The Happiness Project: Making New Year's Resolutions? Ask Yourself 6 Questions.

The Happiness Project: Making New Year's Resolutions? Ask Yourself 6 Questions.

Beautiful Quote

I have never experienced this quote before and I believe finding it today is important. Here we have the end of the year where I did not know peace within myself and I begin 2012 at a peace that is much more desirable. This will be my mantra for 2012:

"Peace in oneself, peace in the world." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Advice for the New Year:

40 Goals for the New Year

By: Carletta Skinner

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is

manufactured in plants.

4. Live with the three E's – Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

5. Make time to pray (or meditate).

6. Play more games.

7. Read more books than you did in 2011.

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

9. Sleep for no less than seven hours per day.

10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12. Don't have negative thoughts over things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positives of the present moment.

13. Don't over do it. Know your personal limits.

14. Don't take yourself so seriously. Life is too short to not enjoy more.

15. Don't waste your precious time on gossip.

16. Dream more while you are awake.

17. Wanting is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

18. Let go of issues of the past. Don't remind your partner about their mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

21. Guess who is in charge of your happiness? You!

22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more.

24. You don't have to win every argument. Politely agree to disagree.

Society:

25. Call your family often.

26. Each day give something good to others.

27. Forgive others for everything.

28. Spend some quality time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of six.

29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

30. What other people think of you is none of your business.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Always do the right thing, even when it’s not the most popular thing!

33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

34. Remember GOD heals everything.

35. However good or bad a situation is, it will always change.

36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

37. Remind yourself often that the best is yet to come.

38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

39. If you believe you are happy, you will project happiness. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:

40. Encourage and help others everyday!

Beautiful Leadership Lesson

Stefon Harris' beautiful leadership lesson!

http://www.ted.com/talks/stefon_harris_there_are_no_mistakes_on_the_bandstand.html

Recent Surgery

Last Sunday: I began the clear liquid diet and the "colon prep" for my surgery scheduled for Monday morning at 6:00 a.m.

Monday: I didn't go to bed Sunday night, I was too nervous. I stayed up all night. I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. anyway to get dressed and be ready to head to Dallas by 4:00 a.m. We made it to the hospital right on time (even though the fog was bad) and I was able to sleep a bit on the way to the hospital.

I got the call to go back to the Pre-Op area where they weighed me and gave me my hospital gown, little sockies, and my hair hat thingy. Once I was undressed and into the proper hospital attire, the action really began. They took my vital signs and of course my blood pressure was high but that's to be expected. The nurse put an IV in and took some blood samples. After a few minutes, the nurse came in and said that my blood sugar was low; it was 55 so they had to re-test it. Upon retesting it, they discovered it had fallen even further to 23. They kind of freaked out and gave me this huge IV push of dextrose/glucose, which hurt me and also sent my blood sugar through the roof. All this blood testing and such took about an hour I guess. Finally they got my blood sugar up to 101.

They finally let Ray into the Pre-Op room with me so he got to witness the IV push of dextrose and the ensuing flutter of activity around my blood sugar issue.

FINALLY the surgeon came in to talk to me and let me know that while he was in taking the Lap Band out, he was also going to take my gallbladder out as well. I'm fine with that because I was actually worried about it. Then he’d also perform the gastric bypass. So, THREE surgeries at one time….yikes.

I remember being rolled into the surgery room but that only lasted about a minute and the next thing I remember I was waking up in the recovery. They had me under this wonderful blanket and had this hose of warm air blowing in on me! I immediately knew I'd had surgery because I was sore and knew so much was happening around me, a flurry of activity. Somehow I ended up in my room. I don't remember that at all. I just know that Ray appeared and we were in the room. He told me the surgery was an hour longer than anyone had expected so I was in surgery for 3 hours!

The rest of Monday was really me fading in and out. But, about mid-afternoon, maybe a little later, they asked me to begin walking. They asked that I walk the full hospital hallway length every 1.5 hours. I also had to breath into this little plastic thing to keep my lungs clear. I wasn't allowed to have anything by mouth and my mouth felt really gross so I asked if I were allowed to brush my teeth and they said yes. Thank goodness!

I had to get several insulin shots because now my blood sugar was too high!

Also, my blood pressure was high but they were not too concerned with that.

Finally my heart rate was high, around 130 but it is always high.

So, I dosed off into sleep for Monday but of course got alot of interruptions for them to take my vital signs, test my blood sugar, and give me various IV updates such as the antibiotic, more fluids, and such.

Tuesday

ROUGH day. I woke up feeling like a truck had run over me. I was not interested in any phone, ipad, TV or anything, I was simply miserable. I hurt, I ached, and I could barely walk up and down the hall. It was simply a rough day. Finally around 2 in the afternoon I told my nurse that I felt SO bad. She told me I wasn't using my pain medication enough. Literally one nurse had come back to read the machine 3 times because it indicated a reading of 6 when the potential reading was closer to 24 and she thought something must be wrong with the machine. Finally she asked me if I was using my pain medication and I told her no. The nurse told me if I'd use the morphine drip more, I'd feel better. She said I was eligible to give myself a dose every 15 minutes. So, I gave myself a dose and about an hour of 15-minute doses, I felt alot better. I decided that a good pace for myself was to give myself a dose on the hour and on the 1/2 hour. After that, I was fine.

They took my catheter out on Tuesday too-which meant I now had to get out of bed to go. They were pumping a TON of IV fluids into me so I had to go alot! It was such a big deal because I had to get out of bed, Ray literally having to pull me up a couple of times, unplug my IV pole, and roll into the bathroom. Then I'd have to wait for Ray to put this little thing I had to go into, into the potty. Then the sitting down process and the getting up process.

I fell asleep after getting up and walking around 6:00 a.m. and the respitory guy woke me up to do some breathing around 8:30. I felt this odd drip off my arm and looked down, something had gone wrong with my IV and blood was puddled on my arm, was dripping down my elbow and had a huge spot in my bed. He ran and got my nurse. Turns out my IV had popped out and I'd been sitting there bleeding while I was asleep! They had to come change my bed and give me new linens; I had to wipe all the blood off my arms and back. It was pretty gross. They then moved my IV from my arm to a central line in my neck. That allowed them to pull blood whenever they needed plus have the IV still going in.

I kept walking though and that has been the best thing I could have done.

On Tuesday I was approved to have ice chips. So Tuesday afternoon they brought me a cup of ice chips. Those were THE BEST ice chips I've ever had. I was so thirsty and wanted to gulp them all down, but had to slowly eat one and let it melt, eat another.

Was able to sleep really well Tuesday night so that went nicely.

Wednesday: Sip Test Day! I was told I'd be going for an Upper GI where I was drink something that had a dye in it so that I could be seen in the x-ray. So around 7:50 the nurse gathered me and 2 other ladies up and we went down for the sip test. There were about 10 people there total doing the sip test, but I was 2nd to go and got to return to my room pretty quickly. I drank this clear stuff that was TERRIBLE. It was so nasty. The Radiologist watched me swallow, pointed some stuff out to the Technician, made me drink some water, watched some more, they discussed something some more and then said I could go.

On the elevator, we asked the nurse if we all passed and she said two (of 3) did. I was thinking "crap, I didn't pass the test" but about an hour later the nurse assistant came bouncing in and said I'd passed and she was there to teach me how to drink! I started sipping on a grape protein drink and was able to drink for eleven straight 15-minute intervals, which was the goal to get discharged.

Now, all morning the nurses and technicians have been taking my blood pressure and my pulse because my pulse is about 130. My blood pressure has finally dropped to about 120/80 so I'm good there, but my pulse (which is ALWAYS high) was being normal and racing. The doctor even came in a second time to listen to my heart.

Around 12:15 the doctor visited me and said that because I've made such great progress he's going to let me go home! Mixed emotions: I'm so ready to be in my own world, be able to shower, be able to have regular clothes/pajamas (instead of the hospital gown) on BUT I was not ready for what the pain might be like without the IV. I was scared about being able to get enough water and protein in each day.

We continued to walk and rest Wednesday. I figured it would be around 2 before they got all the discharge paperwork done and I still had the central IV line so I couldn't get dressed or anything. Finally around 3:30 I sent Ray to the Nurse's station to ask about my discharge because we needed to plan the drive home. Ray was worried about getting caught in traffic with me hurting and he wanted a smooth drive so I wouldn't be uncomfortable.

FINALLY at 4:00 p.m. they discharged me. They have currently taken me off all my diabetic medications, my blood pressure medication, and my cholesterol medication. I have added a medication that slows my heart rate down.

Got home Wednesday night around 7. Mom is here to help me and take care of me. She's been AMAZING. I have been so very fortunate to have her here. She has swept the floor, fed the dogs, cleaned the kitchen, made my bed, and gotten anything I needed for me. It has helped me so much. She's also walked with me as I've walked ALOT.

Thursday: Ray went to work this morning so I took a little walk around 8:00. I didn't want to walk too far so I just walked from my house to the end of the street and back to my house. Mom was up by 9:00 and she and I walked every 1.5 hours steadily increasing the distance or speed. Took my pain medication a couple of times, mainly to deal with the soreness. Got all my water in and got all my protein in for the day also! YAY, I better day.

Friday: Mom and I didn't walk as many times but we walked further today. We walked twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. Joshlyn came in and she and Mom went shopping at Wal-Mart. I napped. It was a better day, getting stronger.

Saturday: Walked completely around the block twice today! Got all my protein in! Got all my water in too! I took the last dose of pain medicine Friday night around 8:00 p.m.; didn't need any at all today. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I try to help out like unloading the dishwasher and having someone else re-load it for me. Bending over is still a little hard. I go back Tuesday to get my staples out. I had thought I’d be back at work on Monday, but this was MAJOR surgery and had some complications.

The Lap Band had grown into my stomach and liver. The surgeon had to cut into my liver and my stomach to get the band out. The gall bladder alone is major surgery. The bypass alone is major surgery. So I had three major things at once and I simply wasn’t prepared for how it was really going to impact my body. Now I realize trying to return to work in a week was simply unrealistic. I think the doctor will probably allow me to return to work on November 7.

I’ll be on clear liquids for 3 weeks because of the extent of damage to my stomach, I have to be on them an extra 3 weeks per the surgeon’s instructions. He said my stomach needs extra time to heal. So, I’m drinking the heck out of some green tea!

Raining, Beautiful Rain

Weather Update from Central Texas:

After having a summer with temperatures reaching 112 degrees and months without rain, I awakened this morning to the sound of a downpour! It lasted about six hours and it was wonderful! The ground got thoroughly soaked and I'm hopeful that the temperatures will not return to the highs hanging around 107-108 degrees. Even 92 would be a welcomed relief from such highs where you feel like you're walking around in an oven.

Maybe, just maybe it will be more moderate.

You know it's been too hot and too dry when friends are sending pictures of puddles to each other!

Dissertation Process:

I have moments of calm and excitement regarding where I am with my dissertation corresponding with moments of terror and fear! While I am "getting it" much better than I was a few weeks ago, I worry about how I will be able to convey "it" from my head to paper! I am thinking about the dissertation funnel and how my work flows from student development, to identity and meaning making to moral development and faith. It it beginning to take shape in my head how things flow from broad to more narrow but I want to be able to write it well......isn't that the challenge of this whole process....being able to synthesize all that's in my head into a sensible and relatively concise document.

Onward To Fowler

I spent a little time this weekend reading Fowler's Stages of Faith Development. The problem with reading entire books is that the authors don't just get to their point! The author has to put in everything including the kitchen sink to make the book. Fowler certainly includes valuable information but much of it I don't need-I just need to get to the stages really! Maybe I'm wanting to cut too much out though just to get to the good stuff!

I went to Starbucks to read yesterday-of course Chatty Cathy and her friend Babbling Brook had to sit right next to me for an hour! And of course the Starbucks in Stephenville is the only Starbucks in the nation that has the music up so loud you can't hear yourself think. Literally I've been in Starbucks from Boston to California and Stephenville is the only Starbucks that is hard to read it because the music is so loud! I can't bring myself to ask them to turn it down though-I just can't be THAT lady! HA!

I just priced the cruise I'm wanting to take in October and it's gone up $200! I'm so sad! That's $400 extra for the two of us :( I should have booked it when I first started dreaming about it! That'll teach me! I actually should take a week off and just work on my literature review. However the quandary is that I need to read, then write so I hate to think of taking time off to simply read!

Hopefully I'll get alot of reading done in the next couple of week/ends and then I can really dig in to the writing. I've gotten a good bit of outlining done on Chickering and have written a brief diddy about Kohlberg. Now I just need to shape it in a way that synthesizes my thoughts related to student spiritual development.

I am excited to actually get writing done. The reading I'm doing is great and worthy and productive but I don't actually feel productive yet. Although I've gotten a number of pages written, I don't feel like I'm actually writing yet.......I know that's silly!