took this photo through a toilet paper tube!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Joy over this little boy turning 5
And I was with him. It was a racing birthday party made possible thanks to Juliana who came and helped me make the cake and vac the house.
Which by the way, I think would make a great theme for the older boys' sunday school room. I could picture "race to the finish line" and shiny hubcaps on the wall...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Chad has succeeded it putting on the pressure
Wanting to move our case through the embassy as fast as possible, and not get hung up in unnecessary proofing of her orphan status--Chad has succeeded in getting congressional support. We heard they got through to the Embassy Addis (to Senator Kirk's office)
"Our office is aware of the congressional interest in this case from your office and Congressman Lipinski’s office."
Yes. Its political spam, but I child's health should never be sacrificed for unnecessary paperwork.
"Our office is aware of the congressional interest in this case from your office and Congressman Lipinski’s office."
Yes. Its political spam, but I child's health should never be sacrificed for unnecessary paperwork.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
It started with snow. Shoveling the alley to get the girls to their sleepover, I started bleeding.
We took Tom out that night...no more bleeding, problem solved?
Sat. afternoon. St. Anthony's. Can I look him in the face and make this choice? I see faces. Faces of my children. I sense I should follow Dr's orders...no one says otherwise.
Under the door that says EXIT, my life is saved. Someone has exited. But when?
Home. Playing war with Abi. Feeling a war inside. Only he knows when the life exited. I played my hand--
Monday, January 23, 2012
Faith & Ectopic pregnancy
I am confused about my surgery decision, so I am reading this:
"Ectopic for Discussion: A Catholic Approach to Tubal Pregnancies" .
I appreciate these Catholic moralists and theologians discussions of tough questions of faith. Just having to think this way goes against my simple black and white nature; however, in this case, it is helpful to think through my decision. The Catholics use this moral reasoning:
When a choice will likely bring about both an intended desirable effect and also an unintended, undesirable effect, the principle of double effect can be applied to evaluate the morality of the choice. The chosen act is morally licit when (a) the action itself is good, (b) the intended effect is good, and (c) the unintended, evil effect is not greater in proportion to the good effect.
Applied to my case it is a thin argument to me. Since my tube was removed, it would fall under the category of the double effect (good to remove damaged tube, good to save mom, life of child lost is bad but child's life is equal but not greater to mom), but the reason the doctor told me for removal was that it was so delicate as to make a repair difficult and a future ectopic pregnancy sure; not like the article says,"Instead, they see the tissue of the tube where the embryo is attached as compromised or infected." Re: the drug treatment or direct removal of child from tube, the double effect wd not apply because the direct attack on the fetus would be considered not good.
Another thought I am pondering is the fact that I don't know if the child was alive or dead for sure. I only know that my hormone levels showed pregnancy, and there was a 3cm egg sack visible from the ultrasound. Nick brought it up tonight when he and Lisette visited and the article addresses that too:
"There are two circumstances that make the use of any of these treatments morally acceptable. The first occurs when an ectopic pregnancy has been diagnosed, but no signs of life exist. The morality of treatment for ectopic pregnancies concerns the absolute value of human life. Conversely, there is no such moral consideration if the embryo has succumbed—there is no taking of human life (assuming a reasonable effort has been made to detect life)."
The final phrase being the key one in our case. We could have asked more questions, demanded some answers...to see if we could know. We didn't... we may or may not find out more info from the lab report. The only thing I know is that when they took the photos, blood was pooling around the fallopian tube. Was that an early indication of rupture? At any rate, I don't know, for sure.
"Ectopic for Discussion: A Catholic Approach to Tubal Pregnancies" .
I appreciate these Catholic moralists and theologians discussions of tough questions of faith. Just having to think this way goes against my simple black and white nature; however, in this case, it is helpful to think through my decision. The Catholics use this moral reasoning:
When a choice will likely bring about both an intended desirable effect and also an unintended, undesirable effect, the principle of double effect can be applied to evaluate the morality of the choice. The chosen act is morally licit when (a) the action itself is good, (b) the intended effect is good, and (c) the unintended, evil effect is not greater in proportion to the good effect.
Applied to my case it is a thin argument to me. Since my tube was removed, it would fall under the category of the double effect (good to remove damaged tube, good to save mom, life of child lost is bad but child's life is equal but not greater to mom), but the reason the doctor told me for removal was that it was so delicate as to make a repair difficult and a future ectopic pregnancy sure; not like the article says,"Instead, they see the tissue of the tube where the embryo is attached as compromised or infected." Re: the drug treatment or direct removal of child from tube, the double effect wd not apply because the direct attack on the fetus would be considered not good.
Another thought I am pondering is the fact that I don't know if the child was alive or dead for sure. I only know that my hormone levels showed pregnancy, and there was a 3cm egg sack visible from the ultrasound. Nick brought it up tonight when he and Lisette visited and the article addresses that too:
"There are two circumstances that make the use of any of these treatments morally acceptable. The first occurs when an ectopic pregnancy has been diagnosed, but no signs of life exist. The morality of treatment for ectopic pregnancies concerns the absolute value of human life. Conversely, there is no such moral consideration if the embryo has succumbed—there is no taking of human life (assuming a reasonable effort has been made to detect life)."
The final phrase being the key one in our case. We could have asked more questions, demanded some answers...to see if we could know. We didn't... we may or may not find out more info from the lab report. The only thing I know is that when they took the photos, blood was pooling around the fallopian tube. Was that an early indication of rupture? At any rate, I don't know, for sure.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saved from death this weekend
The surgeon told me I had an hour, a day or two max before massive internal bleeding.
It all started with unexpected bleeding Friday night and severe pain on my right side Saturday morning. The sped me from Lawndale clinic in an ambulance to St. Anthony's mid-afternoon and I was in surgery that night to treat an ectopic pregnancy.
"While most pregnancies result in the birth of a healthy baby, occasionally a pregnancy goes wrong from the start. Ectopic and molar pregnancies are examples of this. Sadly, neither ectopic nor molar pregnancies can result in the birth of a baby. And without prompt treatment, both can endanger the life of the pregnant woman."
Today I was released from the hospital. So I have been saved as a result of modern medicine twice over. First from a molar pregnancy in 2005, and now from an ectopic pregnancy. Everything was so fast, now that I'm home I am trying to process this, "neither molar or ectopic pregnancy can result in the birth of a baby" and "without prompt treatment, both can endanger the life of the pregnancy woman".
I have felt called to marriage and family ministry since I was 16. I have wanted a big family. Of late, I have accepted that which God has given--an Ethiopian child through adoption--and let go of the dream of more children by birth (after five years of infertility). And, now this and why is it that I have endured both of these? What are the chances that I would have both of these life threatening pregnancies? I don't understand. I feel that a dream killer and life saver are both at work in my life.
It all started with unexpected bleeding Friday night and severe pain on my right side Saturday morning. The sped me from Lawndale clinic in an ambulance to St. Anthony's mid-afternoon and I was in surgery that night to treat an ectopic pregnancy.
"While most pregnancies result in the birth of a healthy baby, occasionally a pregnancy goes wrong from the start. Ectopic and molar pregnancies are examples of this. Sadly, neither ectopic nor molar pregnancies can result in the birth of a baby. And without prompt treatment, both can endanger the life of the pregnant woman."
Today I was released from the hospital. So I have been saved as a result of modern medicine twice over. First from a molar pregnancy in 2005, and now from an ectopic pregnancy. Everything was so fast, now that I'm home I am trying to process this, "neither molar or ectopic pregnancy can result in the birth of a baby" and "without prompt treatment, both can endanger the life of the pregnancy woman".
I have felt called to marriage and family ministry since I was 16. I have wanted a big family. Of late, I have accepted that which God has given--an Ethiopian child through adoption--and let go of the dream of more children by birth (after five years of infertility). And, now this and why is it that I have endured both of these? What are the chances that I would have both of these life threatening pregnancies? I don't understand. I feel that a dream killer and life saver are both at work in my life.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Thinking of stocking up for the month...
Found this great calculator for meat...to find the best price per serving...use with your store flyers.
Fill the freeze, make it easy to grab and cook--
Fill the freeze, make it easy to grab and cook--
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