Life's Curves and Bumps...

I've been just a bit MIA lately. This past week was a lesson in patience and hospital procedure which required more patience. My mom has been sick and required not one but two trips to the ER last week, the second of which she was admitted. That was this past Saturday and she was released and sent home yesterday. She contracted a bacterial infection which was causing some chest pain/discomfort. So the doctors admitted her for more testing and correct antibiotics. She was given the wrong antibiotics on the first trip to the ER, last week Monday. Last week Wednesday I took her to her Primary Care doctor who thought she had had a TIA (like a mini stroke, considered a warning sign). He prescribed Plavix (blood thinner) and we thought she was on her way to getting better. Then Friday I was at her house and she was still tired so my Aunt Fran, mom's sister, spent Friday night with her.

Saturday at 7am my husband is waking me up (I think I told him to go away. I had been up until 2:30 & was tired). He tells me Aunt Fran is on the phone. My mom and aunt had been up since 4am with my mom in pain but not willing to call 911. She's very stubborn. So I get ready to go, and my niece, who lives 10 minutes from my mom, was called and she took my mom to the ER and I met them there. After being admitted for more tests and even more tests, she went home yesterday. We're both tired of the hospital and she's happy to be home. What a week! I did get some reading done so that was a positive thing. But now I'm way behind on writing reviews. LOL

We did get some good news last week. My oldest brother, who has lymphoma and in need of a stem cell transplant, has found a 10/10 donor match. Me! I'm happy, excited and very nervous. I'll be going to Denver next month, in just a few weeks! The procedure is suppose to take about 7 days. I get medicine for 6 days to increase the release of stem cells into the blood. Then I'm hooked up to a machine that removes the stem cells from my blood, then puts the blood back into me. I'll be flying there and this is where I could use any advice you guys can offer. I haven't flown since 1999 and obviously things have changed a lot! So any tips, tricks or advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

I'm going to try to catch up on blog hopping and review writing. I did hear about the latest eye rolling drama in romanceland. About the high school teacher who writes erotica romances under a pen name. Seriously, this is what parents are upset about? As long as she wasn't talking about her books in class, which from what I read she had not, then I don't see what the problem is. She has been teaching for 25 years and is considered a good teacher. If what she does in her personal life isn't illegal, then it's no ones business. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these same people/parents that are so upset have internet access in their homes where these same children they are trying to protect, can Google things that are far more "racy" than what Ms. Mays writes.

I don't usually get involved in the online drama, mainly because in my experience, things are usually blown way out of proportion. And often there are people who have their own agendas and don't want to discuss the issue, they only want to give what they think is the correct opinion. So it's pointless to attempt a discussion of the problem and the situation usually disintegrates into name calling and juvenile behavior. Which I have no patience for.

But I do wish to voice my opinion on this since I do have three kids, one of which is a junior in high school. When you consider what kids can watch during prime time TV and on cable - they see plenty of sexual situations played out in front of them. Sex is everywhere in the media. It's difficult to get away from it. There are far more important issues going on in high schools like the quality of teaching, overcrowding, bullying, cuts in extracurricular activities and the safety of the students and faculty. This story is simply being sensationalized by the media and those who have nothing better to do than intrude into a teacher's personal life.