My Mind Has Been Elsewhere
I don’t usually wait this long between posts. It’s been a busy week with a number of issues to deal with. As I sit here typing I am trying to decide whether to drown you with a list of them or not. Should I use my blog as a chance to get it all off my chest?
In addition to the routine summer schedule of daily swimming lessons, the kids’ workshop at the two local museums, and all the regular errands, we had five different medical appointments last week. Yes, between the kids, the dog, and myself, I attend medical-related appointments at least once a week. But last week there were five. Five!
All but two were routine. Something is wrong with my cute little dog, the puppy I consider my baby. We have been trying different things to figure out what the problem is. Much of my attention has been on him and not on AgnosticMom-related topics.
Also, I was ready to move away from the topic of death, which has dominated this blog lately. Then my husband’s young uncle died last week. He died at thirty-six years old. He stopped breathing while his wife was out getting medicine for him. So it keeps the topic front and center in my mind. It is hard to fathom someone’s life vanishing with no warning like that. One day you’re sharing dinner with a person at a family gathering. The next week they are gone forever. I am worried about his wife.
And last night I got to remember what it is like to be a new mother. I took one of my sister’s three babies for the night to give her a break. She recently had twins (new siblings to her toddler) and the pregnancy induced congestive heart failure. She is having trouble healing because she can’t get any sleep between the three babies. Can you imagine?
So, I guess I decided to go ahead and throw all of this out at you.
Those of you who have been waiting for Leaving the Church, Part 4 can rest assured that I am beginning to work on that now. I can’t promise it will be out before Tuesday. Trinity goes to the neurologist tomorrow and I plan to take my dog back into the vet for a new bizarre symptom that has surfaced. But I will post it by Tuesday at the latest.
To hold all you ex-Mormons over until then, let me introduce you to C.L. Hanson, author of a new book I will be writing a review for called, ExMormon. She just started writing her own deconversion story and you can read part one here. If that isn’t enough for you, go to her post here to see a list of other Mormon deconversion stories.
And if you’re interested in reading something other than Mormon-related stuff, Hanson also wrote a post that has to do with my earlier entry about how our current culture has become safer for children than in the past. She has very interesting theories on why that is so and outlines some even more interesting ideas for what that it means regarding sex and birth control.
Now I have your attention, don’t I?
And one last note to Dan, if you are still out there. Unless something else pressing comes up, I will soon post my entry regarding the implications of materialist philosophy that you requested. No, I haven’t forgotten.
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July 16th, 2006 @ 6:41 pm
Sounds like you have a really full plate! Don’t worry about us, we can take care of ourselves, although we do miss your posts…
Take care of yourself, the kids, the puppy, and the family… we’ll be here for you when you get back, even if it is only to let you vent… Everyone needs a vent…
Take care!
Jason
July 16th, 2006 @ 7:40 pm
Condolences on your loss.
Life comes at you fast at times, but being able to spend that time with you family knowing that every day is special is all that any of us should need. Take the time you need with your family and we will take care of ourselves.
July 16th, 2006 @ 10:44 pm
Hi Noell,
I’m really sorry to hear that you’re going through all of these difficult things. It’s nice that you and your family can be there to help your sister.
Thanks for mentioning my blog, though.
By the way, our posts about child safety and life expectancy inspired another favorite blogger “sam-i-am” (Feminist, Economist) to post here about the economics behind this same question.
I think you may have had some interaction with sam-i-am in the comments of my blog. She’s also an exmormon (agnostic/atheist?) mom, and — weren’t you saying that you were attending BYU around the same time I was there? — well, so was she. Small world, huh?
July 16th, 2006 @ 11:51 pm
Wow, you do have a lot going on. I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s uncle. It seems particularly unfair when young people die.
And your sister… wow. I wonder if she could hire a night nurse to help with the babies. It’s expensive, but it seems like her health demands it. I can’t imagine twins and a toddler although I have seen several friends go through it. It’s rough even without heart problems.
Take care! Hope you’re managing to stay cool in this heat.
July 17th, 2006 @ 2:58 pm
Noell,
I, too, offer condolences for your family’s loss. The loss of someone so young is particularly difficult to deal with.
In a bit of irony, my wife has a niece who gave birth to twin girls about 11 months after delivering her first child, a boy. The stress on her body, which had likely not properly recovered from the first pregnancy, also resulted in her having congestive heart failure. She has pretty much recovered now, but it was touch and go for her for several months. Needless to say, having 2 infants and a toddler is rough.
You are a busy mom. In these times, I think your situation is more the rule than the exception. The demands of being married, raising children, maintaining a home, along with other family and personal relationships, being a part of a community, AND having at least some part of the day to pursue your own interests is a bit dicey, to say the least.
Even though my kids are now adults, I find there is still a lot on my plate. As I have mentioned, both of my kids will be home for a couple of weeks, and then we are driving to Florida to move my younger son to attend graduate school. (In that regard, it doesn’t get any cheaper, either.)
As you get older, you realize that you have to let some things go. For instance, it being that I am now 60 years old, about 5′9″ tall weighing in over 200 pounds with bad knees (it’s not a pretty picture) I have finally given up my aspirations of making it in the NBA.
I might get back to figure skating, though. The olympics are still a couple of years away. I’m one agile dude. I have no doubt that I can perform a tripple cluts.
TLS
July 18th, 2006 @ 12:36 pm
Noell,
I’m so sorry about Israel’s uncle and all the many many things you have going on. Take care of yourself and don’t wear yourself out. We’ll always be here, so take your time posting, although I too am eager for your part four.
July 18th, 2006 @ 3:06 pm
Noell,
Cyber hugs to you & your family during this stressful time. You are one of my favourite bloggers, though I know I’m pretty quiet about that…I thought I might encourage you with hearing that now.
July 18th, 2006 @ 5:55 pm
Hope things take a turn for the better soon.
April 15th, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
Hi, I’m 91, also an agnostic and was trying to find statistics on longevity, comparing the non-religious and the religious and I arrived at your site.
Your blog is so different than most (nicer,more polite) that I continued to read and decided to make a suggestion. Have the relative with heart failure read about Co-enzyme Q10.
When I 1st got a computer at age 79 this was the first thing I read about. There was an article by a doctor in Texas who wrote about his use of Co-Q10 for heart failure patients. He said that it not only strengthened their hearts but also improved their immune systems.
I had been taking it to increase my energy level but had also noticed my immune system was working better. I increased the amount to 60 mg. per day and I am better now than I was then and have no heart problem other than a very slight murmur.
I’m not suggesting anyone take the product but that they might want to read about it and ask questions of their doctor.
Hope no one is offended by my butting in. Eunice in Oregon
August 31st, 2008 @ 2:58 am
Xanax….
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