nos…@nospam.org writes: > Pudgy Paulo Cipriani and his blubbery bride Benedetta are the world’s heaviest > couple at a scale-crunching combined weight of more than 2,180 pounds. And the > lard-butted lovebirds have something else to brag about — they’ve just become > the parents of the world’s heaviest baby! > Titanic tot Tomasso Cipriani bounced into the world at 8:02 p.m. on February 9 > weighing an unbelievable 28 pounds, 4 ounces — a new world record. > Since then, the chubby, chow-loving cherub has packed on more flab and at barely > six months old, now tips the scales at a whopping 130 pounds.

Lovely.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -nos…@nospam.org wrote: > WORLD’S FATTEST COUPLE HAS WORLD’S FATTEST BABY! > Pudgy Paulo Cipriani and his blubbery bride Benedetta are the world’s heaviest > couple at a scale-crunching combined weight of more than 2,180 pounds. And the > lard-butted lovebirds have something else to brag about — they’ve just become > the parents of the world’s heaviest baby! > Titanic tot Tomasso Cipriani bounced into the world at 8:02 p.m. on February 9 > weighing an unbelievable 28 pounds, 4 ounces — a new world record. > Since then, the chubby, chow-loving cherub has packed on more flab and at barely > six months old, now tips the scales at a whopping 130 pounds. > "It looks like our son is going to be a chip off the old block," says proud papa > Paulo, who weighs a staggering 850 pounds. "He’s already bigger than most > nine-year-olds." > Doctors in Florence, Italy, where the jumbo-size infant was delivered by > C-section, call the case a medical miracle. > "We had strongly advised Mrs. Cipriani not to become pregnant," says > obstetrician Dr. Angelo Dimiceli, who delivered the tubby tyke. > "Obese women have an increased risk of heart failure during pregnancy. A > pregnant woman’s blood volume doubles, increasing the work load on her heart. At > 1,230 pounds — heavier than most Italian cars — Mrs. Cipriani was already > putting an incredible strain on her heart just hauling her own huge body around > without the additional burden of a pregnancy. > "To me, it’s remarkable that two people that size could even successfully have > intercourse without someone being crushed to death. To bring a child to term is > simply amazing." > Despite the warnings, the ton-of-love duo took the risk of conceiving — and > they’re glad they did. > "When those two nurses came over to the bed carrying Tomasso, it was the > happiest moment of my life," says Benedetta, 27. "I wept with joy." > Like other obese women, butterball Benedetta was at increased risk for > developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy — a condition that leads to > excessive fetal size or "macrosomia." And that’s exactly what happened. > "When the baby is that big, the chances of miscarriage increases dramatically — > as does the risk of maternal death," explains Dr. Dimiceli. > "The placenta can tear away from the uterine wall, causing the mother to bleed > to death. We had to monitor Mrs. Cipriani closely throughout." > The delivery was no piece of cake either, because Dr. Dimiceli and his team had > to cut through a mountain of flab covering the patient’s abdomen. > "It seemed like we would never get through all that fat," the physician recalls. > "When I saw how big the baby was, I couldn’t believe my eyes." > Baby blimp Tomasso eats like a horse — wolfing down an incredible 54 ounces of > formula every day — more than twice the norm for newborns. > "Most babies his age eat every three or four hours," says mountainous mama > Benedetta. "Tomasso eats every half hour and if you’re not ready with his > bottle, he howls in fury — it sounds like an air raid siren. > "His teeth are already in and he’s starting to beg for solid food." > But the colossal couple admits that their blubbery bundle of joy comes by his > hearty appetite naturally. > A typical breakfast at the Cipriani household — for each person — includes 14 > eggs, 12 sausage links, 12 strips of bacon and six muffins — all washed down > with a gallon of milk. > A standard lunch consists of: Two heaping servings of lasagna, a bowl of > ravioli, two loaves of homemade bread, five pounds of sausage and peppers, plus > two large pizzas with all the toppings. > Dinner is likely to be Sicilian spaghetti with garlic, servings of pasta > primavera, a bowl of minestrone, four helpings of rigatoni, some seafood risotto > and a bottle of wine. For desert: Three gallons of ice cream apiece. > "Of course, my wife ate more when she was expecting," says plump Paulo. > The porky pair say that when they take their son out, people openly gawk. > "Everyone wants to come over and look at little Tomasso — and they can’t resist > pinching his chubby cheeks," says his mom. > "Who can blame them? He is the most beautiful baby in the world."

Bullshit right out of the Weekly World News. Ragnar

Response:

小泉首相は５日夕、検定に合格した中学教科書の竹島を巡る記述に韓国が反発していることについて「（竹島に関する）韓国の立場と日本の立場は違う。それがあるか らと言って、ほかの面に対立を広げるのはよくない。感情的な対立を抑えて、両国の友好を考えるのが先だ」と述べ、韓国に冷静な対応を求める考えを示した。 　さらに、「それぞれの国の（教科書）制度が違う。各国の立場を尊重する中で、両国の友好関係を発展させることが大事だ」と指摘した。首相官邸で記者団の質問に答 えた。 　この問題で、日本政府は「竹島は日本固有の領土であり、教科書の記述は当然で、韓国側の批判はあたらない」（政府筋）とし、一層の関係悪化を招かないよう、韓国 側に呼びかける方針だ。 　日韓両政府は７日にパキスタンで町村外相と、潘基文（パン・ギムン）外交通商相の会談を開くことで合意している。町村外相は領土問題での立場の違いを超えて、未 来志向の関係を発展させたい意向を伝える。さらに、今年前半に予定通り、韓国で日韓首脳会談を開く準備を進めることを確認したい考えだ。 !!!!

Response:

To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat   who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

P.S. – Oh, yeah – and meanwhile, of course, I will continue w/my karate – I even get to continue teaching, since my hours will not conflict, at least during school semester (don’t know, after I start working – but I will do all I can to take work that allows me to continue training in karate, because I believe that is what has allowed me to become strong enough to face what I have had to face these past months and years). And I will continue to write and edit. A friend recently sent me something to work on, which she will pay me for. And also – a friend recently asked for me to do something I used to do, and she offered to pay me. She asked me to do a natal astrological chart for her daughter. I had already constructed one years ago when the child was born, so all I have to do now is finish writing up the interpretations. It’s something I enjoy doing – but haven’t done in years – I do it very, very, very gently and cautiously. I would have to explain in a different post. And I have given thought to going back to modeling (for artists). And of course, I have my own art and jewelry making and quilt making (I have a commission from a friend to do some work in the last category), and I have thought of going around to a few more of the art fairs that are around here. And a friend of mine and I – the same one who asked for the chart – have started inventing a certain variety of phrases that we think would do very well on t-shirts that the daughter could market at street fairs, where she would also be marketing her own artwork. I know some people out here in the boonies who do screening for a good price. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

P.P.S. – Oh, and I’ve forgotten to tell about a project another friend and I have invented. We have discovered that we both have a variety of memories pertaining to our childhoods that are connected to rather ordinary – or sometimes extraordinary – moments – and a magical sense, a wonderful, beautiful mood. We would like to write a book of joint reminiscence – and we are going to call it: Redbud and Appleblossom: Two Grown Girls Speak Memories from North and South. Something like that. I did mention it here in passing in another post. But I thought it bore repeating. I am going to see this friend tomorrow night to begin our project. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

yayyyy Beauty! sounds like the plans are gettin more n more real  am glad ya got some good things comin up, exitin, n futuros (k i made that word up, but liked it) n im with metta/kelly(sorry wasnt sure which to use), the more good ppl in SW the better! they need ya! thinkin of you C.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. yay for big plans!  yours sounds very realistic too, i think.  i know i’m always happy to have someone friendly and caring drawing my bl**d, especially when i’m sick and scared.  and your plan to go into social work sounds just perfect.  i recently had a bad experience with a social worker at a psych intake interview, so i would encourage anyone who is caring and understanding to go into the field to make up for the bad ones.  :-) good luck, i know you’ll do well. -kelly

Response:

To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman.

yay for big plans!  yours sounds very realistic too, i think.  i know i’m always happy to have someone friendly and caring drawing my bl**d, especially when i’m sick and scared.  and your plan to go into social work sounds just perfect.  i recently had a bad experience with a social worker at a psych intake interview, so i would encourage anyone who is caring and understanding to go into the field to make up for the bad ones.  :-) good luck, i know you’ll do well. -kelly

Response:

Thank you, kelly for reading and for your encouragement. Clarification: I would want to be a clinical social worker (i.e. ther*pist) – it would involve using many of the same skills I have learned as a cult. anthro. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. yay for big plans!  yours sounds very realistic too, i think.  i know i’m always happy to have someone friendly and caring drawing my bl**d, especially when i’m sick and scared.  and your plan to go into social work sounds just perfect.  i recently had a bad experience with a social worker at a psych intake interview, so i would encourage anyone who is caring and understanding to go into the field to make up for the bad ones.  :-) good luck, i know you’ll do well. -kelly

Response:

First of all congrats on figuring out your new career. I’m almost at the point where I am going to do this so I know how it can seem daunting. Second, I don’t think you should worry too much about the physical strain of the job because most everyone I know who does this job doesn’t stand around all shift. They sit and do paperwork, they walk from here to there, they sit and wait for pts to show up for appts, whatever. It doesn’t strike me as a totally physically stressful job. And third and most important. I feel you are doing all of this from a position of strength. Rainbow Colors (Jill) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

–      The colors blend, the edges soften. Swirling and mixing                    we are becoming white light.

Response:

Wo, and you would know about the not-good types, eh wot? I like futuros, too – it’s kind of like being furious about the present so making up something better for the future. Heh. Beauts. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – yayyyy Beauty! sounds like the plans are gettin more n more real  am glad ya got some good things comin up, exitin, n futuros (k i made that word up, but liked it) n im with metta/kelly(sorry wasnt sure which to use), the more good ppl in SW the better! they need ya! thinkin of you C. To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. yay for big plans!  yours sounds very realistic too, i think.  i know i’m always happy to have someone friendly and caring drawing my bl**d, especially when i’m sick and scared.  and your plan to go into social work sounds just perfect.  i recently had a bad experience with a social worker at a psych intake interview, so i would encourage anyone who is caring and understanding to go into the field to make up for the bad ones.  :-) good luck, i know you’ll do well. -kelly

Response:

Well, my first thought when I read your post was that you could move to CO and work at cheyenne mountain cause you know that is where stargate is and they need anthros to go to other worlds and study off world cultures *huge grin* You didn’t think I was going to pass up a chance to say something silly, right? Rainbow Colors (Jill) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – P.S. – Oh, yeah – and meanwhile, of course, I will continue w/my karate – I even get to continue teaching, since my hours will not conflict, at least during school semester (don’t know, after I start working – but I will do all I can to take work that allows me to continue training in karate, because I believe that is what has allowed me to become strong enough to face what I have had to face these past months and years). And I will continue to write and edit. A friend recently sent me something to work on, which she will pay me for. And also – a friend recently asked for me to do something I used to do, and she offered to pay me. She asked me to do a natal astrological chart for her daughter. I had already constructed one years ago when the child was born, so all I have to do now is finish writing up the interpretations. It’s something I enjoy doing – but haven’t done in years – I do it very, very, very gently and cautiously. I would have to explain in a different post. And I have given thought to going back to modeling (for artists). And of course, I have my own art and jewelry making and quilt making (I have a commission from a friend to do some work in the last category), and I have thought of going around to a few more of the art fairs that are around here. And a friend of mine and I – the same one who asked for the chart – have started inventing a certain variety of phrases that we think would do very well on t-shirts that the daughter could market at street fairs, where she would also be marketing her own artwork. I know some people out here in the boonies who do screening for a good price. Beauty. To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now

… read more »

Response:

sounds like a real good plan to me.   i’m sure you’ll be excellent in those fields.   you’ve given me some food for thought too about the training for taking bl**d.  sure have had enough of the ones who poke and prod but can’t find my veins.  then go to someone who gets it right away, so i know it’s technique.   way to go, linda 2creus – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat   who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

Heh. Well, anything’s worth a thought. Actually, I’m rather rooted for the time being (because my son is at home where we are) – though eventually, perhaps, NM sounds like a really attractive option. But the downside is being so far from my KY family. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, my first thought when I read your post was that you could move to CO and work at cheyenne mountain cause you know that is where stargate is and they need anthros to go to other worlds and study off world cultures *huge grin* You didn’t think I was going to pass up a chance to say something silly, right? Rainbow Colors (Jill) P.S. – Oh, yeah – and meanwhile, of course, I will continue w/my karate – I even get to continue teaching, since my hours will not conflict, at least during school semester (don’t know, after I start working – but I will do all I can to take work that allows me to continue training in karate, because I believe that is what has allowed me to become strong enough to face what I have had to face these past months and years). And I will continue to write and edit. A friend recently sent me something to work on, which she will pay me for. And also – a friend recently asked for me to do something I used to do, and she offered to pay me. She asked me to do a natal astrological chart for her daughter. I had already constructed one years ago when the child was born, so all I have to do now is finish writing up the interpretations. It’s something I enjoy doing – but haven’t done in years – I do it very, very, very gently and cautiously. I would have to explain in a different post. And I have given thought to going back to modeling (for artists). And of course, I have my own art and jewelry making and quilt making (I have a commission from a friend to do some work in the last category), and I have thought of going around to a few more of the art fairs that are around here. And a friend of mine and I – the same one who asked for the chart – have started inventing a certain variety of phrases that we think would do very well on t-shirts that the daughter could market at street fairs, where she would also be marketing her own artwork. I know some people out here in the boonies who do screening for a good price. Beauty. To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring

… read more »

Response:

Thank you for your encouragement. I am taking it one little step at a time – I think this is the wisest and only way for me now. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First of all congrats on figuring out your new career. I’m almost at the point where I am going to do this so I know how it can seem daunting. Second, I don’t think you should worry too much about the physical strain of the job because most everyone I know who does this job doesn’t stand around all shift. They sit and do paperwork, they walk from here to there, they sit and wait for pts to show up for appts, whatever. It doesn’t strike me as a totally physically stressful job. And third and most important. I feel you are doing all of this from a position of strength. Rainbow Colors (Jill) To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

Thanks linda – you are good to give encouragement. I’ll need lots of it, I am sure, along the way. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – sounds like a real good plan to me.   i’m sure you’ll be excellent in those fields.   you’ve given me some food for thought too about the training for taking bl**d.  sure have had enough of the ones who poke and prod but can’t find my veins.  then go to someone who gets it right away, so i know it’s technique.   way to go, linda 2creus To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

Wow, Beauty, congratulations for taking control of your life! You CAN do this…..cuz I pretty much went thru the same story with the x and having to look for a job to support myself.  Took a little longer then I expected but my planned work, too! You sound so full of courage and strength….you go, girl!  There were days when I thought I had made a huge mistake but I know now that getting my divorce and moving on with my life was THE best decision I had ever made in my life!  And I’m 53 so that’s tells ya something.  ;] Aren’t you glad you made that stop at the church!  God does work in mysterious ways. bckwrds

Response:

hello beauty wow, this is hard work on thinking for preparations, sound very grounded and realistic and i am going to wish you a very easy road on this ) it is very well constructed indeed. wish you all the rainbows in action to give you the needed support keep fa*th in yourself !! satya —   (Y)   (..) c((")(") – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat   who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

hi Beauty   That sounds so positive and is wonderful news, am very pleased for you all the best and c*rings (if ok) frankie.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat   who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

beauty, i have tears in my eyes, of joy, for reading that you have hope, and are looking forward to things in your life. i do need to tell you that social workers do NOT earn a lot of money…  but i can’t fault your choice of degree.  :) *goodgoodgoodgoodgood* for you for being "proactive" (*rolls eyes at the quintessential socialworkbabble word*) about your life and needs!! i am SO happy for you.  GOOD JOB!!!! …no wonder i’ve been feeling better these last few days… i’m so glad u have a purpose now.  :)  congratulations! jt

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat   who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16

hrs./week.; or part time – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

thank you satya – we look for rainbows – the husb. places obstacles. beautys. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hello beauty wow, this is hard work on thinking for preparations, sound very grounded and realistic and i am going to wish you a very easy road on this ) it is very well constructed indeed. wish you all the rainbows in action to give you the needed support keep fa*th in yourself !! satya —   (Y)   (..) c((")(") To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

Yes G*d does. Beautys. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wow, Beauty, congratulations for taking control of your life! You CAN do this…..cuz I pretty much went thru the same story with the x and having to look for a job to support myself.  Took a little longer then I expected but my planned work, too! You sound so full of courage and strength….you go, girl!  There were days when I thought I had made a huge mistake but I know now that getting my divorce and moving on with my life was THE best decision I had ever made in my life!  And I’m 53 so that’s tells ya something.  ;] Aren’t you glad you made that stop at the church!  God does work in mysterious ways. bckwrds

Response:

oh much okay, frankie – how you beens? beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi Beauty   That sounds so positive and is wonderful news, am very pleased for you all the best and c*rings (if ok) frankie. To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

Response:

Thank you nicky. I have missed you, you know. I still think of some of the many things we have talked about – including – well, some unfinished stuff, you know? It’s fine – I’m not trying to say there is stuff that needs finishing – just saying I remember. And – I am grateful for your faith in my faith. I affirm yours, and your caring for those you care for, as well. Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Beauty, I really believe things are going to come around for you soon. Things never stay the same, even though we believe nothing changes (especially when times are hard). You are a wonderful person. You are working tremendously hard not only for yourself but for others (your son) and I truly believe your faith and efforts will be rewarded. Yours sounds like a wonderfuly plan. In our thoughts, nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

THank you for trhe joy – we have not joy tonight, but we understtand – it’s been a hard time, why we can’t speak – yes we know sw is not rich-land, but neither is anthro so whatya gnna do?? see ya – beautys. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – beauty, i have tears in my eyes, of joy, for reading that you have hope, and are looking forward to things in your life. i do need to tell you that social workers do NOT earn a lot of money…  but i can’t fault your choice of degree.  :) *goodgoodgoodgoodgood* for you for being "proactive" (*rolls eyes at the quintessential socialworkbabble word*) about your life and needs!! i am SO happy for you.  GOOD JOB!!!! …no wonder i’ve been feeling better these last few days… i’m so glad u have a purpose now.  :)  congratulations! jt To all: This is a bit long, but it tells what I have been figuring out about how I am going to solve the practical problems facing me in the current situation in my life – it is a practical plan, ready to go into action at the end of this month, that will begin to establish me as an independent woman. Okay, here is what I have been figuring out for myself, and putting into place, over the past few months. I’ve been in a pained p*r*lysis for so long, and now I’m moving forward. It has taken a long time – and because it has been so painful and so scary, I have not been prepared to talk about it, until it has been put into place. And so now – I will unveil the situation and the plan. My situation is that I need to become independent – I need to become able to support myself and to gain health benefits for myself. I cannot say more about the reasons for this, but you can guess. Well, okay, for one thing, I have intimated that my marriage is not sturdy at this point, to say the least. And the second issue is that as of this past November, the husb. left his second job and turned to me and said, "Your turn." (Which was unrealistic, but that didn’t matter, because that was what he did, and we were sinking fast economically.) I have been p*r*lyzed about this because of the pain and because of fear – and because of pragmatics. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to earn an income in my field, anthropology, because there are no jobs in general, and esp. not for people my age who have not been active in the field in a big way (only small ways, comparatively) for years – and in particular, the opportunities where I live (in the middle of nowhere) are nil. And besides that, I have a son at home – he is home schooled (a choice made mainly by the husb., but one that it seems is probably correct – but one that couldn’t logically or pragmatically have been taken w/out my being at home). Even w/my son *in* school, it would have been a stretch, w/great cost to my son, to have me working somewhere (unless I worked at night – but that would have been difficult in other ways). So between the career path problem and the child care problem, I didn’t know what to do. Finally, one day, the husb. had an anxiety attack thing and ended up in ER – and the woman came to take bl**d. On a whim, I asked, "What kind of training does it take to do that?" Turns out the answer is – 15 weeks at our community college, which course includes the clinical training at a hosp., and I will be ready to take Fed. certification test so that I will be ready to work anywhere in the US. The program has virtually %100 employability, and students are often offered jobs at the places where they do their clinicals, or often places put up notices or contact the school, if they need workers. So – here is the pro-active thing I did. I called the community college – and there was a waiting list. I asked for my name to be on the list and for them to send my materials on the program. I called later to find out how things were going, and it turned out that there had been a slip-up and my name wasn’t on the list – I was going to have to wait until January! I was bummed out, needless to say. But one morning this summer, I happened to be walking into chrch w/a woman I have a speaking acquaintance with – actually, she was one of the ones who was so glad to see me after I had returned to chrch – she made a big point of coming up and welcoming me, telling me news of her daughters, etc. (who had been children when last I knew them, and who are now grown and educated and working). Turns out one is a phlebotomist (one who takes bl**d), and she went through the program – and the woman’s close friend is one of the teachers. So she said – "Call them back, because often, people sign up and then just disappear, so there are spaces left open." So I did – and after a few calls, it turns out, I did get an invitation to come into the office and meet the head of the division that offers the course. I went – and it felt so natural and right to be back on a campus – I’ve spent so many years as a student, or teacher, or faculty spouse, or having a shared office on campus because of editing, or whatever, so it felt so good. And when I met the woman, it was amazing – meeting the secretary and meeting her – it was just like meeting new friends. She was just so warm and things went so smoothly and naturally. And there I was – ready to register – and so I registered, got into a payment program, and got an appt. w/my MD for a physical (next week). And as of December, if all goes right, I will be ready to take my exams for work!!!!! For anyone who wonders, there are many jobs in phlebotomy. You don’t have to know a bunch of math or anything – it’s a skill, that’s all. And I know I will be able to do it. It’s like things have been set up for me that way, too – I had gestational diabetes, which means I had to overcome, to some extent, my phobia about n**dles – and then I had a cat  who became diabetic and one who needed hydration, so I had to learn to help other living beings that way. So I know I could do it. And I believe that people who are in need of having bl**d drawn are also in need of a little humanity and tender care – so I could to that, too. Meanwhile – another part of the plan. There is a university about 90 miles away that offers a good program in social work. I have long, long desired to re-train as a social worker. So I have investigated that, too. And it turns out that there are two options there: full time is two days a week (either Thurs. Fri. or Sat.) plus immediate placement in a field setting (of one’s own design and choice – one finds the institution and makes it up and goes in) for 16 hrs./week.; or part time (Sat. classes only) and you do your field placement beginning in the second year. The full time option certifies you in two years, and the part time option takes three years. I have discussed having some of my credits transferred, being that I have a Ph.D. in a related area, and they may accept a few of them. I have yet to visit the place and show them my transcript and work this out in detail, and I have yet to formally apply and be accepted and so forth – I don’t have any doubt that I will be accepted. They seem interested in me. So that is my long range plan – to become certified as a phlebotomist, and then while working, to do my re-training as a social worker. Things might not work out that way – I might decide to go further in med. training and become a med lab tech – which is a two year certificate program at the community college – and which leads to a job that brings down good money. Techs are much in demand – and if I am also a phlebotomist, even more so. My only anxiety is my health – will I be up to it physically? Will my legs and back stand the strain? Will my emotional health be okay? The former is a real question. The latter – well, I just have to be okay. I don’t have a choice. I have to "get a grip." So that’s the story, folks. That’s what I have been figuring out for myself as a way out of my predicament. It’s a challenge, facing me – but I am more excited than not, and hopeful. Yes hopeful. And beyond anything else, I will be meeting new people, entering into a new modality for a while – things could change a lot in ways I haven’t even looked into. I will end now – this has been very long – thank you for anyone who has read this. Beauty.

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Like? Beauty. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Maybe time to focus on grounding and centering things? Rainbow Colors (Jill) Am feeling very wiped out and depressed right now, and not in control.

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Go out and appreciate nature (hug a tree:), walk barefoot in the grass and really pay attention to it. Eat something you really really like and close your eyes and just focus on it’s taste/smell/whatever. Get a massage. Take a long hot bath and focus on nothing. Wear stuff that feels very soothing to you (like a snuggly fleece bathrobe or whatever). Try to really notice people as you walk around in public (notice what they are saying, how their perfume smells, what they are wearing). Go to an art museum and really look at various art you like. And so on… Rainbow Colors (Jill) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Like? Beauty. Maybe time to focus on grounding and centering things? Rainbow Colors (Jill) Am feeling very wiped out and depressed right now, and not in control.

–      The colors blend, the edges soften. Swirling and mixing                    we are becoming white light.

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Beauty, I really believe things are going to come around for you soon. Things never stay the same, even though we believe nothing changes (especially when times are hard). You are a wonderful person. You are working tremendously hard not only for yourself but for others (your son) and I truly believe your faith and efforts will be rewarded. Yours sounds like a wonderfuly plan. In our thoughts, nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

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Erika, I am so sorry for your loss.  As I have never been pregnant, I cannot imagine your pain.  I agree with RK and Alice that with everything your body has been through and the pain with which you are dealing, now is not the time to determine if you are diabetic.  Let’s hope that you are not T1 or T2. Take care. Steph

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had a missed abortion (dekayed misscariage for those of you not familiar with pregnancy terminalogy) over the weekend. It turned out that I wasn’t 18 weeks pregnant cause the baby had been dead for a few weeks. Anyway to the point, when I came out of the anasthetic on saturday I had been fasting for about 12 hours (and been very very very stressed) and my BG was then 8.2. I have been to depressed to even locate my BG monitoring kit until tonight. I then tested my self after a meal of spag-bol (not to the right proprotions but not completely off the wall either) and my BG was then 6.2 1h 45 minutes after the meal. I don’t know what to make of this but I realize I have to keep testing. Motivation is at it’s very lowest now though so it is difficult.  I guess I do have typ 2 and not just gestational diabetes. /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had a missed abortion (dekayed misscariage for those of you not familiar with pregnancy terminalogy) over the weekend. It turned out that I wasn’t 18 weeks pregnant cause the baby had been dead for a few weeks. Anyway to the point, when I came out of the anasthetic on saturday I had been fasting for about 12 hours (and been very very very stressed) and my BG was then 8.2. I have been to depressed to even locate my BG monitoring kit until tonight. I then tested my self after a meal of spag-bol (not to the right proprotions but not completely off the wall either) and my BG was then 6.2 1h 45 minutes after the meal. I don’t know what to make of this but I realize I have to keep testing. Motivation is at it’s very lowest now though so it is difficult.  I guess I do have typ 2 and not just gestational diabetes.

I am very sorry to hear that.  My friend went through something similar, but much closer to her due date.  I know how upset you must be. — Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/

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I had a missed abortion (dekayed misscariage for those of you not familiar with pregnancy terminalogy) over the weekend. It turned out that I wasn’t 18 weeks pregnant cause the baby had been dead for a few weeks. Anyway to the point, when I came out of the anasthetic on saturday I had been fasting for about 12 hours (and been very very very stressed) and my BG was then 8.2. I have been to depressed to even locate my BG monitoring kit until tonight. I then tested my self after a meal of spag-bol (not to the right proprotions but not completely off the wall either) and my BG was then 6.2 1h 45 minutes after the meal. I don’t know what to make of this but I realize I have to keep testing. Motivation is at it’s very lowest now though so it is difficult.  I guess I do have typ 2 and not just gestational diabetes. /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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I had a missed abortion (dekayed misscariage for those of you not familiar with pregnancy terminalogy) over the weekend. It turned out that I wasn’t 18 weeks pregnant cause the baby had been dead for a few weeks.

Sorry for your loss. been there myself. Anyway to the point, when I came out of the anasthetic on saturday I had been fasting for about 12 hours (and been very very very stressed) and my BG was then 8.2.

stress will make any diabetic or non-diabetic have a rise. I have been to depressed to even locate my BG monitoring kit until tonight. I then tested my self after a meal of spag-bol (not to the right proprotions but not completely off the wall either) and my BG was then 6.2 1h 45 minutes after the meal.

6.2 is well within non-diabetic range. thats a 111. I don’t know what to make of this but I realize I have to keep testing. Motivation is at it’s very lowest now though so it is difficult.  I guess I do have typ 2 and not just gestational diabetes.

I agree with Alice, I’d let thinks settle a bit before worrying if you are a T2 or not, more times then not the GD goes away after pregnancy. Nothing you’ve stated indicates it is still there. Also best to let a doc determine if you are or aren’t. imho… if you can not get diagnosed you’re better off for it you realize., once you are.. you’re SOL for life insurance and often health insurance if you aren’t working and on a group plan. — RK – t1 In tribute to the United States of America and the State of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and terrorism. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. I think that most of the responses you have gotten so far have not considered that fact that you are pregnant and your diabetic situation wasn’t discovered until you were at the 9 week point. I’m actually very surprised that Erika didn’t mention that, OR let people know that when asked questions like "What’s your secret"? 5.7 IS good for an established diabetic (established over a period of time I might add), but I don’t know how good it is for someone who’s a gestational diabetic of just a few weeks. Seems a tad on the high side to me, but I isn’t pregnant, or a woman::-) Beav

First of all this value was to show what it has been like before my BG was under any sort of control since that is very important to know because of the baby. I didn’t mention being pregnant since I have gone on about that several times before in other threads.  I don’t want to bore you folks. And finally, the diabetes team has not concluded it is gestational diabetes (if they had I would be a bit more cheerful). They say it is typ 2 that _might_  go away for a while after the pregnancy but even if it does  it will return eventually. /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. I think that most of the responses you have gotten so far have not considered that fact that you are pregnant and your diabetic situation wasn’t discovered until you were at the 9 week point.

I’m actually very surprised that Erika didn’t mention that, OR let people know that when asked questions like "What’s your secret"? 5.7 IS good for an established diabetic (established over a period of time I might add), but I don’t know how good it is for someone who’s a gestational diabetic of just a few weeks. Seems a tad on the high side to me, but I isn’t pregnant, or a woman::-) Beav

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excellent result!  what’s your secret?

Only being diabetic a few weeks. (Gestational I think) Beav

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4ax.com: What is prediabetes? *curious* Prediabetes is what used to be called prediabetes.  

Must have been confusing when that change in nomenclature went into effect.  ;-) Priscilla

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I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about.

I think that most of the responses you have gotten so far have not considered that fact that you are pregnant and your diabetic situation wasn’t discovered until you were at the 9 week point. Pregnancy in diabetes http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/diabetes/pregnancy.asp Goals for self-monitored glucose Before meals 3.9-5.6 mmol/l….4.4-6.1 mmol/l 2 hours PP…<7.8 mmol/l)……<8.6 mmol/l Diabetes and Pregnancy – US National Institute of Health site http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetesandpregnancy.html This site shows a lot of internet links. Frank

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Super.  Mine’s 5.1% but I have prediabetes.  Keep up the good work! What is prediabetes? *curious*

Like pre-pregnancy /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Prediabetes is what used to be called prediabetes.  That terminology was never well defined and was abandoned in favor of Impaired Glucose Tolerance.  Impaired Glucose Tolerance was then split into Impaired Fasting Glucose and Impaired Glucose Tolerance.  These terms were deemed too technical and confusing for the general public and have been superceded by prediabetes.  May the circle be unbroken… It is the state of having above normal glucose values either fasting, postprandial, or in an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test without the levels reaching the diagnostic threshold for frank diabetes.  The risk for progression to frank diabetes is high and even without that progression, these individuals are at elevated risk for many of the problems that plague diabetics, especially adverse cardio vascular events. Charly Coughran

Thanks for explaining. I think I get it. /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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Super.  Mine’s 5.1% but I have prediabetes.  Keep up the good work! What is prediabetes? *curious* Like pre-pregnancy

But not nearly as much fun. Priscilla

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I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) )

5.7 … Sounds pretty good for a diabetic, congratulations. BJ

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excellent result!  what’s your secret? dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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Congratulations! Steph

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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Super.  Mine’s 5.1% but I have prediabetes.  Keep up the good work!

What is prediabetes? *curious* /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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4ax.com: Super.  Mine’s 5.1% but I have prediabetes.  Keep up the good work! What is prediabetes? *curious*

Prediabetes is what used to be called prediabetes.  That terminology was never well defined and was abandoned in favor of Impaired Glucose Tolerance.  Impaired Glucose Tolerance was then split into Impaired Fasting Glucose and Impaired Glucose Tolerance.  These terms were deemed too technical and confusing for the general public and have been superceded by prediabetes.  May the circle be unbroken… It is the state of having above normal glucose values either fasting, postprandial, or in an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test without the levels reaching the diagnostic threshold for frank diabetes.  The risk for progression to frank diabetes is high and even without that progression, these individuals are at elevated risk for many of the problems that plague diabetics, especially adverse cardio vascular events. Charly Coughran

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congrats… — Steve

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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Super.  Mine’s 5.1% but I have prediabetes.  Keep up the good work! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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Excellent result!  Under 6 is considered great! c

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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What’s the lab reference range? 5.7 is the top of one lab’s range but the middle of another’s where I’ve had mine done. Either way, it’s a good result, especially for a "first outing"! So congratulations are in order. bj

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) )

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I got the result from my first hba1c  test today (the test was done last week). The level was 5.7 % which I understand is sligfhtly elevated but not enough to worry about. (Although I am sure I will be told differently here;) ) /Erika The first ten years of your life you try to be just like your parents. Then for then years you try to be as little as your parents as possible. Then you gradually change in to them.

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oht nak take comfort that ultasounds for weight are often wildly inaccurate esther, told she was having a 10 pounder… got an 8# 4 GDM, not t1

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oht nak take comfort that ultasounds for weight are often wildly inaccurate

That’s true too.  They kept telling me that while Angela looked a bit small, they were sure she’d be a big baby simply because I had GD.  Her birth weight was 2 oz. less than average.  She was a bit taller than normal, but didn’t have a big head, big shoulders or any other big parts, except for her mouth.  Hehe.  My but she could scream! — Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/

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oht nak take comfort that ultasounds for weight are often wildly inaccurate That’s true too.  They kept telling me that while Angela looked a bit small, they were sure she’d be a big baby simply because I had GD.  Her birth weight was 2 oz. less than average.  She was a bit taller than normal, but didn’t have a big head, big shoulders or any other big parts, except for her mouth.  Hehe.  My but she could scream!

Yeah. I’m not sure why the ultrasounds are so inaccurate, but when my lovely sweetie was carrying my other lovely sweetie for 9 months, she developed gestational diabetes and had to have some of the joys and delights of *my* lifestyle. But the little cutie was born naturally. Now, the job I wanted to do on the *nurse* who took our newborn’s blood glucose test (to make sure mommy’s GD didn’t cause the little meatloas bg to go hypoglycemic when she got off of mommy’s rich umbilical supply with a potentially high blood sugar and onto her own little gorgeous tummy full of mommy milk), that was an issue. The glucometers they used are *extremely* badly designed, with a "hand-fitting" form factor that *wobbles* if you try to set it on a flat surface. The test strip requires a very small sample, but projects the thin flopping strip several inches out of the meter, so that it is physically impossible to place it on an inches punctured heel unless you start the meter, puncture or have someone puncture the infant’s heel, *clamp* the screaming and writhing healthy infant’s into the right it off and you have to start all over. *4 times* we went through this. The third and fourth time I insisted on holding my child, extremely carefully but with my best "I am holding a very delicate object that I cannot let move" grip, and the nurse flubbed   getting the blood onto the strip, then finally got it. The secret to doing it right? Insist that the staff use a pipette to draw the blood from the infant’s heel to put it on the meter, which is much easier, faster, and can actually be drawn before the meter is turned on. The head nurse showed us that trick later that day: the more junior nurse hadn’t known or thought to do so. This was the same head nurse who said "send your husband home, and make him buy you jewelry", which we ignored, and "you know what helps your milk production", and my lovely wife already had an answer. "Guinness". It was fun, the yuppies in the class were shocked but the head nurse was amused that my wife knew…..

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Yes, I’m hoping my endocrinologist was right when she felt my belly and said, "Well, it doesn’t FEEL like a particularly big baby…".  Of course, she’s not an OB but I imagine she’s felt her share of big babies, since she specializes in diabetic pregnancies! Guess we’ll know more in a few weeks when they do another u/s. Thanks, everyone. Nancy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – oht nak take comfort that ultasounds for weight are often wildly inaccurate esther, told she was having a 10 pounder… got an 8# 4 GDM, not t1

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Feeling a bit depressed this evening.  I’m a Type 1 diabetic of 30 years’ standing, no complications, and currently 31 weeks pregnant with my second child.  My first, a healthy girl, was born at 7 lbs 10 oz (at 38 weeks). This one was estimated by ultrasounds at 21 and 25 weeks to be in the 74th percentile for weight – higher, but not bad at all.  Today, 6 weeks later, ultrasound estimates have jumped to the 94th percentile! This, when my blood sugar control in the past 3 months has even improved – my HbAIC has gone from 0.6 in early pregnancy (normal by the lab standards) to 0.54. Why, oh why, such a dramatic jump?  Just how big is this kid going to be? My doctor, who specializes in diabetic pregnancy, assures me that "There are dozens of reasons why diabetic women have bigger babies, many of them ill-understood. And only one of them is high blood sugars."  Cold comfort some weeks from now when I’m having a c-section. Thanks for letting me whine.  And whining I am, since baby is perfectly healthy otherwise, for which I am thankful. Nancy

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Based on discussions on the twins newsgroup, the ultrasound weight estimates can vary just from the technician’s "point and click" skills. (This is very frustrating for all concerned – but if the baby is moving around, it’s understandable.) Cindy Wells I hope this is your situation rather than anything more serious

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My doctor, who specializes in diabetic pregnancy, assures me that "There are dozens of reasons why diabetic women have bigger babies, many of them ill-understood. And only one of them is high blood sugars."  Cold comfort some weeks from now when I’m having a c-section.

How big is this fetus? My brother was delivered vaginally and weighed 10.4 lbs. Is you obstetrician considering a c-section for you for his convenience?

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It’s my understanding that if the baby stays at 94th percentile, we’re looking at a birthweight of well over 9 lbs, possibly 10ish.  A major factor, really, is that the babies of diabetic mums tend to be big in the shoulders, thus shoulder dystocia during vaginal delivery is a very real risk – not one I’m willing to subject either the baby or myself to for the sake of having a vaginal delivery. No, I don’t believe either my OB or endocrinologist (both female, by the way) would recommend c-section for convenience’s sake…I’m having the baby at a  centre known for high-risk deliveries and I trust their judgement.  It sure worked out well for us last time!  :-) Thanks for the suggestion, though. Nancy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My doctor, who specializes in diabetic pregnancy, assures me that "There are dozens of reasons why diabetic women have bigger babies, many of them ill-understood. And only one of them is high blood sugars."  Cold comfort some weeks from now when I’m having a c-section. How big is this fetus? My brother was delivered vaginally and weighed 10.4 lbs. Is you obstetrician considering a c-section for you for his convenience?

Response:

Congratulations!! I’m very happy for you! Take good care of yourself and your baby! Laura

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another faint line – twice!! Now, I actually went to see her because of bad cramps (kept me up at night, etc)., not because the period was late (Jan 28th AF was 4 days late), especially because the HPT I did on Jan 26th was negative. I knew there was a chance of conceiving because we *baby-danced* the right day, but I thought that because of the bad cramps and the fact that HPT was negative, the UTI messed up my period. Anyway, because she couldn’t see anything in the uterus during the u/s but the pregnancy tests were positive, plus there were cramps, she sent me to the county hospital (gynaecologic department – not the department for pregnancies; another town) to do the beta hCG test and to be examined on the colour Doppler. She said that although she knew that this is still a very short pregnancy (On Jan 28th, my period was late only 4 days, and I was pregnant only 18 days – I know exactly when we conceived) and the foetus can’t be seen via u/s before the 21st day, she is worried about cramps and that the ob/gyns at that hospital can take care of me in case it’s the EU pregnancy. No need to point out how worried I was – my mother had the EU pregnancy before me, and she always told me it was the worst experience of her life – plus we really wanted this baby and for everything to be ok!! At the hospital I was examined via u/s again – still nothing. Beta hCG was positive – 199, so I was admitted to the hospital and had to wait for the foetus to show up on the u/s which was scheduled for Friday Jan 31st, as well as the Beta hCG test. On Thursday Jan 30th (period late 6 days/pregnant 20 days) my cramps were really bad, I started sweating, so I was examined again – still nothing. They cancelled the u/s for Friday and moved it to Monday Feb 3rd. I have to point out that all that time I had a bad UTI, which they didn’t treat at all – only the fact whether this is the EU pregnancy mattered for them, everything else didn’t matter at all – and I am convinced that the cramps were bad because of the UTI as well. About the cramps – they were ordinary uterine contractions, the same you get during PMS – and sometimes they were bad (but not like at home!) and there were times when I didn’t feel them at all, and then I felt perfectly healthy – no fever, no nausea, nothing! Friday Jan 31st (period late 7 days/pregnant 21 days) – again beta hCG test was done, and I had to wait 3 hours for the results. The chief ob/gyn at that department did the usual round – when the doctor which examined me the day before told him that nothing showed up on u/s, he scheduled me for the laparoscopy for Monday, wouldn’t even wait for the beta hCG results to come back! I kept telling him that I’m only 3 weeks pregnant, that I feel fine and that I’d like to wait a bit longer before laparoscopy. But no, as he was the chief of the department (he didn’t examine me once, just read the charts and decided according to those), there was no point in trying to talk to him…. Beta hCG came back over 1000 – but he still didn’t know that (he does rounds around 9 am), but the nurse which told me the beta hCG results told me that she still had to prep me for surgery. I can’t even begin to explain how upset I was – I called my gyn, she told me to tell them to wait; I talked to the ob/gyn who examined me when I was admitted to the hospital – he told me to tell them to wait (unfortunately he was just on duty, he wasn’t assigned to gynaecology department so he wasn’t assigned for my case). Later on the hospital’s ob/gyn which examined me on Thursday came to the room, told me that bhCG is ok, and that they will do the beta hCG and u/s again on Monday (the laparoscopy was delayed). Saturday Feb 1st (period late 8 days/pregnant 22 days) – one of my friends’ friend, the ob/gyn at that hospital, was on duty, my friend called her and asked her if she would examine me (so that I don’t have to wait for Monday). She came, told me that since beta hCG is so high she thinks now the foetus will show up on the colour Doppler, and examined me – and there it was! A tiny bread crumb She copied the photo, wrote her diagnosis in my chart, and talked to the chief ob/gyn – and he confirmed the pregnancy and said I can go home on Sunday! The recommendation was to rest for 2 more weeks (so that the occasional cramps would go away) and told me to come back (or to go to my regular ob/gyn) for the follow up next Monday. But, he said that the cramps aren’t a threat, they just mean that the uterus is stretching and preparing for the pregnancy (they’d seen them as the threat only while the foetus didn’t show up on the u/s because it could mean the EU pregnancy). Now I am at home, 25 days pregnant – and I feel fine! Still no nausea, just feeling a bit sleepy, but since they told me to rest, that’s fine! Yesterday I did the urine culture again (since they didn’t give any UTI antibiotics in the hospital) and the mass of bacteria showed up, so today I’ve got the Ceporex for it, the urine culture will be sent to the county hospital for the bacteriogram (to check if I’m taking the right antibiotic for it) and I’m also drinking 1.5 litres/day of the tea blend we call *urology tea*. As I’m due for my next ob/gyn appointment on Tuesday Feb 11th (my 30th birthday – the heart beat is supposed to be heard them – and now I have these irrational thoughts that they made a mistake at the hospital, that we won’t be able to hear the heart beat, etc. – but I hope for the best!), I don’t know yet the EDD, but I did find a couple of web sites with due date calculators, and according to them it could be between Oct 4th to Oct 8th. As my 30th birthday is next Tuesday, my present is the pregnancy – and as DH’s birthday is on Oct 15th, his present will be the baby – if everything goes well! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!! HOSPITAL FOOD – terrible, it was impossible to stick to the low carb WOL, but I managed to lose 4 lbs somehow – probably the reasons were: very small portions; 1 day without the food (it was prescribed); plenty of tea/water.  I will continue eating low carb during pregnancy, because the way I eat is very balanced anyway – plenty of fish, meat, dairy, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white stuff – only I will increase the daily intake of carbs. I need to talk to my GP to decide which daily intake of carbs will be healthy for me and the baby, but will not make me crave carbs. So far no cravings – I eat normally, even less than usual – I swear I used to eat more during PMS! – and the only thing I really crave is meat, probably because at the hospital we didn’t have a lot of meat. Breakfast was 2 small slices of white bread and butter/jam/margarine/pate with *sugar tea* (caramelised sugar & water over it makes *sugar tea*); lunch/dinner was soup with noodles, a VERY SMALL piece of meat (mostly chicken, with really fat skin!) and TONS OF POTATOES. One day we had lettuce, and I was over the Moon about it Twice a week the dessert was a piece of sweet bread with jam. As for the exercise, for 10 days I’m supposed to rest (due to the urinary tract infection), so I will take short walks daily. Afterwards, I have to talk to my gyn about what kind of physical activity I can engage in without endangering the baby. I checked out some web sites, and they say pregnant women should avoid horse riding, skiing, skin diving, backpacking, jogging, leg lifts and sit-ups, weight lifting, walking uphill, strenuous biking. I hope to find some home exercises I can do. I will do a lot of walking and swimming in the summer (sea, not pools), but I really want some exercises I can do at home. If someone can recommend some web sites, please do! This is all for now, I will now go to read all of your posts which I really missed! Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Response:

Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Congrats! I’ve been trying for 7 years now, no luck yet, but the trying is the fun part Trina

Response:

my preg wheel agrees with your edd- give or take a few days… congratulations! jonalisa

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are happy to announce that we are pregnant!

Response:

Sorry I’m late but Congrats Elly!!!! Angie

Angie, you’re not late – I still have almost 8 months to go Thank you so much! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thank you, Michelle How did you adapt your LC eating during pregnancy? My nutrition is low carb, but well balanced anyway – I eat meat, fish, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white; I just avoid potatoes, bananas, corn and sugar. I talked to my GP and my OB/GYN about it, and they said that I can keep eating like this as long as I increase my daily intake of carbs to at least 100 grams of carbs a day (I still keep track of it in FitDay). The other thing was to switch from artificial sweeteners to honey (which I didn’t eat before). My appetite isn’t big at all – I think I eat less than before! It’not that I have aversions to food, I just don’t seem to be very hungry. My gyn told me this is ok, I don’t have to *stuff my face* just because I am pregnant. So I am eating a lot of small portions during the day, and snacking on fruit and almonds. Also, no cravings, no nausea yet. Anyway, I just wanted to hear about your experience! Wow, half way… I still can’t imagine it, although I already behave like it (talking to the baby, planning, etc.). Good luck for your check up! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

Elly, Actually it turns out I made an error! I went for my appointment today and have actually lost 2lbs. The doctor didn’t seem too worried though. Your situation may be different from mine, because I have gestational diabetes, (and did with my son 10 years ago too,) so I began checking my sugar with a glucometer 4 times a day as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I spoke with a nutrition specialist I happen to know through my DH. (who incidentally was on the cover of a magazine last month.)She told me that I could go as low at 80g of carbs a day without harming the baby. I am taking the prenatal vitamins and eating well. However, I do not eat bread, rice, potatoes, anything with flour, in fact I eat very closely to how I did just before I found out. I do eat a lot more veggies and a lot more milk products, and occasionally cheat with no sugar added ice cream. I have not eaten much fruit and have found ways to get everything I need. You may have to question your OB for specific info, I did. I don’t think there is a legitimate reason for staying up to 100g/carb, unless it is to avoid ketosis, which probably wouldn’t be a problem anyway. There is very conflicting information about ketones and the effects on the unborn baby. My thought is that I have enough info and access to info and a pretty good brain and I can usually sort it all out. Find someone you trust and ask them lots of questions. I know my baby isn’t missing a thing because of what I eat. Fitday has been very helpful – stick with it. I couldn’t eat any more food if I had to. I really eat!! My husband is about to give me my insulin shot right this moment, he is impatient. I must go eat now! directly – I would be glad to help if I can. Michelle

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Congrats Elly!

Thank you, Tara! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

Response:

Congrats Elly !! Seems like a lot of us are pregnant suddenly. I know for me, my change in diet over the summer (to LC) is what helped me conceive, finally. I go for my check up tomorrow, and am just about 20 weeks along. Half way!!!! Waiting has never been one of my best things. I have finally gained 2 pounds. I am happy for you! I know what it is like to wait and wish and what a wonderful moment in time this is for you. Be happy and give yourself a little extra pampering. It is all going to be worth it. Congrats!

Thank you, Michelle How did you adapt your LC eating during pregnancy? My nutrition is low carb, but well balanced anyway – I eat meat, fish, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white; I just avoid potatoes, bananas, corn and sugar. I talked to my GP and my OB/GYN about it, and they said that I can keep eating like this as long as I increase my daily intake of carbs to at least 100 grams of carbs a day (I still keep track of it in FitDay). The other thing was to switch from artificial sweeteners to honey (which I didn’t eat before). My appetite isn’t big at all – I think I eat less than before! It’not that I have aversions to food, I just don’t seem to be very hungry. My gyn told me this is ok, I don’t have to *stuff my face* just because I am pregnant. So I am eating a lot of small portions during the day, and snacking on fruit and almonds. Also, no cravings, no nausea yet. Anyway, I just wanted to hear about your experience! Wow, half way… I still can’t imagine it, although I already behave like it (talking to the baby, planning, etc.). Good luck for your check up! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

Response:

Congratulations!!! ~Carol Ann www.lowcarblosers.com Have you joined the Challenge?

Thank you, Carol Ann! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Low carb WOL during pregnancy, with 100 grams/carbs/day recommended by GP/GYN Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

Response:

Elly, First of all, congrats!  Thats great news.  Im so glad you did not have an ectopic pregnnacy, I am dealing with one resolving as i type this. Emotionally and physically it is so hard.  Please listen to your OB when he says rest.  This can sometimes be the difference of having a baby or not. Not trying to scare you, just telling you how it is.  bedrest sucks like nothing else (believe me I know!) but it is so worth it if it works out in the end.  Cant wait to hear your update on hearing the heartbeat… I remember what that was like wiht my first pg, I cried!  :*) Big big congrats, -Tonya

Thank you so much, Tonya! I am resting, don’t worry – now it has more to do with the UTI than the pregnancy, but I am so sleepy anyway, it’s hard not to stay in bed It’s funny, once you realise you have a tiny creature living inside of you, you would do anything just to make it safe. I’ll stay on my back for 9 months, if they tell me to! Plus, I’ll do anything to avoid being admitted to hospital again!!! I will update now and then – as my GP and my OB/GYN recommeded low carb WOL (but well balanced, with all food groups and at least 100 grams of carbs/day) I will be around. Once again, thank you Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 27 gestational days

Response:

Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 25 days pregnant Congratulations!!!! My two boys are the joys of my life! It’s a wonderful thing to be a mommy. Welcome to the club. Lori

Thank you, Lori! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? low carb WOL, but 100 grams carbs/day  during pregnancy recommended by GP/GYN) 27 gestational days

Response:

Congrats Elly! — Tara 264.5/161/154 Atkins since 10 July 2001 – New Zealand www.dazzled.com/lowcarb – my homepage

Response:

Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed! Im so Happy for you…SOrry you had to deal with the Horrid Doctor  BS so soon, but I geuss your forewarned and having experienced it will believe it…Keep your eyes on them…Chuckle…Take good care of yourself and Jr..Wishing you an easy uneventful Pregnanacy and a swift easy Labor and Delivery…Hag k

Thank you, Hag! I intend to stick around here because I am continuing with low carb WOE (only increasing my daily intake of carbs). It will be strange to GAIN weight instead of losing it, but it will be the 1st time in my life I’ll be happy about it Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 26 days pregnant

Response:

Congrats Elly!

Congrats Elly !! Seems like a lot of us are pregnant suddenly. I know for me, my change in diet over the summer (to LC) is what helped me conceive, finally. I go for my check up tomorrow, and am just about 20 weeks along. Half way!!!! Waiting has never been one of my best things. I have finally gained 2 pounds. I am happy for you! I know what it is like to wait and wish and what a wonderful moment in time this is for you. Be happy and give yourself a little extra pampering. It is all going to be worth it. Congrats!

Response:

Sorry I’m late but Congrats Elly!!!! Angie

: We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! : : Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, : except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me : (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another : faint line – twice!! : : Now, I actually went to see her because of bad cramps (kept me up at night, : etc)., not because the period was late (Jan 28th AF was 4 days late), : especially because the HPT I did on Jan 26th was negative. I knew there was : a chance of conceiving because we *baby-danced* the right day, but I thought : that because of the bad cramps and the fact that HPT was negative, the UTI : messed up my period. : : Anyway, because she couldn’t see anything in the uterus during the u/s but : the pregnancy tests were positive, plus there were cramps, she sent me to : the county hospital (gynaecologic department – not the department for : pregnancies; another town) to do the beta hCG test and to be examined on the : colour Doppler. : She said that although she knew that this is still a very short pregnancy : (On Jan 28th, my period was late only 4 days, and I was pregnant only 18 : days – I know exactly when we conceived) and the foetus can’t be seen via : u/s before the 21st day, she is worried about cramps and that the ob/gyns at : that hospital can take care of me in case it’s the EU pregnancy. : No need to point out how worried I was – my mother had the EU pregnancy : before me, and she always told me it was the worst experience of her life – : plus we really wanted this baby and for everything to be ok!! : : At the hospital I was examined via u/s again – still nothing. Beta hCG was : positive – 199, so I was admitted to the hospital and had to wait for the : foetus to show up on the u/s which was scheduled for Friday Jan 31st, as : well as the Beta hCG test. : : On Thursday Jan 30th (period late 6 days/pregnant 20 days) my cramps were : really bad, I started sweating, so I was examined again – still nothing. : They cancelled the u/s for Friday and moved it to Monday Feb 3rd. : I have to point out that all that time I had a bad UTI, which they didn’t : treat at all – only the fact whether this is the EU pregnancy mattered for : them, everything else didn’t matter at all – and I am convinced that the : cramps were bad because of the UTI as well. : : About the cramps – they were ordinary uterine contractions, the same you get : during PMS – and sometimes they were bad (but not like at home!) and there : were times when I didn’t feel them at all, and then I felt perfectly : healthy – no fever, no nausea, nothing! : : Friday Jan 31st (period late 7 days/pregnant 21 days) – again beta hCG test : was done, and I had to wait 3 hours for the results. The chief ob/gyn at : that department did the usual round – when the doctor which examined me the : day before told him that nothing showed up on u/s, he scheduled me for the : laparoscopy : for Monday, wouldn’t even wait for the beta hCG results to come back! I kept : telling him that I’m only 3 weeks pregnant, that I feel fine and that I’d : like to wait a bit longer before laparoscopy. But no, as he was the chief of : the department (he didn’t examine me once, just read the charts and decided : according to those), there was no point in trying to talk to him…. : Beta hCG came back over 1000 – but he still didn’t know that (he does rounds : around 9 am), but the nurse which told me the beta hCG results told me that : she still had to prep me for surgery. I can’t even begin to explain how : upset I was – I called my gyn, she told me to tell them to wait; I talked to : the ob/gyn who examined me when I was admitted to the hospital – he told me : to tell them to wait (unfortunately he was just on duty, he wasn’t assigned : to gynaecology department so he wasn’t assigned for my case). Later on the : hospital’s ob/gyn which examined me on Thursday came to the room, told me : that bhCG is ok, and that they will do the beta hCG and u/s again on Monday : (the laparoscopy was delayed). : : Saturday Feb 1st (period late 8 days/pregnant 22 days) – one of my friends’ : friend, the ob/gyn at that hospital, was on duty, my friend called her and : asked her if she would examine me (so that I don’t have to wait for Monday). : She came, told me that since beta hCG is so high she thinks now the foetus : will show up on the colour Doppler, and examined me – and there it was! A : tiny bread crumb : She copied the photo, wrote her diagnosis in my chart, and talked to the : chief ob/gyn – and he confirmed the pregnancy and said I can go home on : Sunday! : The recommendation was to rest for 2 more weeks (so that the occasional : cramps would go away) and told me to come back (or to go to my regular : ob/gyn) for the follow up next Monday. But, he said that the cramps aren’t a : threat, they just mean that the uterus is stretching and preparing for the : pregnancy (they’d seen them as the threat only while the foetus didn’t show : up on the u/s because it could mean the EU pregnancy). : : Now I am at home, 25 days pregnant – and I feel fine! Still no nausea, just : feeling a bit sleepy, but since they told me to rest, that’s fine! : : Yesterday I did the urine culture again (since they didn’t give any UTI : antibiotics in the hospital) and the mass of bacteria showed up, so today : I’ve got the Ceporex for it, the urine culture will be sent to the county : hospital for the bacteriogram (to check if I’m taking the right antibiotic : for it) and I’m also drinking 1.5 litres/day of the tea blend we call : *urology tea*. : : As I’m due for my next ob/gyn appointment on Tuesday Feb 11th (my 30th : birthday – the heart beat is supposed to be heard them – and now I have : these irrational thoughts that they : made a mistake at the hospital, that we won’t be able to hear the heart : beat, etc. – but I hope for the best!), I don’t know yet the EDD, but I did : find a couple of web sites with due date calculators, and according to them : it could be between Oct 4th to Oct 8th. : As my 30th birthday is next Tuesday, my present is the pregnancy – and as : DH’s birthday is on Oct 15th, his present will be the baby – if everything : goes well! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!! : : HOSPITAL FOOD – terrible, it was impossible to stick to the low carb WOL, : but I managed to lose 4 lbs somehow – probably the reasons were: very small : portions; 1 day without the food (it was prescribed); plenty of tea/water. : :  I will continue eating low carb during pregnancy, because the way I eat is : very balanced anyway – plenty of fish, meat, dairy, veggies, fruit and whole : wheat stuff instead of white stuff – only I will increase the daily intake : of carbs. I need to talk to my GP to decide which daily intake of carbs will : be healthy for me and the baby, but will not make me crave carbs. : So far no cravings – I eat normally, even less than usual – I swear I used : to eat more during PMS! – and the only thing I really crave is meat, : probably because at the hospital we didn’t have a lot of meat. Breakfast was : 2 small slices of white bread and butter/jam/margarine/pate with *sugar tea* : (caramelised sugar & water over it makes *sugar tea*); lunch/dinner was soup : with noodles, a VERY SMALL piece of meat (mostly chicken, with really fat : skin!) and TONS OF POTATOES. One day we had lettuce, and I was over the Moon : about it Twice a week the dessert was a piece of sweet bread with jam. : : As for the exercise, for 10 days I’m supposed to rest (due to the urinary : tract infection), so I will take short walks daily. Afterwards, I have to : talk to my gyn about what kind of physical activity I can engage in without : endangering the baby. : I checked out some web sites, and they say pregnant women should avoid horse : riding, skiing, skin diving, backpacking, jogging, leg lifts and sit-ups, : weight lifting, walking uphill, strenuous biking. : I hope to find some home exercises I can do. I will do a lot of walking and : swimming in the summer (sea, not pools), but I really want some exercises I : can do at home. If someone can recommend some web sites, please do! : : This is all for now, I will now go to read all of your posts which I really : missed! : : Elly : 170.9/152 : 25 days pregnant with #1 : : : : Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Response:

Congratulations! Stay healthy and happy – what a great B-day present.

Thank you – wish me luck Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 25 days pregnant

Response:

Congratulations!! I’m very happy for you! Take good care of yourself and your baby! Laura

Thank you, Laura! Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 25 days pregnant

Response:

We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Congratulations! I hope everything goes well for you. Lynne

Thank you, Lynne Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152-? 25 days pregnant

Response:

Elly 170.9/152/140.8 – eventually Pregnancy weight: 152/? 25 days pregnant

Congratulations!!!! My two boys are the joys of my life! It’s a wonderful thing to be a mommy. Welcome to the club. Lori

Response:

Elly, First of all, congrats!  Thats great news.  Im so glad you did not have an ectopic pregnnacy, I am dealing with one resolving as i type this. Emotionally and physically it is so hard.  Please listen to your OB when he says rest.  This can sometimes be the difference of having a baby or not. Not trying to scare you, just telling you how it is.  bedrest sucks like nothing else (believe me I know!) but it is so worth it if it works out in the end.  Cant wait to hear your update on hearing the heartbeat… I remember what that was like wiht my first pg, I cried!  :*) Big big congrats, -Tonya

Response:

We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another faint line – twice!! Snip Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Im so Happy for you…SOrry you had to deal with the Horrid Doctor  BS so soon, but I geuss your forewarned and having experienced it will believe it…Keep your eyes on them…Chuckle…Take good care of yourself and Jr..Wishing you an easy uneventful Pregnanacy and a swift easy Labor and Delivery…Hag k As a beauty Im not a star, there are others more handsome by far, but my face I dont mind it because Im behind it, its the folks out front that I jar… Pull a loraine Bobbit (cut off waynespenis) to reply

Response:

We are happy to announce that we are pregnant!

Great news!  Congratulations! Kathryn

Response:

Congratulations!!! ~Carol Ann www.lowcarblosers.com Have you joined the Challenge?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another faint line – twice!! Now, I actually went to see her because of bad cramps (kept me up at night, etc)., not because the period was late (Jan 28th AF was 4 days late), especially because the HPT I did on Jan 26th was negative. I knew there was a chance of conceiving because we *baby-danced* the right day, but I thought that because of the bad cramps and the fact that HPT was negative, the UTI messed up my period. Anyway, because she couldn’t see anything in the uterus during the u/s but the pregnancy tests were positive, plus there were cramps, she sent me to the county hospital (gynaecologic department – not the department for pregnancies; another town) to do the beta hCG test and to be examined on the colour Doppler. She said that although she knew that this is still a very short pregnancy (On Jan 28th, my period was late only 4 days, and I was pregnant only 18 days – I know exactly when we conceived) and the foetus can’t be seen via u/s before the 21st day, she is worried about cramps and that the ob/gyns at that hospital can take care of me in case it’s the EU pregnancy. No need to point out how worried I was – my mother had the EU pregnancy before me, and she always told me it was the worst experience of her life – plus we really wanted this baby and for everything to be ok!! At the hospital I was examined via u/s again – still nothing. Beta hCG was positive – 199, so I was admitted to the hospital and had to wait for the foetus to show up on the u/s which was scheduled for Friday Jan 31st, as well as the Beta hCG test. On Thursday Jan 30th (period late 6 days/pregnant 20 days) my cramps were really bad, I started sweating, so I was examined again – still nothing. They cancelled the u/s for Friday and moved it to Monday Feb 3rd. I have to point out that all that time I had a bad UTI, which they didn’t treat at all – only the fact whether this is the EU pregnancy mattered for them, everything else didn’t matter at all – and I am convinced that the cramps were bad because of the UTI as well. About the cramps – they were ordinary uterine contractions, the same you get during PMS – and sometimes they were bad (but not like at home!) and there were times when I didn’t feel them at all, and then I felt perfectly healthy – no fever, no nausea, nothing! Friday Jan 31st (period late 7 days/pregnant 21 days) – again beta hCG test was done, and I had to wait 3 hours for the results. The chief ob/gyn at that department did the usual round – when the doctor which examined me the day before told him that nothing showed up on u/s, he scheduled me for the laparoscopy for Monday, wouldn’t even wait for the beta hCG results to come back! I kept telling him that I’m only 3 weeks pregnant, that I feel fine and that I’d like to wait a bit longer before laparoscopy. But no, as he was the chief of the department (he didn’t examine me once, just read the charts and decided according to those), there was no point in trying to talk to him…. Beta hCG came back over 1000 – but he still didn’t know that (he does rounds around 9 am), but the nurse which told me the beta hCG results told me that she still had to prep me for surgery. I can’t even begin to explain how upset I was – I called my gyn, she told me to tell them to wait; I talked to the ob/gyn who examined me when I was admitted to the hospital – he told me to tell them to wait (unfortunately he was just on duty, he wasn’t assigned to gynaecology department so he wasn’t assigned for my case). Later on the hospital’s ob/gyn which examined me on Thursday came to the room, told me that bhCG is ok, and that they will do the beta hCG and u/s again on Monday (the laparoscopy was delayed). Saturday Feb 1st (period late 8 days/pregnant 22 days) – one of my friends’ friend, the ob/gyn at that hospital, was on duty, my friend called her and asked her if she would examine me (so that I don’t have to wait for Monday). She came, told me that since beta hCG is so high she thinks now the foetus will show up on the colour Doppler, and examined me – and there it was! A tiny bread crumb She copied the photo, wrote her diagnosis in my chart, and talked to the chief ob/gyn – and he confirmed the pregnancy and said I can go home on Sunday! The recommendation was to rest for 2 more weeks (so that the occasional cramps would go away) and told me to come back (or to go to my regular ob/gyn) for the follow up next Monday. But, he said that the cramps aren’t a threat, they just mean that the uterus is stretching and preparing for the pregnancy (they’d seen them as the threat only while the foetus didn’t show up on the u/s because it could mean the EU pregnancy). Now I am at home, 25 days pregnant – and I feel fine! Still no nausea, just feeling a bit sleepy, but since they told me to rest, that’s fine! Yesterday I did the urine culture again (since they didn’t give any UTI antibiotics in the hospital) and the mass of bacteria showed up, so today I’ve got the Ceporex for it, the urine culture will be sent to the county hospital for the bacteriogram (to check if I’m taking the right antibiotic for it) and I’m also drinking 1.5 litres/day of the tea blend we call *urology tea*. As I’m due for my next ob/gyn appointment on Tuesday Feb 11th (my 30th birthday – the heart beat is supposed to be heard them – and now I have these irrational thoughts that they made a mistake at the hospital, that we won’t be able to hear the heart beat, etc. – but I hope for the best!), I don’t know yet the EDD, but I did find a couple of web sites with due date calculators, and according to them it could be between Oct 4th to Oct 8th. As my 30th birthday is next Tuesday, my present is the pregnancy – and as DH’s birthday is on Oct 15th, his present will be the baby – if everything goes well! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!! HOSPITAL FOOD – terrible, it was impossible to stick to the low carb WOL, but I managed to lose 4 lbs somehow – probably the reasons were: very small portions; 1 day without the food (it was prescribed); plenty of tea/water.  I will continue eating low carb during pregnancy, because the way I eat is very balanced anyway – plenty of fish, meat, dairy, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white stuff – only I will increase the daily intake of carbs. I need to talk to my GP to decide which daily intake of carbs will be healthy for me and the baby, but will not make me crave carbs. So far no cravings – I eat normally, even less than usual – I swear I used to eat more during PMS! – and the only thing I really crave is meat, probably because at the hospital we didn’t have a lot of meat. Breakfast was 2 small slices of white bread and butter/jam/margarine/pate with *sugar tea* (caramelised sugar & water over it makes *sugar tea*); lunch/dinner was soup with noodles, a VERY SMALL piece of meat (mostly chicken, with really fat skin!) and TONS OF POTATOES. One day we had lettuce, and I was over the Moon about it Twice a week the dessert was a piece of sweet bread with jam. As for the exercise, for 10 days I’m supposed to rest (due to the urinary tract infection), so I will take short walks daily. Afterwards, I have to talk to my gyn about what kind of physical activity I can engage in without endangering the baby. I checked out some web sites, and they say pregnant women should avoid horse riding, skiing, skin diving, backpacking, jogging, leg lifts and sit-ups, weight lifting, walking uphill, strenuous biking. I hope to find some home exercises I can do. I will do a lot of walking and swimming in the summer (sea, not pools), but I really want some exercises I can do at home. If someone can recommend some web sites, please do! This is all for now, I will now go to read all of your posts which I really missed! Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Response:

We are happy to announce that we are pregnant!

Congratulations! I hope everything goes well for you. Lynne

Response:

Congratulations! Stay healthy and happy – what a great B-day present.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another faint line – twice!! Now, I actually went to see her because of bad cramps (kept me up at night, etc)., not because the period was late (Jan 28th AF was 4 days late), especially because the HPT I did on Jan 26th was negative. I knew there was a chance of conceiving because we *baby-danced* the right day, but I thought that because of the bad cramps and the fact that HPT was negative, the UTI messed up my period. Anyway, because she couldn’t see anything in the uterus during the u/s but the pregnancy tests were positive, plus there were cramps, she sent me to the county hospital (gynaecologic department – not the department for pregnancies; another town) to do the beta hCG test and to be examined on the colour Doppler. She said that although she knew that this is still a very short pregnancy (On Jan 28th, my period was late only 4 days, and I was pregnant only 18 days – I know exactly when we conceived) and the foetus can’t be seen via u/s before the 21st day, she is worried about cramps and that the ob/gyns at that hospital can take care of me in case it’s the EU pregnancy. No need to point out how worried I was – my mother had the EU pregnancy before me, and she always told me it was the worst experience of her life – plus we really wanted this baby and for everything to be ok!! At the hospital I was examined via u/s again – still nothing. Beta hCG was positive – 199, so I was admitted to the hospital and had to wait for the foetus to show up on the u/s which was scheduled for Friday Jan 31st, as well as the Beta hCG test. On Thursday Jan 30th (period late 6 days/pregnant 20 days) my cramps were really bad, I started sweating, so I was examined again – still nothing. They cancelled the u/s for Friday and moved it to Monday Feb 3rd. I have to point out that all that time I had a bad UTI, which they didn’t treat at all – only the fact whether this is the EU pregnancy mattered for them, everything else didn’t matter at all – and I am convinced that the cramps were bad because of the UTI as well. About the cramps – they were ordinary uterine contractions, the same you get during PMS – and sometimes they were bad (but not like at home!) and there were times when I didn’t feel them at all, and then I felt perfectly healthy – no fever, no nausea, nothing! Friday Jan 31st (period late 7 days/pregnant 21 days) – again beta hCG test was done, and I had to wait 3 hours for the results. The chief ob/gyn at that department did the usual round – when the doctor which examined me the day before told him that nothing showed up on u/s, he scheduled me for the laparoscopy for Monday, wouldn’t even wait for the beta hCG results to come back! I kept telling him that I’m only 3 weeks pregnant, that I feel fine and that I’d like to wait a bit longer before laparoscopy. But no, as he was the chief of the department (he didn’t examine me once, just read the charts and decided according to those), there was no point in trying to talk to him…. Beta hCG came back over 1000 – but he still didn’t know that (he does rounds around 9 am), but the nurse which told me the beta hCG results told me that she still had to prep me for surgery. I can’t even begin to explain how upset I was – I called my gyn, she told me to tell them to wait; I talked to the ob/gyn who examined me when I was admitted to the hospital – he told me to tell them to wait (unfortunately he was just on duty, he wasn’t assigned to gynaecology department so he wasn’t assigned for my case). Later on the hospital’s ob/gyn which examined me on Thursday came to the room, told me that bhCG is ok, and that they will do the beta hCG and u/s again on Monday (the laparoscopy was delayed). Saturday Feb 1st (period late 8 days/pregnant 22 days) – one of my friends’ friend, the ob/gyn at that hospital, was on duty, my friend called her and asked her if she would examine me (so that I don’t have to wait for Monday). She came, told me that since beta hCG is so high she thinks now the foetus will show up on the colour Doppler, and examined me – and there it was! A tiny bread crumb She copied the photo, wrote her diagnosis in my chart, and talked to the chief ob/gyn – and he confirmed the pregnancy and said I can go home on Sunday! The recommendation was to rest for 2 more weeks (so that the occasional cramps would go away) and told me to come back (or to go to my regular ob/gyn) for the follow up next Monday. But, he said that the cramps aren’t a threat, they just mean that the uterus is stretching and preparing for the pregnancy (they’d seen them as the threat only while the foetus didn’t show up on the u/s because it could mean the EU pregnancy). Now I am at home, 25 days pregnant – and I feel fine! Still no nausea, just feeling a bit sleepy, but since they told me to rest, that’s fine! Yesterday I did the urine culture again (since they didn’t give any UTI antibiotics in the hospital) and the mass of bacteria showed up, so today I’ve got the Ceporex for it, the urine culture will be sent to the county hospital for the bacteriogram (to check if I’m taking the right antibiotic for it) and I’m also drinking 1.5 litres/day of the tea blend we call *urology tea*. As I’m due for my next ob/gyn appointment on Tuesday Feb 11th (my 30th birthday – the heart beat is supposed to be heard them – and now I have these irrational thoughts that they made a mistake at the hospital, that we won’t be able to hear the heart beat, etc. – but I hope for the best!), I don’t know yet the EDD, but I did find a couple of web sites with due date calculators, and according to them it could be between Oct 4th to Oct 8th. As my 30th birthday is next Tuesday, my present is the pregnancy – and as DH’s birthday is on Oct 15th, his present will be the baby – if everything goes well! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!! HOSPITAL FOOD – terrible, it was impossible to stick to the low carb WOL, but I managed to lose 4 lbs somehow – probably the reasons were: very small portions; 1 day without the food (it was prescribed); plenty of tea/water.  I will continue eating low carb during pregnancy, because the way I eat is very balanced anyway – plenty of fish, meat, dairy, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white stuff – only I will increase the daily intake of carbs. I need to talk to my GP to decide which daily intake of carbs will be healthy for me and the baby, but will not make me crave carbs. So far no cravings – I eat normally, even less than usual – I swear I used to eat more during PMS! – and the only thing I really crave is meat, probably because at the hospital we didn’t have a lot of meat. Breakfast was 2 small slices of white bread and butter/jam/margarine/pate with *sugar tea* (caramelised sugar & water over it makes *sugar tea*); lunch/dinner was soup with noodles, a VERY SMALL piece of meat (mostly chicken, with really fat skin!) and TONS OF POTATOES. One day we had lettuce, and I was over the Moon about it Twice a week the dessert was a piece of sweet bread with jam. As for the exercise, for 10 days I’m supposed to rest (due to the urinary tract infection), so I will take short walks daily. Afterwards, I have to talk to my gyn about what kind of physical activity I can engage in without endangering the baby. I checked out some web sites, and they say pregnant women should avoid horse riding, skiing, skin diving, backpacking, jogging, leg lifts and sit-ups, weight lifting, walking uphill, strenuous biking. I hope to find some home exercises I can do. I will do a lot of walking and swimming in the summer (sea, not pools), but I really want some exercises I can do at home. If someone can recommend some web sites, please do! This is all for now, I will now go to read all of your posts which I really missed! Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Response:

We are happy to announce that we are pregnant! Tuesday (Jan 28th) I did the blood and urine work, which came back fine, except the bacteria in the urine. I went to my gyn – she examined me (regular and ultrasound) and did the pregnancy test – there was another faint line – twice!! Now, I actually went to see her because of bad cramps (kept me up at night, etc)., not because the period was late (Jan 28th AF was 4 days late), especially because the HPT I did on Jan 26th was negative. I knew there was a chance of conceiving because we *baby-danced* the right day, but I thought that because of the bad cramps and the fact that HPT was negative, the UTI messed up my period. Anyway, because she couldn’t see anything in the uterus during the u/s but the pregnancy tests were positive, plus there were cramps, she sent me to the county hospital (gynaecologic department – not the department for pregnancies; another town) to do the beta hCG test and to be examined on the colour Doppler. She said that although she knew that this is still a very short pregnancy (On Jan 28th, my period was late only 4 days, and I was pregnant only 18 days – I know exactly when we conceived) and the foetus can’t be seen via u/s before the 21st day, she is worried about cramps and that the ob/gyns at that hospital can take care of me in case it’s the EU pregnancy. No need to point out how worried I was – my mother had the EU pregnancy before me, and she always told me it was the worst experience of her life – plus we really wanted this baby and for everything to be ok!! At the hospital I was examined via u/s again – still nothing. Beta hCG was positive – 199, so I was admitted to the hospital and had to wait for the foetus to show up on the u/s which was scheduled for Friday Jan 31st, as well as the Beta hCG test. On Thursday Jan 30th (period late 6 days/pregnant 20 days) my cramps were really bad, I started sweating, so I was examined again – still nothing. They cancelled the u/s for Friday and moved it to Monday Feb 3rd. I have to point out that all that time I had a bad UTI, which they didn’t treat at all – only the fact whether this is the EU pregnancy mattered for them, everything else didn’t matter at all – and I am convinced that the cramps were bad because of the UTI as well. About the cramps – they were ordinary uterine contractions, the same you get during PMS – and sometimes they were bad (but not like at home!) and there were times when I didn’t feel them at all, and then I felt perfectly healthy – no fever, no nausea, nothing! Friday Jan 31st (period late 7 days/pregnant 21 days) – again beta hCG test was done, and I had to wait 3 hours for the results. The chief ob/gyn at that department did the usual round – when the doctor which examined me the day before told him that nothing showed up on u/s, he scheduled me for the laparoscopy for Monday, wouldn’t even wait for the beta hCG results to come back! I kept telling him that I’m only 3 weeks pregnant, that I feel fine and that I’d like to wait a bit longer before laparoscopy. But no, as he was the chief of the department (he didn’t examine me once, just read the charts and decided according to those), there was no point in trying to talk to him…. Beta hCG came back over 1000 – but he still didn’t know that (he does rounds around 9 am), but the nurse which told me the beta hCG results told me that she still had to prep me for surgery. I can’t even begin to explain how upset I was – I called my gyn, she told me to tell them to wait; I talked to the ob/gyn who examined me when I was admitted to the hospital – he told me to tell them to wait (unfortunately he was just on duty, he wasn’t assigned to gynaecology department so he wasn’t assigned for my case). Later on the hospital’s ob/gyn which examined me on Thursday came to the room, told me that bhCG is ok, and that they will do the beta hCG and u/s again on Monday (the laparoscopy was delayed). Saturday Feb 1st (period late 8 days/pregnant 22 days) – one of my friends’ friend, the ob/gyn at that hospital, was on duty, my friend called her and asked her if she would examine me (so that I don’t have to wait for Monday). She came, told me that since beta hCG is so high she thinks now the foetus will show up on the colour Doppler, and examined me – and there it was! A tiny bread crumb She copied the photo, wrote her diagnosis in my chart, and talked to the chief ob/gyn – and he confirmed the pregnancy and said I can go home on Sunday! The recommendation was to rest for 2 more weeks (so that the occasional cramps would go away) and told me to come back (or to go to my regular ob/gyn) for the follow up next Monday. But, he said that the cramps aren’t a threat, they just mean that the uterus is stretching and preparing for the pregnancy (they’d seen them as the threat only while the foetus didn’t show up on the u/s because it could mean the EU pregnancy). Now I am at home, 25 days pregnant – and I feel fine! Still no nausea, just feeling a bit sleepy, but since they told me to rest, that’s fine! Yesterday I did the urine culture again (since they didn’t give any UTI antibiotics in the hospital) and the mass of bacteria showed up, so today I’ve got the Ceporex for it, the urine culture will be sent to the county hospital for the bacteriogram (to check if I’m taking the right antibiotic for it) and I’m also drinking 1.5 litres/day of the tea blend we call *urology tea*. As I’m due for my next ob/gyn appointment on Tuesday Feb 11th (my 30th birthday – the heart beat is supposed to be heard them – and now I have these irrational thoughts that they made a mistake at the hospital, that we won’t be able to hear the heart beat, etc. – but I hope for the best!), I don’t know yet the EDD, but I did find a couple of web sites with due date calculators, and according to them it could be between Oct 4th to Oct 8th. As my 30th birthday is next Tuesday, my present is the pregnancy – and as DH’s birthday is on Oct 15th, his present will be the baby – if everything goes well! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!! HOSPITAL FOOD – terrible, it was impossible to stick to the low carb WOL, but I managed to lose 4 lbs somehow – probably the reasons were: very small portions; 1 day without the food (it was prescribed); plenty of tea/water.  I will continue eating low carb during pregnancy, because the way I eat is very balanced anyway – plenty of fish, meat, dairy, veggies, fruit and whole wheat stuff instead of white stuff – only I will increase the daily intake of carbs. I need to talk to my GP to decide which daily intake of carbs will be healthy for me and the baby, but will not make me crave carbs. So far no cravings – I eat normally, even less than usual – I swear I used to eat more during PMS! – and the only thing I really crave is meat, probably because at the hospital we didn’t have a lot of meat. Breakfast was 2 small slices of white bread and butter/jam/margarine/pate with *sugar tea* (caramelised sugar & water over it makes *sugar tea*); lunch/dinner was soup with noodles, a VERY SMALL piece of meat (mostly chicken, with really fat skin!) and TONS OF POTATOES. One day we had lettuce, and I was over the Moon about it Twice a week the dessert was a piece of sweet bread with jam. As for the exercise, for 10 days I’m supposed to rest (due to the urinary tract infection), so I will take short walks daily. Afterwards, I have to talk to my gyn about what kind of physical activity I can engage in without endangering the baby. I checked out some web sites, and they say pregnant women should avoid horse riding, skiing, skin diving, backpacking, jogging, leg lifts and sit-ups, weight lifting, walking uphill, strenuous biking. I hope to find some home exercises I can do. I will do a lot of walking and swimming in the summer (sea, not pools), but I really want some exercises I can do at home. If someone can recommend some web sites, please do! This is all for now, I will now go to read all of your posts which I really missed! Elly 170.9/152 25 days pregnant with #1 Well, I’m off to read your posts that I missed!

Response:

My father has been a type 1 diabetic for the past 40 years, up until about ~10 years ago he was using animal insulin, Toronto/Lente. He would fall into hypoglycemic seizure no more than once a year, sometimes he’d go 2-3 years without one.  He was switched by his doctor to human based insulin in the early/mid nineties, is now on Humulin U and Humalog H and ever since he has been having very frequent seizures, in the order of 15+ a year. He also went from 2 injections a day to 4. He is very stubborn and faithful to his lifelong doctor, but to me, this is far from normal, and most certainly terrible for his body and brain in the long term. Whatever advantages might have existed to make the decision to switch insulin are obviously outweighed by the shocks at this point?? It’s been 10 years of this.. What I’d like to know is if anyone knows what the long term effects are of such frequent severe insulin shocks are, if anyone else suffers from this, and if there’s any solution other than going back to animal based insulin (which im not sure even exists anymore?). They’ve been constantly adjusting dosage, meals, injection times, injection frequency and all sorts of things over the years, but nothing works. It seems pretty simple to me, the problems started when he switched from animal to human insulin….. Please share your thoughts, my father is 60 years old and these severe attacks are taking their toll on his body, sometimes to the point where he’s sore for days after one, I imagine it must also have some effect on his neurology.. If anything, I fear he’s going to wake up one night while going to the bathroom and have a shock and crack his head open on the way down.. there’s no worse sound to me than that blood curtling yell that starts off a seizure..

Response:

Hi Steve, My thought is, instantly and on reflection, your dad should be back on Lente asap. The following link might help http://www.diabetes.org.uk/new/july00/animal.htm and also http://www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes/ch1/standardstable.htm In that second link, I advise reading v. carefully Standard 3 & Standard 4. The emphasis is on partnership, and your dad *controls* but his doc *supports*. HTH As always, wishing you well. Al.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My father has been a type 1 diabetic for the past 40 years, up until about ~10 years ago he was using animal insulin, Toronto/Lente. He would fall into hypoglycemic seizure no more than once a year, sometimes he’d go 2-3 years without one.  He was switched by his doctor to human based insulin in the early/mid nineties, is now on Humulin U and Humalog H and ever since he has been having very frequent seizures, in the order of 15+ a year. He also went from 2 injections a day to 4. He is very stubborn and faithful to his lifelong doctor, but to me, this is far from normal, and most certainly terrible for his body and brain in the long term. Whatever advantages might have existed to make the decision to switch insulin are obviously outweighed by the shocks at this point?? It’s been 10 years of this.. What I’d like to know is if anyone knows what the long term effects are of such frequent severe insulin shocks are, if anyone else suffers from this, and if there’s any solution other than going back to animal based insulin (which im not sure even exists anymore?). They’ve been constantly adjusting dosage, meals, injection times, injection frequency and all sorts of things over the years, but nothing works. It seems pretty simple to me, the problems started when he switched from animal to human insulin….. Please share your thoughts, my father is 60 years old and these severe attacks are taking their toll on his body, sometimes to the point where he’s sore for days after one, I imagine it must also have some effect on his neurology.. If anything, I fear he’s going to wake up one night while going to the bathroom and have a shock and crack his head open on the way down.. there’s no worse sound to me than that blood curtling yell that starts off a seizure..

Response:

My thought is, instantly and on reflection, your dad should be back on Lente asap. The following link might help http://www.diabetes.org.uk/new/july00/animal.htm and also http://www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes/ch1/standardstable.htm In that second link, I advise reading v. carefully Standard 3 & Standard 4. The emphasis is on partnership, and your dad *controls* but his doc *supports*. HTH As always, wishing you well.

i can’t seem to get the first link to work..?

Response:

Hi Steve, My thought is, instantly and on reflection, your dad should be back on Lente asap.

Agreed.   Seizures are nothing to fool around with.  It may not help to go back on Lente, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to try it.  And the stakes are high! BL

Response:

@ntlworld.com says… Hi Steve, My thought is, instantly and on reflection, your dad should be back on Lente asap. The following link might help http://www.diabetes.org.uk/new/july00/animal.htm and also http://www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes/ch1/standardstable.htm In that second link, I advise reading v. carefully Standard 3 & Standard 4. The emphasis is on partnership, and your dad *controls* but his doc *supports*. HTH

Or even www.iddt.org Ratty — All killer no filler ratty at flyingrat.net Site being rebuilt: www.flyingrat.net

Response:

Agreed.   Seizures are nothing to fool around with.  It may not help to go back on Lente, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to try it.  And the stakes are high!

what are the stakes

Response:

Agreed.   Seizures are nothing to fool around with.  It may not help to go back on Lente, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to try it.  And the stakes are high! what are the stakes

Life and Death. Seizures are dangerous, partly because you’re too out of it to treat yourself. I also met a comatose woman who came into the hospital with no measurable blood glucose, who was pregnant at the time. (I assume she made a serious, serious mistake treating gestational diabetes.) While dropping that low is pretty rare due to the glucagon response automatically turning glycogen into glucose to counter hypoglycemia, and the raw genius it takes to get that much insulin into your system without your body being able to trickle *some* glucose into the blood stream to keep you alive, it’s Not Good(tm). Also, if you’re bouncing your blood sugars, the DCCT showed that awareness of hypo and hyperglycemia is much better with tight control. And there’s a real chance when seizing that you’ll break something important, such as that lamp near your bed, and get cut and *BLEED*, or lose track of your hypoglycemic state when driving or walking down stairs. Not A Good Idea(tm).

Response:

Steve, I am one of those very prone to hypos.  My counter regulatory system is out and I go  through normal to unconscious state very easily. Now I have a new problem with "delayed food digestion". I am currently delaying insulin until my blood sugars rise a little and slowly add food. This means I have higher peaks than I want. My wife knows exactly when I go hypo at night.  I must scream or something. If I am slightly aware I yell for her. I have a number of broken things around. My feeling when I am not completely out is like being trapped and cannot do a thing about it. I will not discuss insulin with you because that should be done by a proper doc. You might discuss the use of Glucagon with the doc as a recovery aid.  It costs a lot and someone needs to learn when and how to use it. Carrying slightly higher blood sugars at night may be a preferred thing. One of our 911 medics is a cute gal.  But a night session finds me slightly exposed and embarrassing. My problem did not originate with insulin.  My ability to release glucose at the correct time was damaged. See a GOOD Doc  If you want a specific answer I will accept e-mail.  I can only tell you about ME. I have survived a lot of hypos and am still here. Don’t panic but learn.  Go to  www.google.com   then groups then to misc.health.diabetes and do a search on hypos.  There have been a lot of postings over the years. My wife has said I get pretty violent at times.  She deals with it and does a good job.  Just a part of our problem.

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what are the stakes Life and Death. Seizures are dangerous, partly because you’re too out of it to treat yourself. I also met a comatose woman who came into the hospital with no measurable blood glucose, who was pregnant at the time. (I assume she made a serious, serious mistake treating gestational diabetes.)

Well my father has never spent the night alone in his entire life. My mother god bless her is right by his side whenever he goes into shock, she’s got it down to a science, he’s back to normal within an hour, he usually has no idea what happened the next morning unless he bit his tongue or lip while seizing.. alive, it’s Not Good(tm). Also, if you’re bouncing your blood sugars, the DCCT showed that awareness of hypo and hyperglycemia is much better with tight control. And there’s a real chance when seizing that you’ll break something important, such as that lamp near your bed, and get cut and *BLEED*, or lose track of your hypoglycemic state when driving or walking down stairs. Not A Good Idea(tm).

But other than accidents, is there any permanent long term damage that can come of frequent and/or extreme hypo’s? ie neurological? eyes? heart? etc..

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My wife knows exactly when I go hypo at night.  I must scream or something. If I am slightly aware I yell for her.

My father gives out the same 2-3 second yell every single time, It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before.. very frightening See a GOOD Doc  If you want a specific answer I will accept e-mail.  I can only tell you about ME.

Is there a good ressource for finding a doctor in Canada? My father has had the same doctor for a very long time, in a small northern community, no offense to the doctor, but I would really like him to see someone more renouned in the field, preferably someone who specialises in diabetes, just for a second opinion or possibly different perspective. My wife has said I get pretty violent at times.  She deals with it and does a good job.  Just a part of our problem.

Yes, my father is incredibly lucky to have my mother

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alive, it’s Not Good(tm). Also, if you’re bouncing your blood sugars, the DCCT showed that awareness of hypo and hyperglycemia is much better with tight control. And there’s a real chance when seizing that you’ll break something important, such as that lamp near your bed, and get cut and *BLEED*, or lose track of your hypoglycemic state when driving or walking down stairs. Not A Good Idea(tm). But other than accidents, is there any permanent long term damage that can come of frequent and/or extreme hypo’s? ie neurological? eyes? heart? etc..

Like I mentioned, that comatose woman. She’d suffered severe neurological damage, and her coma was *permanent*, she was a pregnant vegetable. I don’t know if her fetus came out OK: I hoped that her body had protected the fetus, but wasn’t in a position to ask. It was a *very* unusual case: most of us Type 1’s have survived a few unconscious incidents, even seizures. I haven’t had them since changing work schedules last and working out new evening insulin doses and sleep times.

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what are the stakes Life and Death. Seizures are dangerous, partly because you’re too out of it to treat yourself. I also met a comatose woman who came into the hospital with no measurable blood glucose, who was pregnant at the time. (I assume she made a serious, serious mistake treating gestational diabetes.) Well my father has never spent the night alone in his entire life.

Well he’s very lucky, but that may not last forever. My mother god bless her is right by his side whenever he goes into shock, she’s got it down to a science, he’s back to normal within an hour, he usually has no idea what happened the next morning unless he bit his tongue or lip while seizing..

What would be the case if HE had to be the one doing the "looking after"? Also I don’t think your mums got it down to a science if he’s reaching the point where he’s seizing. If your dad can bite his tongue or lip, he’s obviously WELL "out of it" and that could be positively dangerous for you mother too. This is where the very slow and smooth action of Beef Lente works it’s magic. alive, it’s Not Good(tm). Also, if you’re bouncing your blood sugars, the DCCT showed that awareness of hypo and hyperglycemia is much better with tight control. And there’s a real chance when seizing that you’ll break something important, such as that lamp near your bed, and get cut and *BLEED*, or lose track of your hypoglycemic state when driving or walking down stairs. Not A Good Idea(tm). But other than accidents, is there any permanent long term damage that can come of frequent and/or extreme hypo’s? ie neurological? eyes? heart? etc..

It’s reputed to cause brain damage. Beav

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In Ontario all you have to do is ask your GP for a referral to see an Endocrinologist.  That is what you should do before things get any worse. Heather

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My wife knows exactly when I go hypo at night.  I must scream or something. If I am slightly aware I yell for her. My father gives out the same 2-3 second yell every single time, It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before.. very frightening See a GOOD Doc  If you want a specific answer I will accept e-mail.  I can only tell you about ME. Is there a good ressource for finding a doctor in Canada? My father has had the same doctor for a very long time, in a small northern community, no offense to the doctor, but I would really like him to see someone more renouned in the field, preferably someone who specialises in diabetes, just for a second opinion or possibly different perspective. My wife has said I get pretty violent at times.  She deals with it and does a good job.  Just a part of our problem. Yes, my father is incredibly lucky to have my mother

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I had gestational diabetes and gave birth 8months ago. My blood sugar is still not normal and my Dr. says I now have diabetes. Could it just be that my hormones have not stabilized?

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Based on my own experience, I’d say not. By 8 months, you probably long since would have recovered if you were going to. I had GDM with my first pregnancy, and recovered by the time I took the follow up GTT. I didn’t get GDM with my second pregnancy. I got GDM at only 5 weeks along with the 3rd pregnancy, and my sugars never went back to normal after that birth. I am in my fourth pregnancy and still have GDM, and it’s harder to keep my numbers in control this time around. I expect to be a full blown T2 either at the end of this pregnancy, or within a few years. As I age, every thing seems to get harder for my body, including blood glucose normalization. So, if your numbers are still way out of whack at 8 months post partum, I don’t think you can blame GDM and hormones for that. Sorry. Esther

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I had gestational diabetes and gave birth 8months ago. My blood sugar is still not normal and my Dr. says I now have diabetes. Could it just be that my hormones have not stabilized?

Your hormones may not have stabilized, but…  GD only lasts until you expel the placenta.  After that, it’s called either Type 1, Type 2, or one of the more rare forms, such as MODY. — Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/ Julie Bove, posting from new account

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I had gestational diabetes and gave birth 8months ago. My blood sugar is still not normal and my Dr. says I now have diabetes. Could it just be that my hormones have not stabilized? Your hormones may not have stabilized, but…  GD only lasts until you expel the placenta.  After that, it’s called either Type 1, Type 2, or one of the more rare forms, such as MODY.

What is MODY?

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What is MODY?

Mature Onset Diabetes in the Young, one form of Type 2.

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Your hormones may not have stabilized, but…  GD only lasts until you expel the placenta.  After that, it’s called either Type 1, Type 2, or one of the more rare forms, such as MODY. What is MODY?

I don’t remember exactly.  I think the first part is Mature Onset.  Can’t remember what the other letters stand for.  There are actually far more than 2 types of diabetes.  But we tend to get clumped into one group or the other. — Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/ Julie Bove, posting from new account

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Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)? NPH and Regular….. sigh

What about Lente or Ultralente?

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Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)? NPH and Regular….. sigh What about Lente or Ultralente?

good point…. i don’t know why, but in the high risk clinic i was at, NO and i think they are far superior insulin’s i took NPH back when i was preggers, and switched over to Humalog at the same time…. to keep the pp spike lower AND to reduce the 911 trips

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no beef insulin or pork available in the USA any longer wrong Lilly’s 100% pork-insulin (Iletin-II) is still available in both the USA and Canada (pork-L, pork-NPH and pork-R)

ahhh……. ok……. i have tried 4 pharmacies to get pork insulin…… and i get blank stares and "it’s discontinued" stories from the pharmacists……. sigh oh well, i do like the UL

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no beef insulin or pork available in the USA any longer

wrong Lilly’s 100% pork-insulin (Iletin-II) is still available in both the USA and Canada (pork-L, pork-NPH and pork-R) i also suspect that there is nothing wrong with using "human"-UL as background insuiln during pregnancy my further personal guess is that since the T2 mothers far outnumber the T1 mothers that this is why "human"-NPH has become "the standard" for use by all pregnant mothers <T1 shudder bill t1 since ‘57

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no beef insulin or pork available in the USA any longer

I still get Regular and Lente Pork (IlitinII) from Walgreens by prescription. It’s not that different than Ilitin I, which admittedly by Lilly in 1973 was 30-40% Pork. Go to google and type in insulin+canada

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Thank you Tiger Lily and Mack! Mack, the DiabetesMommy dot com was a little intimidating for me, as the last thing I need to do is join **another** forum. But thank you, it sure looked interesting and helpful to many. I’ve bookmarked it. Tiger Lily – thank you for the great info. Esther

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I see Lantus (I think that’s the 24 hr insulin) is pregnancy category C (use only if benefit outweighs risk factors). Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)? I know nothing about insulin, but looks like I’m going to need it this time. Esther

 Lantus is C because there is simply no data to evaluate the risk. It is an area of clinical trials that drug companies avoid like the plague.  Humalog and Novolog probably fall into the same category  There is no evidence one way or the other at this point, and any clinical trial that aims to find out is a huge potential liability problem, so the only way it will be established is via retrospective study. The corrolary is that high maternal blood sugar clearly hazardous for both mother and child, and at least with Humalog and Novolog the potential benefits to mother and child (which are WELL established) are likely to outweigh the risks (which are unknown, but probably very low. If they were significant, we’d know about them by now. The prolbem is how low are they?

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I’m at 32 weeks (33 tomorrow). Due around New Year’s time. I don’t bother with precise ‘due dates’ as they’re kind of a joke. Anyway… now my BGs go up after a meal and don’t come down by 2 hours like they used to. Last night’s dinner was 170 at 2 hours, 170 at 3 hours, and 150 at 4 hours. So, I think it’s going to be time for insulin this time…… Thank you for the answers. Since I know nothing about insulin, which is the slowest "non-peaky" insulin: NPH, Regular, or Humalog. Are any of them animal based? I’m completely dumb on the subject but I want to keep two things in mind:         – avoid hypos as best I can (as I’m prone to them anyway….)         – and I hope to still be a blood donor in the future. Esther

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I’m at 32 weeks (33 tomorrow). Due around New Year’s time. I don’t bother with precise ‘due dates’ as they’re kind of a joke.

lol….. i hear you……. John was 3 weeks, 4 days early according to the Dr’s estimates….. but right on time according to MY estimates… Anyway… now my BGs go up after a meal and don’t come down by 2 hours like they used to. Last night’s dinner was 170 at 2 hours, 170 at 3 hours, and 150 at 4 hours. So, I think it’s going to be time for insulin this time……

looks like…. sigh Thank you for the answers. Since I know nothing about insulin, which is the slowest "non-peaky" insulin: NPH, Regular, or Humalog.

NPH is more of a basal insulin with added punch for the meal that’s 5 hours after the shot…. Regular is a slower onset insulin, but has quite a long duration…… Humalog is short sweet and to the point…. meats the meal timing pretty well…… Are any of them animal based?

nope….. all are "human" insulin’s now in the USA I’m completely dumb on the subject but I want to keep two things in mind: – avoid hypos as best I can (as I’m prone to them anyway….)

the 2 hour mark down….. the Regular tends to be around for a while, and i always used to hypo on it before the next meal others will have different experiences…. YMMV! – and I hope to still be a blood donor in the future.

not a problem at all….. no beef insulin or pork available in the USA any longer take care! kate

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I see Lantus (I think that’s the 24 hr insulin) is pregnancy category C (use only if benefit outweighs risk factors).

translation….. untested Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)?

NPH and Regular….. sigh but you MAY be able to swing Humalog if you push your ob/gyn or endo I know nothing about insulin, but looks like I’m going to need it this time.

how far along are you, Esther??? and congratulations! kate

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I see Lantus (I think that’s the 24 hr insulin) is pregnancy category C (use only if benefit outweighs risk factors). Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)? I know nothing about insulin, but looks like I’m going to need it this time. Esther

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following madness into the void: I see Lantus (I think that’s the 24 hr insulin) is pregnancy category C (use only if benefit outweighs risk factors). Are there any insulins that are Pregnancy category A (best) or B (pretty good)? I know nothing about insulin, but looks like I’m going to need it this time. Esther

some of the problems with Lantus are it takes a day or more before changes in dosage show any effect on BG and it is relatively new and not yet tested and approved for pregnant women.  Their may be other known issues with pregnancy, but I have not gone looking for them. I can tell you this, there are several women who lurk who have or have had gestational diabetes, as well as many type 1 & 2 diabetics who are or have been pregnant reading and posting in this group, alt.support.diabetes , http://www.diabeticmommy.com (it might end in .org I forget) and in http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com (again it might be .org)  Post in all of those forums and you will get plenty of hands on experience shared with you. Make sure your prenatal care team are experienced with diabetic pregnancies. Mack Type 1 since 1975 Minimed 508 Insulin Pump http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org http://www.insulin-pumpers.org http://www.us.zerolimit.net (irc server webpage for our chat room) #diabeticnet is the name of our IRC chat on zerolimit.net http://www.zerolimit.net/files/zl-mirc.exe  http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/misc/webtv.html http://www.xs4all.nl/~ircle/  <–Ircle Mac IRC software

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that is terrific wendy! — read and post, rosie We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So,I made it!This is the first time I have made the 14 day point since last September!I have to say that finding this LC support group to chat with,ask questions etc…has really helped.The weigh-in you ask? Down 10!I am also noticing a loosening of clothing articles.Still have a long way to go! Have a great day! Wendy 210/200/140

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Well done Wendy. Keep at it. Isn’t this ng great? It’s kept me going. Iris 180/133/126

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Awesome, Wendy!! I’m sure you are feeling so much better already. It’s been 7 weeks today since I began low carbing and I have lost 15 lbs.  I am very pleased, too!  It’s nice when the pants loosen up a bit!  I can now bend over to tie my shoe without feeling like my head will explode! I take it day by day, week by week and continuously try to do the right thing.  Sometimes it even feels like I’m taking it hour by hour!  But, slowly the weight comes off. I look forward to hearing more about your low carb success. ~Carol Ann 160/145/125 www.bestinatlanta.com/weightloss.html <—My Story

: So,I made it!This is the first time I have made the 14 day point : since last September!I have to say that finding this LC support group : to chat with,ask questions etc…has really helped.The weigh-in you : ask? Down 10!I am also noticing a loosening of clothing articles.Still : have a long way to go! : Have a great day! : Wendy 210/200/140

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that is terrific wendy! — read and post, rosie We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are. Hi Rosie!Thanx!My daily menu can be quite wacy,depending on how hungry I feel,what my cravings are and what my family life is like.Right now is a little nuts,as I’m driving kids back and forth to the city(1 1/2hrs.)for dance competitions.My 6yr.olds’ dance group brought home gold this morning!(Am I proud?!:-) )Tomorrow my 9yr.olds group goes.Then I can chill except for swimming lessons!YEAH!!!

I am usually up by 6:30-7:00 am at the latest every day.While I’m packing lunches for kids I drink 2c water with 1 super one a day multivitamin,about 2000mg cal/mag supplement,and a 500mg chromium.I buy quest brand vitamins from good ol Wal-mart and they work just fine.I also take hemp-oil either by cap,or(eeyucchhh!!) by tablespoon.After the kids get on the bus I watch my morning show with a c of decaf coffee literally laced with whipping cream.This has been one of my staples every time I’ve done the diet.From here on out it gets wonky.Some mornings I have an Atkins choc.shake.Sometimes I don’t eat till close to noon,and then have a big plate of salad(Romaine lettuce,cucumbers,sunflower seeds,chopped dill pickle,sliced black olives and chopped boiled egg.Depends on the day,may add a tin of tuna or salmon to this and always a small handful of mixed grated cheese.)I usually use my own dressing which I posted a while ago-garlic dill dressing.Then during the afternoon,I may have more coffee and cream,or a farmers soda-diet decaf/lo-sodium cke with about 1/4 cup cream(m-m-m).Supper is a whim.2 nights ago I had fried mushrooms in olive oil,with salt and minced garlic,and a bit of cajun seasoning,then added cream and reduced it,and added 2 chopped up chicken breasts.It was delish.It all depends on what I have available,and how energetic I feel about cooking.Usually this is it for the day.Some days I eat less,as I’m just not hungry(like instead of supper I’ll slice half a cucumber and eat each slice with a gob of cream cheese.Or I’ll open a can of salmon and mix it with creamcheese and eat pork rinds dipped in it.)I noticed when I first started posting that some LCers were cutting out whipping cream,cream cheese and sour cream.For myself,I found out that the more fat I put in,the easier I go into BDK and the more solid.The first time I went on Atkins 2yrs.ago it took me the full 2 wks to get into BDK and I later learned after experimenting that I was eating too much protien and not enough fat.Thats when I also started supplementing with oil too-either hemp or Udo’s Choice blends.Whatever!I don’t have any set rules other than if it’s allowable,and I can make it edible(or palatable)I eat it.I also do as much water in a day as I can possibly handle.Definitely 8,but usually 12-16 c!And all you exercise buffs will hate me,but no I don’texercise.Sometimes I’ll go for a walk early before kids get up,but I usually just don’t have the energy.Some days I feel like I’ve run miles after the kids.However I am in the process of maybe picking up a mountain bike.Then I’ll take the kids out.They’ll make me!!Garaunteed.! Have a great day! Wendy 210/200/140 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So,I made it!This is the first time I have made the 14 day point since last September!I have to say that finding this LC support group to chat with,ask questions etc…has really helped.The weigh-in you ask? Down 10!I am also noticing a loosening of clothing articles.Still have a long way to go! Have a great day! Wendy 210/200/140

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Well done Wendy. Keep at it. Isn’t this ng great? It’s kept me going. Iris 180/133/126

  Hi Iris! Thanx!Yes this groupis awesome!!And the recipes are wonderful!I had no idea there were so many out there.Here,I don’t know anyone who does LC at all,it is almost impossible to get products without going bankrupt to get them.I’ve invented a lot of my own recipes,but that gets boring!And all my in-laws(the women,who are overweight BTW)are all constantly on my case about LCing.Your going to wreckyour kidneys,your diabetes is going to kill u,which I wasn’t testing diabetic yet,but had 4 gestational diabetes pregnancies and was headed that way,and on and on and on.Of course none of them have read any literature on LC,only what they’ve hears in the news.And they don’t want too.They are to afraid they might be WRONG to get some real understanding of the concept under their belts.Now that I’ve beaked off I’ll say- Have a great day!! Wendy 210/200/140

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So,I made it!This is the first time I have made the 14 day point

since last September!I have to say that finding this LC support group to chat with,ask questions etc…has really helped.The weigh-in you ask? Down 10!I am also noticing a loosening of clothing articles.Still have a long way to go! Have a great day! Wendy 210/200/140

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