Happy Cardiac Monitor Liberation Day!

December 27, 2012Health & MedicineCadyLy

Yesterday was the last day that I had to wear my cardiac monitor! And so, it was the perfect day for us to get about 7 inches of snow, which I had to shovel. After all, if all my shoveling is going to give me a heart attack, at least this way LifeWatch will notice and send an ambulance to my house, right? 🙂

My priest always affirms me in these kinds of things by making statements like, “Prudent.” I’m sure he never means that sarcastically. Ever.

And just look at the size of this driveway! It might give *healthy* people heart attacks!

(I also like the snow blowing sideways in the shot.)

It was so worth it!

I only had to dust off the car this morning and getting onto the road was a breeze. Not having to wear a cardiac monitor — also very cool. As monitoring devices go, I suppose it’s better than most. However, as you might remember from when I first got it, I am allergic to both certain adhesives and nickel metal. So, after 21 days, I have blisters on my skin from the electrodes.

Goodbye, then, cardiac monitor. I won’t miss you that much! I’m not certain if the title of this post pertains more to my liberation from the device or its liberation from me, but either way, I think that separation is a good thing for both our sakes. 🙂

Advent Quick-Takes: Preparation Edition

December 14, 20127 Quick Takes FridayCadyLy

— 1 —

This is the week of Preparation in Advent, and I have had much to prepare for! This has also meant that it has been the slowest. week. ever. I’ll be celebrating my birthday this weekend with my friend, Lindsay, at Kalahari, which is a big waterpark in Ohio. I love water and I love warm temperatures, so basically, this weekend is going to ROCK! 🙂 And, most of the rides have warnings on them, saying that cardiac patients should not go on them, so I will also be a big REBEL! And!!! My cardiac monitor is not waterproof, so I will be unplugging for the duration. Bwahahahahaha!

— 2 —

But all of this must be okay, because when I told my priest this after Mass this morning he said, “Excellent!” Which is totally permission, right? 🙂 There are reasons why he and I are friends. 🙂 And he knows about last night…

— 3 —

About last night… I went to the Christmas Party at the rectory last night at St. A’s. I get invited there twice, since I’m a sponsor in RCIA and I’m on Parish Council. However, my evening was cut short when my cardiac monitor kept going off. At one point, I got a voicemail on the device’s cell phone. And the monitoring company only calls you if there is an event that they noticed. After about the 6th event in a very short time span, I was started to not feel well, so I decided to go home. Of course, I was questioning the logic of LEAVING a place with 3 priests in attendance to go to a place where I’d be alone…

On the way, I texted my friend, Fr. John, to let him know what was going on. He prayed for me and I used my redemptive suffering to pray for others, and I woke up in the morning, so I’d have to say it was a successful night! 🙂

— 4 —

Which means… that I was watching Jen‘s “Minor Revisions” WHILE having a string of cardiac issues. That’s gotta mean something, right? 🙂 I mean, I probably should have gone straight to bed, but I stayed up to watch the show and join in the tweeting party. 🙂

— 5 —

I have been involved with two Project 52s this year. And I’ve fallen behind on both of them. At this point, it doesn’t look like I’ll finish. But I will continue to try and make up the missing photos and I intend to be a part of them again for next year. Here’s to picking back up and keep trying! 🙂

— 6 —

Last week’s post #6 was about my cardiac monitor, so I’ll keep up with that tradition. While I was excited to get it last week (mostly because it was mailed to me like a present), I have to admit that I am a little less enthusiastic this week. Even though, objectively, I am still very mobile with it, I have to have the cell phone portion plugged in at least once during the day and overnight, which makes me feel tethered to the wall sometimes. Plus, I can’t sleep on my left side. 🙂 And, I’m starting to develop a rash from those electrode sticker things.

BUT! At least I am not blistering from the electrode stickers. AND! There’s someone monitoring me 24/7, so that if something really bad happens, they will send an ambulance to wherever the GPS tells them that I am. 🙂 So, I don’t have to feel worried about the fact that I live alone. 🙂

— 7 —

My birthday is on Monday!!! And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it falls in the week of Joy. God gives me incredible grace. I can’t thank Him enough. I love my life. I am deeply happy, no matter what happens. Not to say that I don’t have bad times, or that I don’t get sad, but overall, I am full of joy. I hope, in some way, I can share that with others.

Sorry for the lack of pictures in this post…. I’ll try to do better next week! 🙂

God Bless!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

Sad, But Don’t Know What To Do

December 13, 2012Girl TalkCadyLy

The other day, I was trying to say something nice, but inadvertantly said something that triggered a pet peeve of a friend of mine. I was called out on Facebook for it, which felt like a slap in the face to me — like my feelings are not to be considered and making another person feel bad in public is okay. Why wouldn’t my friend talk to me in private, if I offended her? I certainly didn’t mean any offense.

I don’t understand the reason for her reaction, but I respect her opinion on the matter and apologized and will try to not do the same thing again in the future.

But. It is now days later and it is really upsetting to me still. Why? Why is this bugging me so much?

Well, first, I guess, I really love people. And, especially if I consider you my friend, hurting you hurts me.

Second, I would think that my friends would know me and would assume first that I’m not trying to offend them, instead of assuming the worst.

Third, now I’m actually afraid of saying anything to her again, lest I offend her. Again. Maybe it’s better to not say anything than to risk the friendship.

But then, what kind of friendship would that be if we never spoke?

Does she even want a friendship with me?

I get that most people would just blow the incident off and not think anything of it. And I have tried praying to God and asking him to heal me. Since I realize that the problem is with *my* heart. But, I also don’t believe in sweeping problems under the rug. I don’t think an issue will truly go away if it’s not dealt with.

Sorry for the sad post. I promise I’ll be happy again soon!

Someone Has a Sense of Humor

December 7, 2012Exciting Adventures of the EverydayCadyLy

Okay. First, my phone sent me this notification this morning:

(Which makes me wonder…. Did I miss it?)

Alrighty. Then, I am reading in the Catechism. What is the next section/paragraph that I am to read?

Paragraph 1006. Starting the section on Death.

Very funny. 🙂

I guess I’m extra glad that I went to Confession last night?!?

Advent Quick-Takes: Hope Edition

December 7, 20127 Quick Takes FridayCadyLy

— 1 —

I’m so excited about Christmas! I love shopping for friends, family and random strangers, and doing random things to bring a little joy into the lives of others. I know that I’m horrible about posting; I always seem to run out of time, or I get home at the end of the day and am too exhausted to sit down at the computer. Perhaps one day, I’ll get all caught up.

— 2 —

Speaking of buying things for others… My dentist (He and his wife are also friends) is running a couple of charity programs. One is called Pajamarama and asks people to donate pajamas, underwear and socks of all sizes for children in need in the greater Detroit area. It was so fun to go out on Black Friday and shop for them! It was the only thing that got me out of the house that day; I didn’t need anything for myself and thought that the day could use a little more charity and a little less selfishness. 🙂

— 3 —

Can you help me out? I’m trying to find new ways to “gift” prayer. My priest always says that prayer is the best gift you could give another person, and he always asks for this for his Christmas gift. Of course, I pray for him all.the.time anyway, so I try to look at it like alms, and pray for him *extra*. But, I also like to give him something tangible as well, even if it is just an expression of the time in prayer that I have done. After X number of years, I am beginning to run out of ideas. So I will bounce it off of you guys and see what we can come up with! Thanks in advance!

— 4 —

The first day of Advent! It was almost a week ago now, which is hard to believe. And before you ask, no, I have not spent the time in prayer that I have been hoping to, but I still have hope to make this Advent a little bit more prayerful than last year.

I started by doing a little bit of decorating. I put up a wreath that I had gotten on sale after Christmas last year:

And lit the first Advent candle:

And spent some time contemplating the Crucifix:

— 5 —

We had our last day of catechism this week for the year. It was on saints, relics and martyrs. It was probably the most attentive the class has been all year, and this was even with Christmas presents being on the table, ready to be opened! I was quite impressed! I tried to find creative ways to wrap the presents, and ended up with Stuffed Animal Ravioli!

— 6 —

I became an “official” cardiac patient recently. And last night, I received a Holter monitor in the mail for my 24 hour test. I was excited, because it arrived on my doorstep via Fed Ex Just. Like. A. Present! 🙂

I am pretty good about following directions, so when I saw this:

I did, in fact, open it immediately and got it all set up, even though it was like 10:30 pm. Good thing the monitoring company is open 24 hours, since it took 2 phone calls to get everything operating properly.

Upon reading the inside instructions, I saw that it had a warning for patients who were allergic to nickel metal or adhesive. Well, actually I am allergic to both of these, and depending on the adhesive, I can get huge blisters. Last time I had an allergy to adhesive, I ended up being treated by the Trauma/Burn team — it was that bad! But, I figured, it’s only 24 hours. Can’t be that bad, right?

Well… Turns out my 24 hour monitoring is actually… 21 DAYS! Yikes! At least this will give the doctors a good idea of what is going on.

And, looking at the box, apparently I will be taking up yoga, too:

— 7 —

I’ll end with a question… What are you most looking forward to during these Advent days?

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

Advent Awesomeness!

December 2, 2012AdventCadyLy

Here is a cute video about Advent … Gangnam style! 🙂 From those wonderful people at XT3! 🙂

Be a Sheep

November 30, 2012Neat Things I Didn't Authorsheep, wolvesCadyLy

If we are sheep, we overcome;
if wolves, we are overcome

As long as we are sheep, we overcome and, though surrounded by countless wolves, we emerge victorious; but if we turn into wolves, we are overcome, for we lose the shepherd’s help. He, after all, feeds the sheep not wolves, and will abandon you if you do not let him show his power in you.

What he says is this: “Do not be upset that, as I send you out among the wolves, I bid you be as sheep and doves. I could have managed things quite differently and sent you, not to suffer evil nor to yield like sheep to the wolves, but to be fiercer than lions. But the way I have chosen is right. It will bring you greater praise and at the same time manifest my power.” That is what he told Paul: My grace is enough for you, for in weakness my power is made perfect. “I intend,” he says, “to deal in the same way with you.” For, when he says, I am sending you out like sheep, he implies: “But do not therefore lose heart, for I know and am certain that no one will be able to overcome you.”

The Lord, however, does want them to contribute something, lest everything seem to be the work of grace, and they seem to win their reward without deserving it. Therefore he adds: You must be clever as snakes and innocent as doves. But, they may object, what good is our cleverness amid so many dangers? How can we be clever when tossed about by so many waves? However great the cleverness of the sheep as he stands among the wolves – so many wolves! – what can it accomplish? However great the innocence of the dove, what good does it do him, with so many hawks swooping upon him? To all this I say: Cleverness and innocence admittedly do these irrational creatures no good, but they can help you greatly.

What cleverness is the Lord requiring here? The cleverness of a snake. A snake will surrender everything and will put up no great resistance even if its body is being cut in pieces, provided it can save its head. So you, the Lord is saying, must surrender everything but your faith: money, body, even life itself. For faith is the head and the root; keep that, and though you lose all else, you will get it back in abundance. The Lord therefore counselled the disciples to be not simply clever or innocent; rather he joined the two qualities so that they become a genuine virtue. He insisted on the cleverness of the snake so that deadly wounds might be avoided, and he insisted on the innocence of the dove so that revenge might not be taken on those who injure or lay traps for you. Cleverness is useless without innocence.

Do not believe that this precept is beyond your power. More than anyone else, the Lord knows the true natures of created things; he knows that moderation, not a fierce defence, beats back a fierce attack.

— A homily by St. John Chrysostom
H/T to Steve for sending it to me.
Photo credit to Olivia Bell Photography

Keeping Your Faith When Your Life is Crazy Busy

November 29, 2012F3CadyLy

Last night, I gave a talk at Joe Bologna’s for Firestarters. Here is an outline of the talk, so you can share, as I think that these points may be good for all, and not just the young adults. 🙂

Here’s a link to a Word version of this, which will be prettier and formatted for printing. 🙂

1. Know your faith
a. You can’t hang on to what you don’t have!
b. But I’m busy!
     i. Have a portion of the Bible or CCC e-mailed to you. The e-mail can serve as a reminder, plus we tend to make time to read e-mail when we don’t make time to sit down with a book.
          ii. Multitask. Attend events like F3 which can combine friend-time and meal-time with something that can inform you in your faith.
          iii. Listen to faith-related podcasts. You can find homilies and talks online that you can listen to on your daily commute, while running or anytime.
         iv. Fill your feed-reader with websites from orthodox Catholic bloggers. This way, their posts will collect for you to read whenever you have a free moment.

2. Maintain your relationship with God
a. Pray
        i.  Make time
1. Set an alarm on your calendar.
2. Set aside a specific time per day.
          ii.  Make a point to pray before meals, when you wake up, when you go to bed
          iii.  Visit the chapel, even if just for 5 minutes, e.g. on your way to the store or on your way home
          iv.  Make sure your prayer isn’t just a list of things you want
b. Make use of the sacraments – they actually work!

3. Stay motivated
a. Keep your eyes on the prize!
i.  Figuratively – we want to end up home in Heaven: what in my life will/will not help me get there?
          ii.  Literally – add something visual to your environment that will remind you
1. This is not just for your home! Maybe also your car, workplace, rosary in your pocket…
b. No man is an island
          i.  Make and foster friendships in your life that nurture your faith
          ii.  Try to work together, support each other
c. Serve others
          i.  Great way to stay humble and focused on what’s really important in life
d. Think of it as staying spiritually healthy
          i.  While you are at it, don’t forget to exercise both your body and your mind. We are body/soul mixes, and neglecting either part is unhealthy

4. Don’t despair!
a. We all mess up!
          i.  Don’t rationalize your way into greater sin
          ii.  Go to confession
          iii.  Forgive yourself and move on
          iv.  Forgive others
b. Pick up where you left off

And, kind of going along with this theme, here is a link to a great article from the National Catholic Register, outlining “Ten Silly Reasons You Won’t Pray Today (and Why You Should Reconsider).” Enjoy!

Vacation 2012: Day 1

November 10, 2012VacationCadyLy

Saturday, my first official day of vacation! Whoot! Let me say that it was rather like a typical Saturday and rather low-key. I slept in, I read a little, I spent most of the day in my PJs. 🙂

I made Lemon Rice soup for lunch, too. I’ll give that it’s own post, since I’ll include the recipe and maybe some photos. It was yum! Next time, I may add some veggies and chicken.

About 4:30 pm, I got a knock on the back door and opened it to find my neighbor-across-the-street’s daughter. It turns out that my neighbor, whom I’ve known my whole life, died on Monday. As of right now, I anticipate going to the viewing/reception on Monday. I made sure to call to let my parents know.

I quickly took a shower, as I was STILL in my PJs, and found my friend, Terry, waiting for me in the driveway after I had dressed. We went to dinner, but since I was still rather full from my lunch (after not eating much for the past several weeks being sick, I can’t eat too much), I ordered a small side salad and a sundae (and only ate about 1/4 of the sundae, to my disappointment).

We then went to the AMC Star John R movie theaters and watched Flight with Denzel Washington. It wasn’t quite the movie that I anticipated it to be, but still very well done! It focused more on the pilot than the flight. It was a more sober movie than yesterday’s but it gave me a lot to think about and I was glad to have seen it.

Here’s the trailer for this movie:

I know. So far it seems like my vacation is all movies! 🙂 But that’s not a bad thing, is it? 🙂

I’m ready to see what Day 2 will bring! 🙂

Vacation 2012: Day 0

November 10, 2012VacationCadyLy

Friday. My last day of work before vacation! It went by sooooo slooooooowly. Brutal.

But finally 5 pm came and I was FREE!!!

I was getting low on gas, but gas in Ann Arbor is more expensive than gas in Plymouth, figure that. I stopped by church on the way and called a friend. See, I have an it to LEAVE TOWN! It’s practically a moral imperative. I spent the better part of the day looking for air fare online to see where I could go. Nothing seemed particularly affordable — I guess that’s what you get when you try to book last minute.

Anyway, a trip out of state is planned and mayhem will commence shortly! Keep watching! 🙂 Maybe I’ll even manage to surprise you!

After planning, I spent some time in the church, before heading over to the movie theater in Canton to watch Hotel Transylvania. It was so cute! I have to remember to buy a copy when it comes out on DVD. 🙂

Here’s the trailer. If you haven’t seen it yet, you totally should! 🙂 ❤

After the movie, it was late, but I hadn’t eaten yet. I went through the drive-thru of a fast-food place. The guy taking money at the window recognized my credit card and said the he had been in the Navy, also, as a corpsman. 🙂 Made my evening. It’s probably one of the few situations where someone can call me ma’am and I won’t get upset….