Watch The Greater Good Here

An unforgettable film. Watch it HERE  for free!

My Next Project..Boo-Yah!

I can see it now, Christmas morning, we all stumbled out to the family room gazing at the shining tree with gifts just waiting to be opened. The moment comes, when Don opens his long awaited gift.....crocheted shorts. Aaahhhhhhh... I can imagine the loving admiring gaze these beauts would produce. I'm thinking of making them green and brown instead, what do you think? Oh, and I don't know how to crochet...YET! Butt, with these as my inspiration, there's just no stoppin' me!!

To Do No Harm

Doctors take an oath "to do no harm." I wonder how many live up to that oath?
 I have been having some health concerns, nothing serious, but nonetheless bothersome. Based on one of my symptoms, the doc ordered a series of testing. One of the tests was a ct scan with contrast. I just had a regular ct scan last month in correlation to the same symptom. The procedure was scheduled for next Monday. I began to wonder about the risks of radiation and did a little online research about ct scans.

What I found shocked me. Ct scans with contrast expose a person to 10 years worth of radiation and carry a moderate risk of causing cancer. This information was from the FDA website, so it's doubtful it's embellished in anyway. WHAT???? I knew there was exposure to radiation, of course, but I didn't realize that carried "a moderate risk" of causing cancer. Why didn't the doc tell me about the risk??? I have already had 2 of these with not 1 mention of side effects....um...like cancer!?!?! Even though I always ask a myriad of questions, this 1 small detail was omitted.

Don't get me wrong, there are some AWESOME docs out there.....but they all need to tell their patients about the risks of the testing they do. It seems like it's just "standard procedure" to do a whole line-up of tests without a second thought.

I talked to the nurse and asked if what the test was looking for could be as serious as cancer. She told me that the test could identify cancer. I reminded her that my other testing came back non-malignant. She said although that was indeed a very good sign, there is still a possibility of a mass or something. I told her that the unknown possibility of that verses the VERY REAL risk of cancer is not something I was willing to risk.

Then her tone changed, "Debra, I'm sure doc wouldn't have ordered this testing unless he felt it was necessary." I responded, "You told me yourself that this is part of the standard routine." She said, "Yes, but on down the line, if you came down with something that the test could have shown, that would be unfortunate." I replied, "Yes, or I could come down with cancer from the testing." She laughed, "I guess that's true." I didn't think it was very funny.

The other 2 ct scans I had done were inconclusive. So 2 exposures to a moderate risk of cancer and nothing to show for it.

Do I have a point in telling you about this? Yes, please be very careful and ask a thousand questions and don't forget that the tests themselves sometimes carry a heavy price. Only we can make the appropriate decisions for our health care and I by no means am suggesting that you shouldn't have a ct scan, but make sure it's worth the risk.

Pick-Me-Ups



A couple of nice things happened this week that were a pick-me-up to Don and I. In an effort to put an end to my pity party, we are counting our blessings instead.
I received this free makeup bag along with several free samples and a coupon booklet from Target.
Isn't it so cute!!



Don told me the other day(while I was stressed about finances) that he thought it would be nice to get some pavers to go around the landscaping in the front yard. I told him that first we needed to build our emergency fund back up. I was looking at the free stuff on Craigslist and saw that someone was renovating the landscaping in their yard and was throwing these away. We are really happy with the way they look, not fancy, but just right for us.

Ironically, we had just enough, with a few to spare, to go around the entire area in the front yard.

God is so very, very good and we are both very thankful for all of His blessings and the trials make the blessings all the sweeter.

Toddler Mayhem

Slow to Anger

At Mass this morning, the homily was wonderful...as usual, but something else struck me right to the heart.

It was near the end of Mass and we were singing "Loving and Forgiving". The line that struck me was,
"Loving and forgiving are you Oh Lord, slow to anger, rich in kindness, loving and forgiving are you."

I thought about my actions lately with my kids. I have been quick to anger, rich in temper, complaining and griping way too much! Oh, I have all sorts of excuses, stress, not feeling well, stress, fighting littles, PMS, whiny kids, oh yeah, and stress. I tell my kids all the time, "We can't control what happens to us for the most part, but we can control how we react." Do as I say, not as I do! I really needed that reminder this morning.

I guess I thought as we had more children, I would become more patient and loving. I'm sad to say, I think I've failed to learn those virtues! It's not that the Good Lord hasn't given me ample opportunity!
I want to be that happy family in our Christmas pictures...I really do!

I have a dream...maybe a lofty one...but nonetheless...a dream. I want to become a saint, maybe not a great one, I'd be happy to be the one that has to camp outside of the gates of heaven and live in a tent...as long as I'm in the general vicinity. I also wish my whole family and all my friends...and oh heck, all of humanity to become saints. 

Proverbs 23:18 tells us,"Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off." 
...And so,with this hope, once again, I will try....

Catholic Art Saturday/Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Wichita

 If you have ever visited a sick family member or friend at St. Francis hospital,

perhaps you've visited the chapel to pray, and you have seen the magnificent work of art of the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Click HERE to see a multitude of photos and explanations of the pieces located inside the chapel. The chapel itself is hidden away inside the hospital.