifically told me this etc. I asked her very sweetly in front of a lot of people to please remove her finger from my face. I then said that what she didn't realize was that this one particular person who everyone trusts- no names, sent me to change the protocol- we needed to adjust our plan because it wasn't working. She said a few ill words turned and walked away.
I was in confession the next day talking to the priest about the incident. He said,I don't know why you feel bad. I told him to wait... You see... I gave her my finger behind her back when she left and no one was looking. Ohhhhh- he said... Well.... let's see....
A couple of days later, a parent at my new school came up to me and said, I saw how you handled that lady with her finger in your face. My heart was pounding. Oh great, why did I have to flip off this woman in the first place and then not realizing it in front of a parent. She told me how wonderful I handled it and how she had a confrontation with her just before me. (Whew- she didn't see my finger).
I was able to apologize for this finger pointing woman and defend her.
The priests penance sentence for me was to do something nice for the finger pointing woman without notice since what I had done was without notice. I needed to picture her at her best and bring her up in my thoughts.
I hadn't done anything yet but God gave me the woman from my school to complete the penance. But now that I shared this with you, I have notice so I guess I owe her another good deed:)
I was in confession the next day talking to the priest about the incident. He said,I don't know why you feel bad. I told him to wait... You see... I gave her my finger behind her back when she left and no one was looking. Ohhhhh- he said... Well.... let's see....
A couple of days later, a parent at my new school came up to me and said, I saw how you handled that lady with her finger in your face. My heart was pounding. Oh great, why did I have to flip off this woman in the first place and then not realizing it in front of a parent. She told me how wonderful I handled it and how she had a confrontation with her just before me. (Whew- she didn't see my finger).
I was able to apologize for this finger pointing woman and defend her.
The priests penance sentence for me was to do something nice for the finger pointing woman without notice since what I had done was without notice. I needed to picture her at her best and bring her up in my thoughts.
I hadn't done anything yet but God gave me the woman from my school to complete the penance. But now that I shared this with you, I have notice so I guess I owe her another good deed:)
Healing
I still don't have a for sure diagnosis but the Doctors seem to think I have this rare thing that is the inflamation of the bladder. Kind of like endimetrosis of the bladder, instead of the uterus. The only way to prove for sure is through biopsies and I have to be having the flare up at the time to confirm.
I was scheduled for a biopsy on October 9th late in the afternoon. I had been waiting for this appointment for 3 weeks and was looking forward to finally knowing what was going on.
Being a Franciscan, I went to the Bascilca on the Feast of St. Francis, October 4, to be with my fellow Francicans and hear the amazing music sung by the choir. I had Kate and Claire with me and during the Mass. The spasms became worse and the pain was making me sweat. Before communion,I prayed. I had never asked for the pain to be taken away; only to know what was the source. I prayed and remembered how much Francis suffered and spoke some of his best preachings while dying.
I don't usually make deals knowing that it doesn't work that way but I thought I'd give it a try. Francis, Jesus, God My Father, Can I please just have a day or two with out pain? I promise I will not give up finding out what is wrong with me and follow whatever the doctors say to do.
After some wonderful fellowship down in the hall, I was leaving and several of Paul's prayer warriors (most very sweet but some are very heebie jeebie to me) caught up to me and asked if my results had come in. I explained that the test were changed to the 9th. I didn't even know they knew that I had been ill. They all wished me well and I quickly tried to escape before I had to answer more questions about my bladder. Bladders are really uncomfortable to talk about. :-)
I thought I made a swift get away when one of his prayer warriors (that actually bothers him too at times), ran up to me with holy oil and said that she wanted to annoint me. My heart felt heavy and as stiff as a rock. Kate and Claire looked up at me like I better say yes. I'm not too comfortable with annointings in the parking lot and yet alone someone I don't want touching me- touching me. (What the hell, I thought)
She held my hands and made the sign of the cross on my forhead, heart and hands. Her prayer was so heartfelt and she asked the Holy Spirit to lift my burdens. When she was done, I guess I just stood there. I was so at peace and yes still in pain but I knew something happened.
I gave her a giant hug. Not a sissy hug. A hug that sucks the breath out of one. I said, "Thank you. I love you for caring and being God's instrument." ( I did one of those shake your head things and thought-- did I really say that? Did I just hug her? Did I just give her permission for the rest of my life to hunt me down in a parking lot and annoint me?)
I went home. Paul was out of town and that night I said my night time prayers and Thanked God for the wonderful day and said I look forward to tomorrow.
I woke up the next morning pain free and didn't experience any pain until last Thursday, November 5th. A month later. Needless to say the docs weren't able to do the biopsy and won't unless this episode lasts longer than 2 weeks but I had a month of no pain.
I also learned that we don't always get to choose who is God's instrament. Humility can go a long way. I have been reduced to be humble in so many ways this school year and I think that it will be a good thing.
Thank you God for all your acts both that I readily see and those that I have to humble myself to recongnize.
I was scheduled for a biopsy on October 9th late in the afternoon. I had been waiting for this appointment for 3 weeks and was looking forward to finally knowing what was going on.
Being a Franciscan, I went to the Bascilca on the Feast of St. Francis, October 4, to be with my fellow Francicans and hear the amazing music sung by the choir. I had Kate and Claire with me and during the Mass. The spasms became worse and the pain was making me sweat. Before communion,I prayed. I had never asked for the pain to be taken away; only to know what was the source. I prayed and remembered how much Francis suffered and spoke some of his best preachings while dying.
I don't usually make deals knowing that it doesn't work that way but I thought I'd give it a try. Francis, Jesus, God My Father, Can I please just have a day or two with out pain? I promise I will not give up finding out what is wrong with me and follow whatever the doctors say to do.
After some wonderful fellowship down in the hall, I was leaving and several of Paul's prayer warriors (most very sweet but some are very heebie jeebie to me) caught up to me and asked if my results had come in. I explained that the test were changed to the 9th. I didn't even know they knew that I had been ill. They all wished me well and I quickly tried to escape before I had to answer more questions about my bladder. Bladders are really uncomfortable to talk about. :-)
I thought I made a swift get away when one of his prayer warriors (that actually bothers him too at times), ran up to me with holy oil and said that she wanted to annoint me. My heart felt heavy and as stiff as a rock. Kate and Claire looked up at me like I better say yes. I'm not too comfortable with annointings in the parking lot and yet alone someone I don't want touching me- touching me. (What the hell, I thought)
She held my hands and made the sign of the cross on my forhead, heart and hands. Her prayer was so heartfelt and she asked the Holy Spirit to lift my burdens. When she was done, I guess I just stood there. I was so at peace and yes still in pain but I knew something happened.
I gave her a giant hug. Not a sissy hug. A hug that sucks the breath out of one. I said, "Thank you. I love you for caring and being God's instrument." ( I did one of those shake your head things and thought-- did I really say that? Did I just hug her? Did I just give her permission for the rest of my life to hunt me down in a parking lot and annoint me?)
I went home. Paul was out of town and that night I said my night time prayers and Thanked God for the wonderful day and said I look forward to tomorrow.
I woke up the next morning pain free and didn't experience any pain until last Thursday, November 5th. A month later. Needless to say the docs weren't able to do the biopsy and won't unless this episode lasts longer than 2 weeks but I had a month of no pain.
I also learned that we don't always get to choose who is God's instrament. Humility can go a long way. I have been reduced to be humble in so many ways this school year and I think that it will be a good thing.
Thank you God for all your acts both that I readily see and those that I have to humble myself to recongnize.
Hmmm... What to say....
I love reading the therapeutic readings in all the blogs but for some reason I find when I probably need to blog the most I just can't.
I guess it comes down to the fact that I try so hard to be a happy person and when things seem tough I don't know how to express eloquently and I definitely don't want to be a whiner.
My health issues have been tremendously a pain since this summer and my surgery was a real fiasco. Nick recovered well. He was the one suppose to have complications.
I was in constant pain from August 4th to October 4th and then it stopped. Recently, last week I've had a slight set back but I know it can end this time.
My spirits are doing much better and I feel compelled to write again. That is always a good sign.
I guess it comes down to the fact that I try so hard to be a happy person and when things seem tough I don't know how to express eloquently and I definitely don't want to be a whiner.
My health issues have been tremendously a pain since this summer and my surgery was a real fiasco. Nick recovered well. He was the one suppose to have complications.
I was in constant pain from August 4th to October 4th and then it stopped. Recently, last week I've had a slight set back but I know it can end this time.
My spirits are doing much better and I feel compelled to write again. That is always a good sign.
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