Thursday, March 21, 2013

APB: Spring

In spite of the brightly shining sun on the way to school this morning, I was scowling at the temperature in my truck that read 17 degrees.  The girls were mildly disappointed when they asked if they could wear their new Easter dresses to school today for their Easter party and I told them it was too cold.  In fact, according to Scott Sabol's long-term weather outlook on Fox 8 this morning, I am wondering if it'll even be warm enough on Easter Sunday for the dresses!  Where is spring?!?!?  It arrived yesterday, but I sure don't see it anywhere in the near future! 

I hate cold weather.  Which in Ohio puts me in a mildly bad mood from November through mid-March usually.  By then, temps reaching the 50's at least means we can be outside flying kites, riding bikes, swinging at the park or a whole host of other things that gives us fresh air and some much needed vitamin D. 

Exhibits A and B.....taken exactly 1 year ago today (March 21, 2012) at our beach:


 
 
Sliding and swinging in short sleeves and bare feet.  Now that's what I'm talking about!
 
So, Mr. Groundhog, I must say I am a little disappointed in you!  Where is the spring you promised us just 6 weeks ago?  If I hear about another winter weather advisory or significant accumulations I think I might lose it!  I think we could all use a little warm weather and sunshine.  Let me know if you find any laying around somewhere.  I'd be very grateful! 
 
 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Feelin' Lucky?

So today, I think, the population of the Irish increases about 387%.  Yup, I have Irish blood running through my veins, we are all sporting our green attire and the corn beef & cabbage are simmering away in the slow cooker.  (Smells delish!)  I think about the "luck of the Irish".  I think about luck in general.  Good luck.  Bad luck.  Dumb luck.  Lucky in love.  No luck.  And all the luck in the world. 

The events of the past few weeks (with the recurrence of a few seizures) has caused me to really think about some things and try to get a handle on perspective.  What has to be done now, and what can (and should) be put off til later in an attempt to "take it easy". I am lucky that I have numerous friends and family that have helped out.  I am lucky that we have access to one of the top notch medical facilities in the world. 

Last summer my sister gave me a book called "Mom Spa:  75 Relaxing Ways to Pamper a Mother's Mind, Body, and Soul" (by Jennifer "Gin" Sander).  While I would love to say I've had time to read the book cover-to-cover and indulge in all 75 relaxation tips (twice), what I actually have done is thumbed through the book on occasion and tried a few here and there.  I took the book from my nightstand drawer this week and I opened to tip 43 "Send in the maids".  Done and DONE!  Turning over the weekly scrubbing of tubs & toilets, dusting, mirrors and mopping the hardwood floors is something I am more than happy to have someone help me with.  But, more than what I found on those pages was what I found IN those pages. 

Tucked in the binding of tip 43 was a pressed 4 leaf clover.  Whether my sister placed it on that page intentionally or just a random spot she picked I can't help but think it was very lucky that I happened to find it now.  Not that I wouldn't have thought it very cool (and thoughtful) had I found it months ago....but I can't help feeling that I was supposed to find it now!

I am a very driven person that is used to doing things for myself.  It's difficult, and often an inconvenience, to have to ask others to do things for me.  I take pride in a job well done, and well done by my own two hands.  What that 4 leaf clover made me realize is that we all have things going on that have need to be done by ourselves.  At least we think they do.  As much as I like my house cleaned a certain way, if someone else does it and it frees up some time to snuggle and read books and color with my girls, then does it really matter?  Laundry washed, promptly pulled from the dryer and hung and/or folded.....or tip #23 to read a book sitting by a window so that you can not only lose yourself in the characters, but take time to absorb the world around you.  So, maybe the dryer gets set on the "wrinkle free" cycle and allows a little extra time to get some fun reading in.  Paying household & business bills (ok, so this DOES have to be done)....but equally important is tip 66 to enjoy "creative calm".  Tip #50....exercise.  It's not only good for your body, but it's good for YOU!

Regardless of what has to be done, there is always time for what you want to be done.  Thank you, dear sister, for reminding me that pampering a mind, body and soul are the only things we have to do ourselves!  Taking care of ourselves is the best way to take care of everyone and everything around us.  If we are lucky, we have a long life ahead of us, time to do all the things and say all the things we want and need to accomplish.  If we are lucky we realize early on that things can and will wait.  If we are lucky we have people that will drop everything to come help out in a time of need.  We are lucky, we have people that we will drop everything for to help them out in a time of need. 

Are you feeling lucky?  Or, are you feeling lucky!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

What would you do?

Has anyone ever watched the ABC show "What Would You Do?" in which a carefully scripted scene is acted out to see what onlookers and bystanders would do?  What would you do if you saw a man verbally abusing a woman in a park?  Or a woman criticized her daughter's body and calls her "fat"?  Or a child screaming at the top of their lungs that the person taking them is NOT their parent.  What would you do if, one day at school drop off, a fellow parent slumps to the floor and enters a full-on seizure?  

I am epileptic.  A condition that I was not diagnosed with until well into my 20's.  And this past week after dropping Maya & Riley off at school, I collapsed halfway down a flight of stairs and had a seizure.  Obviously my family and close friends know my condition, but I am sure it was QUITE a shock for the fellow parents I was walking and taking with at the time.  Not knowing my condition, they called 911 and I was quickly attended to.  They took great care to make sure Teagan was safe and that Bill was called.  While my condition is generally controlled very well by medication, for whatever reason....Tuesday was a day that my brain short-circuited.  I am grateful I was in a safe place (what better place to be than a Catholic School/church) and that those friends I was with kept calm and took control of the situation. 

In having a conversation with a good friend of mine in the days after (one who has known of my condition since I was diagnosed) she asked me "what should I do if I am ever with you and you do have a seizure?"  I guess I didn't realize that not everyone would know what to do. 

You might be surprised to find out the people around you that are affected by a disease, syndrome or condition that is potentially life threatening.  How prepared are we to care for a seizure, a diabetic who goes into shock, a stroke victim, someone having a heart attack?  I guess it was a wake-up call to me to make sure people around me did know what to do. 

From the website epilepsy.com here is a list of general First-Aid items for a seizure victim:

  1. Stay calm, most seizures only last a few minutes (although to an onlooker it may seem like forever!)
  2. Prevent injury by moving any nearby objects out of the way
  3. Pay attention to the length of the seizure
  4. Make the person as comfortable as possible
  5. Keep onlookers away
  6. DO NOT hold the person down
  7. DO NOT put anything in the person's mouth
  8. DO NOT give the person water, pills or food until they are fully alert
  9. If the seizure continues longer than 5 MINUTES, call 911
  10. Be sensitive and supportive, and ask others to do the same
Epilepsy and seizures were not something that ever crossed my mind until I was diagnosed in 2002 with a seizure disorder.  Diabetes is not something I gave much thought to until my nephew was diagnosed with several juvenile diabetes a few years ago.  If you take the time to learn some simple first aid, then it may make all the difference in some one's life.   

I have epilepsy, it doesn't have me!  And I'll do what I can to help educate anyone who has questions.  And I'll take the time to learn about some other afflictions that may impact someone I know and care about.  What would you do?  What would you want someone to do for you?