Tuesday, May 28, 2012
OUR SUNSCREEN ENDORESEMENT DEAL, OR LACK THEREOF
Sunday it finally happened. My kids got sunburned for the first time ever. I know better. We all know better. And yet it happened anyway. Whether it was year-old sunscreen that lost its potency or the fact that we should have reapplied earlier or again after swimming...no matter. I/we messed up.
In the wake of the death of a dear famiy friend who passed away from melanoma this past year, this is even more of a fail. It takes all of two minutes to drench your kid these days. Do it every time. Twice. More than twice. Here is our latest and greatest discovery...generic, cheap, works and stays on: http://www.target.com/p/up-up-2-pk-Continuous-Spray-SPF-30-Sport-Sunscreen-6-oz/-/A-11251676. You can get it in SPF 30 or 50. And God bless whoever invented spray on sunscreen. If you haven't tried it, you should.
So now that I've confessed and repented and am terribly thankful it wasn't as bad as it could've been, I'm off to go sit under the umbrella. I'll be people-watching and gazing judgementally at all of the red and white striped folks roaming the beach. Because by now they should know better, too.
North Topsail Beach
5.29.12
In Memory of Amanda Rydell Nagy
_____________________________________________________
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
ONE YEAR OUT
I've been mentally
writing this blog for about a month. This weekend marks one year of life for
which I am unashamedly celebrating and praising God! Since sometime around
Christmas I've been reflecting on the events of last year that led to emergency
surgery during the wee hours of February 13, 2011. If you somehow missed out,
you can read about my brush with death(seriously, I almost died) by clicking
HERE. You can also read about
the internal bleeding that I suffered a few weeks afterward that was not quite
as life-threatening but definitely affected my recovery HERE.
Of course, my 2011 hospital adventures were preceeded by three others in 2010. My digestive system has taken a beating but by the grace of God I am still here. And, as you might have guessed, I've leared a few things along the way...
Doctors don't always know what in the heck is going on. My 2011 surgery and hospitilization were preceded by off-and-on sickness that began on September 17, 2010. CT scans, endoscopies, xrays, ultrasounds showed nothing. I know my doctors were doing their best, but when routine means aren't producing answers, you have to be your own advocate.
If you hurt, something is wrong. Keep seeking answers.
Thank a person who saves your life. At least twice.
Don't play the hero. Take time to heal before going back to work or doing anything else that requires taking care of others. Take care of YOU first.
Blog more. Even if nobody else in the world is interested, go back and read what you've written and learn from it. Your kids might even want to read it one day, too.
Medical insurance is not all it's cracked up to be. Secondary insurance is.
You CAN lose your job because of being sick. But you'll get another one. A way better one. :)
Children are resilient. And mine, in particular, are especially empathetic.
I hate broth and jello.
Accept help. Not just when you're sick, but when you're behind in your work or when you're tired and you could just use a hand. And if nobody offers and you really need it, just ask. The worst someone could say is 'no' but they'll probably say 'yes.'
It's ok if the house is not always perfect. It's even ok to hire a cleaning lady for awhile.
It takes a strong woman to still be awake, much less be walking around, with a hemoglobin level of 5.
My family loves me. Every last one of them. <3
GOD IS BIGGER. Every single thing over the last year has been a part of an intricate plan for my life. I do not regret any bit of the way I spent 2011. I certainly did not enjoy all of it, but pain brings clarity. Crisis births strength. Inability ignites growth.
Of course, my 2011 hospital adventures were preceeded by three others in 2010. My digestive system has taken a beating but by the grace of God I am still here. And, as you might have guessed, I've leared a few things along the way...
Doctors don't always know what in the heck is going on. My 2011 surgery and hospitilization were preceded by off-and-on sickness that began on September 17, 2010. CT scans, endoscopies, xrays, ultrasounds showed nothing. I know my doctors were doing their best, but when routine means aren't producing answers, you have to be your own advocate.
If you hurt, something is wrong. Keep seeking answers.
Thank a person who saves your life. At least twice.
Don't play the hero. Take time to heal before going back to work or doing anything else that requires taking care of others. Take care of YOU first.
Blog more. Even if nobody else in the world is interested, go back and read what you've written and learn from it. Your kids might even want to read it one day, too.
Medical insurance is not all it's cracked up to be. Secondary insurance is.
You CAN lose your job because of being sick. But you'll get another one. A way better one. :)
Children are resilient. And mine, in particular, are especially empathetic.
I hate broth and jello.
Accept help. Not just when you're sick, but when you're behind in your work or when you're tired and you could just use a hand. And if nobody offers and you really need it, just ask. The worst someone could say is 'no' but they'll probably say 'yes.'
It's ok if the house is not always perfect. It's even ok to hire a cleaning lady for awhile.
It takes a strong woman to still be awake, much less be walking around, with a hemoglobin level of 5.
My family loves me. Every last one of them. <3
GOD IS BIGGER. Every single thing over the last year has been a part of an intricate plan for my life. I do not regret any bit of the way I spent 2011. I certainly did not enjoy all of it, but pain brings clarity. Crisis births strength. Inability ignites growth.
