Last Post?

I don't remember a lot about the last several months, aside from going through symptoms that I thought were never going to end. I dragged myself back to the GI specialist, and he said that the systems should have adjusted by then, and put me on some medication. Such proved to be the "magic bullet," but I was still very weak from the previous symptoms. If the gallbladder stuff had happened without the gastroenteritits, I would have recovered faster, and vice versa.

During this time, I learned a lot about the Prayer of Simple Regard, and the Prayer of the Will. The latter I discovered when reading about St. Vincent de Paul's writings on Mental Prayer. He taught the sick to use the "Prayer of the Will," as he called it. I found it to be similar to St. Therese's prayers during the final days of her life. Her sisters found her looking to Heaven with her hands folded in prayer. She explained that that was her prayer--loving Him.

I have had to chill in more than one way. I could not watch TV or read the news. Sensory Integration Dysfunction overload had to be quelled. Absolute silence both within and without. I asked God if there was anything we were missing/overlooking, and my attention was drawn to the master bathroom lineoleum. Once the old stuff was removed, I felt a lot better.

In June, God showed me what He wants me to do after He takes hubby, and it does not include marriage. Hubby then left the church in July, disenchanted by the sex abuse scandals, among other things. When the boys returned to school in late August, the germs were already flying. On the fourth day of school, one was home sick. After what I've been through, I'm a sitting duck where immunity issues are concerned. I have been praying fervently for my guys not to bring anything home to me. In our family history, February and March have been the worst months for it. Germs picked up during Christmas holidays will have had time to incubate.

September brought my Aspie son's 18th birthday, and we have guardianship issues to take care of. October, I was busy putting together a 10 page report for my local bishop on the activities of Cloister Outreach this past year. November I turned 47 and we had a blessed Thanksgiving with relatives. We should always support in prayer those who are experiencing the holidays without their loved ones, for whatever reason they might be absent.

I was also stunned to learn of the death of one of our beloved high school coaches in my hometown. He was not only a pillar of the community, but a deacon of the church in which I grew up. He had been my Sunday School teacher one year, and always referred to Jesus as "God." He was a man of tremendous faith and compassion, and could not believe that God had blessed him with twins the first time he and his wife were expecting.

I am seriously considering giving up blogging. Experience has proven it is not healthy--at least not for me. I started it for the sake of those praciticing lay eremitism. I admit that while I have lived a reclusive life for religious reasons (and my bishop knows about this), my experiences probably have not been all that helpful to anyone. Some readers seem to think I am in need of an "in your face" style of novitiate for some reason. I am not a religious, I am a lay person, and insist on being respected as such. I have no qualms about contacting someone's ISP if they persist in their harrassment. I have an amicable relationship with my local chancery.

The Cloisterites are going to eventually take over Cloister Outreach's webpresence, to include the blogs. If I see that my energies are useful on the blogisphere, I may return. As of right now, I don't have the energy.

Y'all have a blessed 2011,
Gemma

Just chillin'

I would've blogged sooner, but I sustained a concussion when I ran into the oral surgeon's light's elbow joint last Tuesday. I might be a 94 on the Attention Deficit Disorder scale, but that whack put me at 99.

I am still dealing with the stomach issues. I had a lot thrown at me this past year, and I just simply have to chill and give the body a chance to regroup. My GI specialist wants to scope me, too. I've been working on a couple of novels (I consider myself a freelance writer in semi-retirement), and I'm trying to organize research materials for other works-in-progress. This in addition to my work with Cloister Outreach.

School finally ended on the 11th. My Aspie son made the A Honor Roll; the other son made the A-B Honor Roll. We're catching up on Dr. Who now. The Aspie has oral surgery on the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. He has one tooth impacted, which will be removed. Two others haven't come in yet, but since they are unopposed, they will have to be removed--probably within the next 2-3 years. The only reason I'm posting that is for educational purposes.

Blessings,
Gemma

Surgery Came and Went

Presently recouperating from laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery. I met with the surgeon last Wednesday, and Friday morning, bright and early, I was at the local surgery center. State law forbade a stay longer than 23 hours, so I was back home by 5:30am Saturday morning. I'm still deaing with gastroenteritis, though.

My Aspergers son is having feeding issues, too, but the Duocal seems to be stimulating his appetite, finally. He lost 20 pounds last year during the wintertime virus season, and never gained it back. We were sent to the "Kids-Eat" program at Wake Forest, and they put him on a treatment plan.

Blessings,
Gemma

The Real Meaning of Lent?

I had thought after mom's funeral I would be able to settle into some peace and quiet here at the house, and lead a quietly penitential Lent, but God had some very incredible plans for us. As St. Francis de Sales says, "Don't go looking for the cross, it'll find you."

Our locality was hit hard by wintertime viruses. After being sick for two weeks, the Norwalk virus exploited my Asperger's son's condition. He had a seizure--a result of dehydration--and had to be taken to the ER via ambulance. Once he was through that, my other son was out of school several days with a fever that wouldn't hardly go down. I got the same fever, and on top of that, had to contend with internet slander that was unleashed upon me and the fledgling Cloisterites. My spiritual director, a Dominican involved in full-time formation in Quebec, was a real hero through it all. I am a simple housewife, mother, webmaster, and foundress. In the last two offices, I work entirely within my boundaries.

I kept thinking the abdominal pain I was experiencing was just stress, or a virus, but when the pain increased, and I had to start double-swallowing, I knew I needed to get to the dr. Four ounces at a time, and even that didn't want to be happy where it was. I am reclined more than I am up. Gravity makes the symptoms worse. TV and radio--sound for that matter--are intolerable. I need to spend the time with God anyway.

An ultrasound showed gallstones, but that doesn't explain the rest of my symptoms. A barium swallow is scheduled for this week. (Hopefully, the country doesn't melt down before that).

I will have to close here, since I am weak from not eating and from the symptoms themselves.

Blessings,
Gemma

Black Wax Post

In colonial days, if a letter arrived sealed with black wax, news of a death was within.

Mom passed this afternoon during the Hour of Divine Mercy.

I am more at peace than I thought I would be.

The funeral will be at my BIL's funeral home (Owen) in Louisville, KY, on Saturday. I will be present for visitation on Friday.

Blessings,
Gemma

The Black Wax Post

In Colonial times, wax was used to seal letters. Any color could be used, and black was reserved for death notices.

Mom passed this afternoon during the Hour of Mercy (3 to 4 pm). I am at peace with it.

The visitation and funeral will be this Friday and Saturday at my BIL's funeral home (Owen). I will be present for the Friday Visitation.

Blessings,
Gemma

I See I Have a Lot to Update

Mom got moved to a nursing home this week, so now that she's weaker, she has around-the-clock professional care. We were concerned that her caretakers who had been staying with her would not be able to evacuate her safely in the event of fire--despite the FD headquarters being across the street. Mom's move has already had positive influence on her. She was too isolated in her apt, and kept telling her caretakers that she wanted to go to sleep and wake up to see the face of Jesus. She also wanted to see me, her baby, one last time.

I told her that Jesus might have another plan, and that He might want her to meet more people. Then one of my sisters announced that arrangements had been made for the nursing home. The move took place this past Monday, and the sister in charge of the move declared mom to be in "magnificent" shape.

My MIL seems to have perked up now that the holidays are approaching--and we will be visiting. The ghosts are still giving her fits. We shall see what's happening when we get there. The last time she was going through this, I had to sprinkle Lourdes water throughout the house, and place Miraculous Medals in every room. I even bought her a large St. Benedict crucifix to keep in her room, and a St. Benedict rosary to keep on her person. Since November is the month of the Faithful Departed, I would almost expect more activity--if indeed that is what it is--during this month. During the "triduum" of Halloweeen; All Saints Day; and All Souls Day, the activity increased. There have been a lot of religious (and laity) praying for her and her house.

As for my Aspie son, I prayed to know what to feed him to help bulk him up--actually just to get weight on him, and "Muscle Milk" kept coming to me. I had seen weightlifters at the gym purchase it from the front desk, so I asked him if he would like to try, and he was desperate. The boy typically is very finicky about what he eats--texture problems due to the autism--but I guess this was a "shot across the bow" for him. We ordered two cases from the Vitamin Shoppe and he alternates between Chocolate Mint in the morning, and Vanilla Creme at bedtime. I also bought him a "City Gainers" smoothie at the gym (I use a "City Burners" during every workout--keeps the muscle pain at bay), and that did more for putting weight on him than anything, including ice cream. We have one City Gainers in the freezer, and he partakes at his leisure.

I am trying to get him into a special clinic at UNC-Chapel Hill for the sake of his liver problems. We have permission from his GI specialist to use Advil--Tylenol is discouraged but permitted. The last time I gave him Advil was for a migraine, but the jaundice came back quite darkly in his eyes, so prevention is the course at this time. We see an endocrinologist this coming week to see if my family history of thyroid problems will be heeded. All three of my sisters have had their thyroids removed, and my aunt and her two daughters have had problems, also.

As for the other members of the family, we got my neurotypical son over a recurrent case of "Bulbous Impetigo". We thought it was just dermatitis, so the dermo--who thought it was shingles--did a biopsy. Two weeks of Doxycycline, and the bubbles (blisters) are no more.

Hubby has quit graduate school to concentrate on politics. He has been to five demonstrations--two in DC--and plans to attend more. We are dismayed that there are no more than just him from the Triad area, or NC for that matter, attending these things.

Pray for us as we pray for you.

Blessings,
Gemma