Very Busy Weekend

So many celebrations coming up.  Tomorrow, Halloween is celebrated in many parts of the world. 

I had my views on this celebration over the years.  I had abstained from trick or treating for many years.  We only visited the houses of people who were family or close friends.

Every year, my neighbor celebrates her birthday  close to Halloween, so her theme is always Halloween.   All the kids  dress up in their costumes and they have a great time at the party. 

Today was her party. 

I was not home for most of the afternoon.  I had my second, Catechist training class.   Classes meet once a month.   You only get 3 chances to miss a class.  And to make up for the class, we need to read all the lesson missed and write a summary of what we read. 

I think I prefer to attend the class, then miss a class.

My husband was very upset that I left my daughter at home, and he had to take care for her.   Daughter is doing well.  She does not need much assistance.  She is able to get up on her own, and she now goes down the stairs.  Slowly but she prefers when her Dad carries her up and down the stairs.  She loves getting all the attention.

I kept calling her, every time I had a break between lessons.  That is the reason, I had a home phone installed this month.  So that she can call me anytime she needs me. 

Like today, I was at the party, outside in  my own backyard.  And she will call my cell phone, to tell me she wanted cake, and not to forget her gift for wearing a costume.

Daughter was at the party for a few hours, then she felt tired and went back inside the house. 

I came in too,  a little after.  I had to prepare my lesson for tomorrow's Faith Formation Class.  We will learning about the 12 Apostles. 

I will be posting more on what I have been teaching the kids this past few week.  We are following a bilingual book, Knowing Your Catholic Faith, Beliefs and Traditions.   published by Loyola Press.

The kids are 3rd to 6th graders.  I only have 5 kids in my class.  This are the kids that have made their First Communion and have decided to continue their Faith Formation.

I am going to bed now.  It is very late.  And Mass is at 8:30 AM.

Good Night

Back to Blogging

I have not done much of blogging, like I use to before daughter's surgery.

I have kept you updated with her recovery and that's about it.  But today I felt like talking about other issues in my life.  

And not just my life, but the whole world.  In a few days we will be going to vote for canditates for State and Local offices,  we are going to vote for proposed laws.

I wrote on my Facebook status this morning that in years  past, I really did not care about who I voted.  I did not reasearched ahead to see what the canditates views were.  Actually I went with the flow.  Who ever was more popular.  Or whomever said that they were defending the rights of Hispanic community.

Did I ever vote as a Christian should vote?   Did I ever think of what God wanted me to defend?  No.  I did not.  I admit it.  Like most of us who say we are Christian or Catholic, I will not vote like I should.

I voted for people that were for laws like abortion. 

When I finally realized, what I was doing.  I was very disgusted at myself.  I had helped many people get to office with my vote.

I used  birth control methods that were not safe for myself, and were destroying life in me.

Why I am I writing this?   Because, I must.  I must let you all know, about all the lies we have been told and we have believed for so many years. 

"You have the right of choice."  What?  I have the right to kill my own child within my womb, and live a happy life like nothing ever happened?  No, we do not have that right!

A child is a child since the moment of conception.  We look bad on people who neglect and abuse their children.  We look bad at people who abuse their pets, but we do not say anything about those who are destroying precious life with abortion laws.

How many women, wish to have the chance to be mothers and they can't have that joy.  And the ones that do have that opportunity to conceive, destroy it. 

"Lord, have mercy on us sinners!" 

I know many of you will not agree with me.  But those of you that do, please let us pray for those who are yet living the lies of the lost world.  Let us be the one to make a difference.  We can!  We can vote like God wants us to vote.  We can reach out to our family and friends.  We can do it! 

For God has not giving us a spirit of Fear.  Do not be ashamed to stand for what you believe.  For many years I was silent, and let others live their life as they wished.  But what will God say about that.  I had the chance to do something and I never did, to avoid loosing friends and family.

I thank God that my Mom, sisters and brother agree with me.  We all are now, active supporters of Life.  We walked two years ago in a local March for Life.   Even our children walked with us.  And they now at their young age that abortion is bad.

This November, I pray that Pro-Life candidates will be chosen.  There is one candidate, that on the media, her opponent has labeled  her as an Extreme canditate, because she will make abortion a crime.

Those are the candidates we need.  The one's that will defend LIFE and call abortion what it is, " A CRIME!"

Continue Recovery

One week after hospital discharge.  We continue to do good.  We went out yesterday to Walmart to shop for a new winter jacket and comfortable sweat pants to wear at home.  We only found the jacket, and Marah asked for a t-shirt of her favorite guy JB.

I still get very emotional when I see the before and after pictures.   My sister asked me to take before pictures of Marah's back so that we could see how she looked before.  I have decided not to share this pictures online.  They have been saved on a disk.  And will print out if Marah decides to ever share them with her friends in the future.

This picture was taken about a year ago.  She was wearing her brace in this picture.

 The next picture was taken today.


 

I am not sure how much taller she is now, in comparison to before surgery.  I will ask on Tuesday when she has her first after surgery appointment.  Just before she was taken to surgery room.  The nurse measured how tall she was.  So they will know exactly the difference.  From appearance, I can tell you, she looks much better.  And best of all she does not need to wear that uncomfortable plastic brace ever again. 

Glory to God our Father!  I am very thankful.  And  she is too. 

Thankful Tuesday

One week after surgery.  I finally got to take pictures of Marah.  I opted to not take pictures of her in the hospital.  I just could not take seeing her all swollen and hooked to the IVs.

Yesterday, I gave her a shower, and brushed her long hair.  And she sat on that chair to relax.  The pink color is back on her cheeks.  She looked so pale and yellowish for days.  She grew a few inches.  Actually she was stretched out into her actual height.   That is why she appears to be taller. 

All her younger cousins tell, "Marah you look so tall now!"

Her little brother tends to get on her last nerve.  She is very grouchy.  A little more than her usual self. LOL

This morning she felt like playing a prank on her Mom.  I went into her room to ask her if she needed anything and she opened her eyes wide and talked very goofy.  Like if she was loony.  I told her, "Oh no all that medicine has made my daughter loony."  She started to laugh and said she just wanted to scare me.

So her humor is back too.

Please do continue to hold her in prayer.  Surgery incisions tend to get infected, if not cared for properly.  I never saw them changing the gauze on the incision at the hospital.    There was a little spot of drainage on the top part of her back and I changed the gauze in that area again today.  She has felt very warm, I have taken her temperature and it read 99.3 F.

I keep telling her to drink lots of water, to help her not get dehydrated too.

I sure wish we had stayed a few days longer in the hospital.  But they were sure she was well and able to return home.  She will be having her post operation appointment next week.  And the doctor's nurse told me that she does not need physical therapy yet until she is much better perhaps another month.

First week, she should only walk for exercise within the house.  Should wait to go up and down stairs for at least a week.  Or until she feels stronger to do so.  She should not do any bending, twisting or lifting of any items.

What I am thankful for is that Marah has been practically pain free since the pain medication given to her through the IV was taken away.  She only complains of discomfort when she gets in and out of bed.  But on a scale for 1-10 she will always respond a 2. 

I am praying that she will be healed completely inside and out.  I trust in my Lord Jesus, that he will hear my prayer. AMEN

We are Home!!!

Last night was one of the hardest ever at the hospital.  Marah was very uncomfortable, kept waking me up every 15 minutes for something.

When nurse came in, I ask her if they could give her something.  She said they had one medicine for muscle spasms.  It is common for patients to have these days after surgery.

The medicine made her sleepy.  She was able to sleep for almost an hour after that. 

She woke up twice every two hours or so.  The nurses usually make their runs every two hours so they kept waking her up. 

I got up early to get ready for church.

Husband will take care of daughter while my son and I went to Mass and Faith formation classes. 

Mass was so beautiful today,  the readings and the Gospel spoke about prayer.

Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14- 4:2
Luke 18:1-8

I like the reading of 2 Timothy
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

During the prayers of the faithful.  The Priest asked the congregation to pray for Marah who was still in hospital.

Mass ended and we stayed for the Faith formation classes.  That is when Marah called me and said that Doctor had come by to see her and told her she could leave that afternoon.  Her lung was much better now.  He credited it to the breathing exercises and her being more active during the day.

But I know that it was God that made this possible.  He heard our prayer. 

I'm a litlle tired now.  I think I better go take a nap.

Your Prayers needed

We have gone through a lot this past 5 days at the hospital. 


Marah has done great progress in recovering and dealing with her pain.  She has not used pain medications much.

Her only problem now is her right lung.  It is not getting enough air and is decreasing in size due to this.  If it continues, she is in risk of pneumonia, to avoid this doctors might insert a tube to make it larger again, and we do not want this to happen. 

Her only choice now is to do breathing exercises every hour.  And walk around to bring in air to her right lung. 

Please pray that her right lung will respond to this treatment and we will not need to get that tube in her.

Your prayers have help so much.  I know that God is in control of this situation.  I continue to trust in HIM.

4th day of recovery

I have not been able to take pictures yet of her.  But I will probably do that soon. 

Day 4 in the hospital has been going well.  Marah is eating a little more.  She is walking more and sat on a chair for 40 minutes.  She is more alert, and in the mood to do more activities.  Play on computer, watch DVDs.  Our little roomate, has been very nice to her. 

Brought her craft supplies, and coloring pages.  Marah shared with her the DVDs.

I brushed Marah's long hair, and braided it on the side to avoid being on her back while laying on bed.  The IVs will be removed soon and she will now be on oral medication for pain control.

Doctor says, that if she continues to do well she may go home by tomorrow at latest Sunday.

They want her to walk without holding on to the walker or assistance.

She will be doing more walking this afternoon and sitting more on chair to help her digestive system normalize.

Out of all the patients with similar surgeries in the hospital she has done very good in recovering.

I thank God for making this possible.

Day 3 of Recovery

Marah continues to make progress in her recovery, yet they are some concerns. 

One of her lungs is not getting enough air and had become smaller than the other lung.  She needs to do special breathing exercises to help her lung.   All night she did not do this exercises.  She has to blow into a tube and lift a small marker up and down at least five times every two hours.

Another concern is her lack of appetite, she does not want to eat anything.  Thinking she will throw up or it will hurt her throat.   Marah needs to eat to help her in her quick recovery.

My husband is with her at the moment.  He has been very supportive this 3 days, but will return to work tomorrow.  During weekend my Mom and sisters will come to help me.

Son is doing great.  I called him a short while ago to check if he had done his homework.  He said all he needs to do is today's homework, but they are on their way to the park to play.  I will probably take him to the hospital later in the evening to see his sister.  Husband will come home and I will stay with Marah during the night. 

We got to see an image of Marah's xrays after surgery.  Her operations procedure is called scoliosis fusion.  I will take pictures of her probably today or tomorrow.  The swelling of her face has gone down.  There is one huge difference.  Her posture is now straight,  even the lump on her back is less than before.  I say, hardly noticeable with her gown on. 

Doctor says, it will get better as she continues to grow and if she gains a little weight. 

The Surgery

Hi Everyone!  Marah's surgery was done yesterday.  It started at 9:30 AM and lasted for 7 hours.  I was able to see her around 6 'oclock in the evening.

She was a little swollen from her face but was talking and responding to all the nurses questions.  Then slowly faded into sleep for a few minutes than she will say something.  It was quite hard for me to see her like that.  But slowly she began to be more responsive and her swollen face looked much better.

I spent the night at the hospital next to her bed.  I slept for a few hours than will be awaken by the nurses talking to Marah. 

She did well during the night without any pain medicine.  She still had a little of the medicine that was given right before closing her incision.

This morning she woke up with a little fever.  Some chest x-rays were done at around 4 AM to make sure her lungs are doing well. 

Today she began her physical therapy sessions.  The therapist made her sit on the side of the bed with out back support and she also stood for like 30 seconds.  It made Marah a little uncomfortable but she did great.  Tomorrow she will start taking a few steps. 

I am truely amazed on how fast she is recovering.  Thanks to all your prayers and the powerful healing hand of God.

When she is able, I will have her write a post to tell you how she feels. 

She looks so much better,  I think she even grew a few inches.  Actually, her body was straighten from the curvature scoliosis was causing in her spine.  So it seems that she got taller. 

I am home, taking a break, while her dad is with her at hospital.  I am supposed to be taking a nap, to return to hospital rested and take my turn by her bedside.

Impossible for me to do that.  I washed the dishes, made some calls, answered calls, took a shower and updated profile on Facebook and MySpace.  And now I am writing this blog.

Picture was taken before she was given the happy medicine.  The one that gets them all goofy just before anesthesia.  And she is was looking at a poster of her favorite guy, JB.

Can wait to show you pictures of the after surgery.  None of her face swollen.  I will make sure she is dressed in a more atractive gown.  She keeps saying that when she gets older, she is going to design fashionable scrubs and gowns for hospital patients.

Surgery tomorrow

The day has finally arrived.  Tomorrow is the big day for my daughter's surgery.  This time we will be arriving at hospital at 6 AM, and the surgery will take place at 8 AM.  First patient for doctor.

I honestly want this to be over with.  I have been waiting, anticipating this day for quite a long time.  My daughter needs this surgery.  Her time off the brace, has shown some difference in her body.  Her spine looks so crooked and people have been asking what is wrong with her. 

Before while wearing her brace her posture was more straight  and no one ever noticed anything.  But now they see her without her brace and that big hump on her back. 

I am so glad that no one in her school, has made any bad comments about it.  They have asked her, but nicely.  

Daughter continues to show great courage and never has she expressed to be stressed or anxious about her surgery.  In a way she is happy that she will have some time off school.  For a A students is strange to hear this.   But she says she does not like school.

I will be coming by the school today to sign the Independent studies contract with her teacher.  I know we will not be doing any school work the first week after surgery, but as soon as she gets home from hospital we will start her home studies.  Which means I will become a homeschool Mom.  Yeah.  I am going to need lots of good tips from all you homeschool Mom of six graders. 

My sister, just brough us a pack of books for Marah.  Marah loves reading.

I will try to update as soon as possible on Marah's surgery. 

Thank you for your prayers.

Our Lady of the Rosary

October is the Month dedicated to the Our Lady of the rosary.  As you can see in the above pictures I made some changes in my living room decor colors.  I added some fall colors to the feast table.
Today is the feast day of our Lady of the rosary.  This month is filled with lots of feast days for most of the most popular saints.  St. Therese (Oct.1), St. Francis of Asisi ( Oct. 4), St. Faustina and Teresa of Avila.

 I found at my local Ross, images of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis of Asisi, Our Lady of Fatima, and the Divine Mercy.  All for under $10 each.  That is a savings of more than $12 dollars each.  They are made of a resin material, light weight same height as the St. Therese image in the pictures.

I have not taken pictures of them yet, but you will be seeing pictures of each one in later months for their feast day. 

Tomorrow is my first Tupperware party as a consultant.  I am a little nervous, but hopefully it will go well.  I still do not have my actual sales kit yet.  My friend is letting me borrow her kit, for tomorrow.

Discernment

Psalm 119

66 Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust.

71 It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws.

125 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may know your decrees.

130 The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, " For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self control.

Reading the word of God is "eye opening" at times.  God reveals to us a message through his word.  

I had been neglecting "quiet time" in the word this past week.  I know that if I read the bible daily, it helps me to keep focus and not easily get distracted.  But on those days, I do not read the bible first thing in the morning.  I easily get distracted by other things and soon forget completely to spend my time in the word of God.

This past Friday, I ask God to forgive me for not spending time in his word.  I also asked him to show me ways that I can be a blessing to others.

Later in the day on Friday.  I decided to call a friend and ask her if she would like to see the new catalog of Tupperware product.  Somehow the call got disconnected and I was not able to talk to her.  A few minutes later she called back.  I ask her, how she was doing and she told me she was sad.  I sensed it was not a good time to say anything regarding my call.   

I asked her why she was sad.  She told me that her father was having surgery at that time and that she felt bad because she could not be at the hospital with the rest of her family.  I offered to come by her house to spend time with her and we could pray for her father.

In a way God had put this person's name in my mind.  If I had decided not to call her, I will probably had missed the chance to be a blessing in someone's life.  It also helped me in many ways.  I soon as I walked into her house, I saw the above image on her wall.  This image is called the "The Divine Mercy"   

Jesus appeared to a nun named St. Faustina.  He told her that he desired an image to be made of him as he appeared to her.  The rays are water and blood flowing from the heart of Jesus.  He wants us to know that he is merciful.  You can read more on this image on EWTN's website.

I stayed with my friend for almost two hours.  She told me she felt so much at peace.  I told her to call me anytime she needed anything.  I was glad to spend time with her and pray for her father.  I told her not to worry that God had everything under control and everything will be fine.  

After I left her house, I drove to the kids school, and while I waited for them to come out.  I prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet.  When I got home, I lighted  a candle and asked my children to pray for my friend's father.  They know her children well. My friends son is in the same classroom as my daughter's.

Later in the evening, my daughter and I went to church.  It was the first day at our parish for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  Only four people showed up.  Our priest had to leave early.  My daughter and I stayed for almost and hour.  It was a very peaceful time.  The choir director, sang a few songs.  And he also guided us in prayer.  Our priest also prayed aloud.  He asked for the youth in our neighborhood.  The kids in gangs.  For the parents of this young people.

I prayed silently in my heart.  Had so much to ask the Lord.  I prayed for my friend's father, my daughter, my relatives.  I thanked God for the blessings in my life.

I love spending time with God in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  I hope that my children will also love to spend time with God and visit him often.