La Jeune Fille

I just dont get it.

Not only do I attract gardeners and truck drivers but now, weird men on the freeway.

Is this what our society has digressed to? Instead of being hit on in person, now it's not only through cyberspace but through separate cars driving at high speeds???

This depresses me.

What happened to chivalry? To being woo'd (if that's even how you spell it)?

What happened to ROMANCE? Courting? Face to flippin' face relationships?!?

It's like the world has become devoid of human contact, we're breeding generations to communicate to each other and have RELATIONSHIPS through the computer??? What is that all about?

You're probably thinking I'm crazy or out of mind or paranoid. No. I assure you, I'm none of these things. Let me explain.

The other day I was driving along, minding my own business when out of my peripheral vision I notice a car that's been riding next to me for a while. I look over and the guy smiles at me. Being who I am, I just figured he was being friendly so I smile back.

Big mistake. BIG.

He continues to ride next to me. But now, to get my attention, he's waving his hands. I look over and he's grinning and waving me to come over (ahem, come over where?!)...

I laugh because I realize at that moment, how sad the situation was... and because he was making a fool of himself and my laugh just couldn't be helped. He starts making hand movements which I suppose meant he wanted to talk to me and to get off the freeway.

(Yeah right, like I want to be murdered by some loon who's trying to pick me up on the freeway, I watch CSI)

I shake my head no (all the while smiling because I am in complete and utter shock that someone is trying to pick me up on the FREEWAY) and speed up to get away from him. In order for me to accomplish this I had to move into the right lane since the car ahead of me wasn't driving the speed I deemed suitable for getting away from the loon.

Big mistake number two.

He thought I was getting off the freeway, so what does he do? He follows me. As I watch him slide across two lanes and speed up to get behind me I start to worry: Is this guy gonna follow me to the office??? Fortunately, for me, I like to push the limits of what my car is capable of... And sometimes I fantasize about being a stunt car driver. At the last possible minute, instead of exiting the freeway I swing back into the slow lane and continue on my way. Sans loon.

Happy ending yes?

Well, maybe not for the loon.

Yes, that's right. I said it. You know they're on all of your minds this month! Why? Because it's breast cancer awareness month of course!

(Duh)

Anyway, we all know boobs are an important part of life. They are the source of nutrition for our babies, great as a shelf to set our plates (if you were blessed with big ones), and well God put them there for a reason!

I wanted to post a blog about this because my second cousin had breast cancer, she's now in remission (thank God) but only after a lot of effort on the part of the doctors to kill the cancer cells through chemo therapy and finally the unfortunate removal of one of her breasts. Thankfully insurance pays for cosmetic surgery for such a thing and although it'll never be the same, she still has her shelf.

Praise the Lord!

So. What I'm here to say to all of you... Ladies and gentlemen... Is to check yourself! And check often! Getting that annual mammogram is awesome and all, but it isn't enough.

Do your at home self-examination. For everyone's sake.

And hey, did you know:

One in eight women or 12.6% of all women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.

Breast cancer risk increases with age and every woman is at risk.

Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.

Seventy-seven percent of women with breast cancer are over 50.

Approximately 1400 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2000 and 400 of those men will die.

More than 1.7 million women who have had breast cancer are still alive in the United States.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74.

Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival.

Ninety-six percent of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after five years.

You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty.

Last night I watched the Bucket List with my mom.

(Netflix. It's the best thing since sliced bread. I love that I can go online, make a list (so long that it'll take months for me to get through it) and wait patiently, or sometimes not so patiently for it to arrive in my mailbox. How great is that?)

Anywho. I've decided that, although I'm not on my deathbed or have 6 months to live, I'm going to make a PREBucket List. I've experienced enough death in my life to realize that the time God gave us on earth is a huge blessing. Each day I thank Him for that day and I don't want to let Him down by not making each day as great as possible.

1. Visit every continent

2. Run a 5k marathon

3. Ride in a hot air balloon

4. Plan and execute a road trip across the country

5. Read the whole Bible

6. Fall deeply in love -- helplessly and unconditionally

7. Attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics

8. Grow my own garden

9. Surprise my mom with flowers

10. Send a message in a bottle

11. Learn not to say yes when I really mean no

12. Kiss the Blarney stone and develop the gift of gab

13. Be a mentor

14. Learn to juggle

15. Learn to live slowly

16. See all seven wonders of the world

17. Visit Walt Disney World

18. Eat a meal good enough to be my last

19. Pass on family traditions

20. See the Mona Lisa (actually I can check this one off)

21. Learn to sail

22. Become fluent in French.

23. Choose a country (ahem, French) and learn not only the language that is spoken there, but also study its customs, its cuisine, its art, and its history

24. Parachute

25. Slow dance at the top of the Eiffel Tower


My list could really go on forever.

So what's your PREBucket List???



A few quotes to inspire you...

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." Helen Keller


"Consciously seek out experiences that expand your sense of who you are and what you are capable of."


“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” Dr. Seuss

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss

I'm writing to let you know that this past week has been one of the hardest weeks I've had to live through. Last Saturday (October 4th), my Nama passed away. For almost two years now she has been in and out of the hospital with a hand full of medical problems including COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, pneumonia, etc. About a month ago she went in for a routine doctors exam and found a urinary tract infection which was treated with antibiotics, however when she returned home she was having trouble breathing and her BP was low. Her doctor advised my Aunt Kelly to take her to the emergency room where she was admitted. There they found that she had contracted MRSA, a type of staph disease. After about 3 weeks she was sent to a rehab clinic to finish her recovery and get physical therapy. While there, on the 1st of October she fell and was bruised badly on her left side, she complained of severe pain and was x-rayed the following day. They found no breaks and wanted to continue her physical therapy, however, she could not get out of bed from the pain, her BP was low again so she was sent back to the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital they did a second x-ray where they found a clear break in her hip and bleeding around it. However, this was the least of her problems. On the following Friday, the 3rd, they found another infection, this time in her colon, called C. Diff (Clostridium difficile). C. Diff is a naturally occurring bacteria in our colon which helps digestion. Another type of bacteria, of which I dont know the name, helps control C. Diff and is also present in the colon to help prevent intense diarrhea. However, when antibiotics are taken, the bacteria that controls C. Diff is killed by the antibiotics. This can cause the C. Diff to become overgrown and is very dangerous to the elderly. Because my Nama had taken anitbiotics not only for the urinary tract infection but the MRSA, her C. Diff controlling bacteria was low in her colon and the C. Diff became overgrown. Friday afternoon, my Aunt Kelly notified my mom and I that her condition was serious and to come immediatly. We left that afternoon. Upon arriving at the hospital, she was heavily sedated and could barely communicate. In the ICU we were required to dress in a gown and gloves. We were not allowed to touch her, at least not on the skin, and we weren't allowed to kiss her. Which I didn't know until after I'd done so. By the time we'd arrived her body was highly toxic from the C. Diff. and although less harmful to younger people is still highly contagious and dangerous. (Dont worry, I didn't get it from kissing her, I'm sure my immune system fought it off, the first symptoms are diarrhea and abdomin pain, neither of which I've experienced) Because of the level of the infection in her colon the doctor advised us that the next option was surgery, to remove all of her colon. She would be put on a colostomy bag, she would be in and out of the hospital from malnutrition and dehydration, she would have to be fed through a feeding tube and her already chronic diarrhea would be a lot worse. A situation we all knew she would not want to be put in. Not a way for someone to live. The other option was to continue the medication she was on to see if the C. Diff could be reduced and put under control. The kids (her kids) decided to give the medication a chance and see if things changed overnight. Saturday, before we arrived at the hospital we were notified that not only had things not improved but they were getting worse. We needed to make a decision, and quick. To do the surgery, of which there was not guarantee that she would make it off the operating table or to just make her as comfortable as possible. The kids decided not to put her body through the pain of an operation. They kept her on the medication until almost all her kids arrived at the hospital (save Uncle Bill, who was in San Fran at his new job). Once everyone was there, they gave her morphine and took her off the medication. We all said our goodbyes and told her how much we love her and will miss her. That afternoon she passed away. My mom and I came home late Sunday night. The following morning we repacked and spent the week with Aunt Kelly. Helping her with the funeral arrangements and necessary phone calls. It has felt like the weekend that wouldn't end. Thursday was the funeral, followed by a wake. The funeral was beautiful. My Aunt Kelly did a beautiful eulogy, I know Nama would have loved it, she had military honors, each of her kids were presented with a flag, and she even got a fly by (not planned). She is now buried at Oak Hills Cemetery under a grand oak tree. The perfect place for her to rest.

I just wanted to say that I hope you are all well and that you dont hold off on telling those you love that you love them. Everyday isn't too much. Dont take it for granted because one day they wont be there and you wont be able to hold their hand or kiss their cheek.

So with that said, I love you.