Oh dear its been a while since I posted anything. I have been in shock from the beginning of school and trying to keep track of eight different classes and my part time job. On top of that Paul and I have been sick so things have been a little crazy. I am excited about my classes though, and get to learn lots of new exciting things and get lots of hands on experience. Here is a little peak into my semester...
-Principles of Instruction/Curriculum Design
-Measurment in the Behavioral/Health Sciences
-Applied Behavioral Methods (basically a class learning a statistical analysis program, luckily I learned it in undergrad)
-Spanish for Healthcare Professionals
-Prevention of Mental/Behavioral Illness and Mental Health Promotion
-Intro to Epidemiology (Epi for non-epi people)
-Intro to the US Healthcare System (another required core class)
-Community Needs Assessment
Its probably way too much, but I would rather get a lot of units done before the baby comes. Then I should only have 3 or 4 classes left to take before I can graduate. I am really excited about being a stay at home mom when the baby comes, and I don't want to be in too many classes after that. But anyway I am excited about this semester. I may even get to design a curriculum for the SBC public health department as an assignment for a class, possibly with Avian Flu preparedness for county employees and doctors in the area.
So what will I do with all this school work? I really don't know at this point, or know if I will even use it in the next ten years. But when else would I do it? At the very least I would be really happy consulting part-time for non-profits in our area, even if it meant getting paid very little. Maybe I could help them conduct needs assesments and design health education curriculum? Or just help them evaluate their programs. I don't know, but I don't feel too stressed about it, if God wants me to use it, I will.
Baby News: Paul and I are getting really excited for next friday, Feb 9th! Our ultrasound is that day and we are really hoping we can find out the gender and start calling this baby a name besides "It". Hopefully baby isn't too shy. We also want to see the baby move around and see if he/she is healthy. I certainly feel the baby move around all the time now. It's such a pleasant feeling, too bad it can't stay so pleasant. Anyway I definitely can't wait until next friday!
Pregnant News: Feeling great. Going through massive transition into crazy-hungry woman. While I hadn't gained more than a couple pounds total, I think that will have changed at our next prenatal on Monday. I have mostly just grown around the waist. I think it grew 2 inches in 2 weeks which is nuts. It feels so stretched and Paul and I are in disbelief at its rapid growth. The rest of my body has not changed though, so my clothes no longer fit and maternity pants are annoyingly baggy. I would post a picture, but its from a week and a half ago and it just looks completely different. I am still getting exercise by walking to my shuttle, but I am definitely making up for it! Its also been freeezzinngg, so I feel like a bundled rolly poly walking outside in the morning. There may be ice storms tonight...
Anyway thats all for now. When I stop being embarassed about it, I will tell a really dorky story about going to the ER last week....
TO BE CONTINUED!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Late Night Worries
Its funny the things that keep you up at night. I mean its normal to worry about becoming a parent and about your baby, but tonight I am up with the strangest concern...
How do I dress a baby for 90-95 degree heat with 90% humidity when he or she comes in the summer?
I mean, if it was freezing like it was today (35 when walking to school) I can totally picture bundling up a little newborn in hats and a warm jumper with booties. But 95 degrees? Thats hot, I don't even know how to dress myself for that weather. Ick. I guess I won't be outside that much anyway, but what if I have to walk to the grocery store or something? What about going outside in general? Ok I guess just a tshirt onesie (is that what its called?) will work just fine and I can gauge how the baby responds. Or just not go outside until late October.
This is ridiculous, the baby will be fine. Women in Ghana walked around with their little babies attached to them with a cloth outside all the time, and it was the same weather as summer in Atlanta. Time to get sleep.
How do I dress a baby for 90-95 degree heat with 90% humidity when he or she comes in the summer?
I mean, if it was freezing like it was today (35 when walking to school) I can totally picture bundling up a little newborn in hats and a warm jumper with booties. But 95 degrees? Thats hot, I don't even know how to dress myself for that weather. Ick. I guess I won't be outside that much anyway, but what if I have to walk to the grocery store or something? What about going outside in general? Ok I guess just a tshirt onesie (is that what its called?) will work just fine and I can gauge how the baby responds. Or just not go outside until late October.
This is ridiculous, the baby will be fine. Women in Ghana walked around with their little babies attached to them with a cloth outside all the time, and it was the same weather as summer in Atlanta. Time to get sleep.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Accomplishment
What is accomplishment? Accomplishment is making your first genuine, vegetable-full, home-cooked meal in 7 weeks without puking. I made Chicken Tortilla soup with lime, and I was even able to eat it. And enjoy it. NO GAGGING INVOLVED. Someone call the presses.
I could get used to doing this cooking thing again.
I could get used to doing this cooking thing again.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
A visit to North Carolina and a change of weather...
Thanksgiving weekend Paul and I had the pleasure of visiting my Aunt and Uncle and two of their kids from Florida in N. Carolina. They had gone up to Murphy, North Carolina and stayed at a beautiful little cabin in the quickly-dying Appalachians. Whereas a few weeks before the trees were burning with oranges, reds and yellows, most leaves had dropped or faded to nearly brown, leaving bare, tall, skinny trees. However it was so beautiful to get up into the mountains with all its peacefulness. My Aunt and Uncle invited us to come stay with them, and we quickly agreed, it was only an hour and 45 minutes drive! (Did you know Georgia borders both North and South Carolina?)
We stayed in a cozy little cabin Saturday night and Sunday spent a long day fishing in one of the many rivers. It was so much fun! It had been a long time since I trout fished. My Aunt is great at it (as is my mom). My Grandpa and Grandma loved to fish and taught all their kids. They went up to the Eastern Sierras every year when their kids were little and spent a whole month there. When they retired they spent a third of each year as campground hosts near Big Pine. They loved it, staying all summer in their motorhome; fishing, chatting with vacationers, watching kids play, and making friends with other yearly visitors. It was so sad when they could no longer make the drive, no longer meet the host duties. My Grandpa died a year and a half ago. It was nice to fish and think about him. He was probably fishing too, but with a much greater fisherman.
Anyway we each caught a fish, Paul and I each caught a 9 or 10 inch trout (they each looked like they could barely feed a child). But my Aunt caught a big 16 inch trout. It was even a brookie, a native species unlike our rainbow trouts. It was great fun (though under 30 degrees in the morning!) However I will admit I am bad with catching fish. I am afraid of them. Don't ask. When I caught my fish I started screaming as it flopped about near my rock and I nearly dropped the pole. (Similar reactions occur when I try to snorkel. I just don't want them to touch me). Needless to say I didn't help eat the fish. It was a great trip though, beautiful, relaxing, and great to hangout with family. It was like breathing after holding my breath in the city. I am so not a city girl.
P.S. the weather has changed. There were definitely some 80 degree days in Nov, but now its been 20 degrees when I walk the 2 miles to my shuttle. Brr! Baby is cold!
We stayed in a cozy little cabin Saturday night and Sunday spent a long day fishing in one of the many rivers. It was so much fun! It had been a long time since I trout fished. My Aunt is great at it (as is my mom). My Grandpa and Grandma loved to fish and taught all their kids. They went up to the Eastern Sierras every year when their kids were little and spent a whole month there. When they retired they spent a third of each year as campground hosts near Big Pine. They loved it, staying all summer in their motorhome; fishing, chatting with vacationers, watching kids play, and making friends with other yearly visitors. It was so sad when they could no longer make the drive, no longer meet the host duties. My Grandpa died a year and a half ago. It was nice to fish and think about him. He was probably fishing too, but with a much greater fisherman.
Anyway we each caught a fish, Paul and I each caught a 9 or 10 inch trout (they each looked like they could barely feed a child). But my Aunt caught a big 16 inch trout. It was even a brookie, a native species unlike our rainbow trouts. It was great fun (though under 30 degrees in the morning!) However I will admit I am bad with catching fish. I am afraid of them. Don't ask. When I caught my fish I started screaming as it flopped about near my rock and I nearly dropped the pole. (Similar reactions occur when I try to snorkel. I just don't want them to touch me). Needless to say I didn't help eat the fish. It was a great trip though, beautiful, relaxing, and great to hangout with family. It was like breathing after holding my breath in the city. I am so not a city girl.
P.S. the weather has changed. There were definitely some 80 degree days in Nov, but now its been 20 degrees when I walk the 2 miles to my shuttle. Brr! Baby is cold!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Of OB's, Midwives, and Hospitals...
So I've never been one to be scared of hospitals or doctors offices. I am more fascinated by them. I have even had the mother-of-all hospital experiences---- overnight in a developing world hospital. I was in extreme pain, the nurse didnt speak much English, and I am still unsure of what they hooked me up to (although I think it was morphine, all I know is it certainly felt good). So giving birth in a cushy hospital in the public health capitol of America should be fine right?
Well now that my next major hospital stay will involve my little baby, it seems so much scarier. Wil they do everything right? Will I know how to do anything right? What if my midwife is mean or weird? What if they do something wrong with my baby? Ahh! So many unknowns I can't really control. Its always a little scary to put yourself in the hands of others.
I do like the hospital though and the office we went through. We are going through the Emory clinic that has both OBs and midwives who work together at the hospital. Paul and I are going to go through the midwife/group program. Instead of just coming in once a month for a one-on-one appointment, you meet monthly with a couple midwives and a few other couples due in the same month as you. They do all the check up stuff still, there is just more time to ask questions and recieve more education as a group. I've really liked the midwives I met so far, so I think it will be a good way to go. The hospital we will give birth at is Emory Crawford-Long hospital, one of 3 hospitals Emory owns. It is in the middle of downtown, which kind of scared me going there for a checkup. It was so big! But everything is newly-renovated and the Labor and Delivery floor is supposed to be nice. The hospital rooms look like bedrooms instead of scary sterile hospital rooms, they encourage you to walk around a lot and take baths and use alternative methods of pain control (still not sure about the epidural though). There is even a couch for daddy there and in the recovery room.
Wow, I dont think Ive ever spent so much time analyzing a hospital or doctor group. It doesn't help being in public health. I have extreme criticisms of medical establishments, especially OB-related ones, because I have access to all the research about evidence-based medicine, what works and what doesn't. I am also really interested in health literacy and whether doctors and nurses make their care/instructions/demeanor accessible for those with limited literacy skills or limited understanding of health and healthcare.
Case in Point: Foods you shouldnt eat during pregnancy. At no point in time during any of my checkups was information given to me regarding foods that are and arent ok to eat during pregnancy. Of course I know this information because I obsessively examined pregnancy websites and books. But many people dont know things like unpasteurized cheeses and deli meats are potentially harmful. If you dont have books or access to the internet, how in the world would you know that? Assuming patients have access to that information (when 1/4 of Americans have difficulty reading above a 4th grade level too) is dangerous and irresponsible.
Anyways, there is my rant for the day. I am done. I know I am being over critical, and perhaps oversensitive. This is why I shouldnt blog, I just ramble on about uninteresting things.
Here is a link to the hospital, we are so excited yay! (As Audrey said, "I am not going to want to come back to Marian after giving birth here")
http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/departments/maternity_center/index.html
Well I am off to attempt to make some thanksgiving foods: Chocolate pecan pie, buttnernut squash roast and stuffing. This is my first attempt cooking in a while... maybe I need a clothespin for my nose :)
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Well now that my next major hospital stay will involve my little baby, it seems so much scarier. Wil they do everything right? Will I know how to do anything right? What if my midwife is mean or weird? What if they do something wrong with my baby? Ahh! So many unknowns I can't really control. Its always a little scary to put yourself in the hands of others.
I do like the hospital though and the office we went through. We are going through the Emory clinic that has both OBs and midwives who work together at the hospital. Paul and I are going to go through the midwife/group program. Instead of just coming in once a month for a one-on-one appointment, you meet monthly with a couple midwives and a few other couples due in the same month as you. They do all the check up stuff still, there is just more time to ask questions and recieve more education as a group. I've really liked the midwives I met so far, so I think it will be a good way to go. The hospital we will give birth at is Emory Crawford-Long hospital, one of 3 hospitals Emory owns. It is in the middle of downtown, which kind of scared me going there for a checkup. It was so big! But everything is newly-renovated and the Labor and Delivery floor is supposed to be nice. The hospital rooms look like bedrooms instead of scary sterile hospital rooms, they encourage you to walk around a lot and take baths and use alternative methods of pain control (still not sure about the epidural though). There is even a couch for daddy there and in the recovery room.
Wow, I dont think Ive ever spent so much time analyzing a hospital or doctor group. It doesn't help being in public health. I have extreme criticisms of medical establishments, especially OB-related ones, because I have access to all the research about evidence-based medicine, what works and what doesn't. I am also really interested in health literacy and whether doctors and nurses make their care/instructions/demeanor accessible for those with limited literacy skills or limited understanding of health and healthcare.
Case in Point: Foods you shouldnt eat during pregnancy. At no point in time during any of my checkups was information given to me regarding foods that are and arent ok to eat during pregnancy. Of course I know this information because I obsessively examined pregnancy websites and books. But many people dont know things like unpasteurized cheeses and deli meats are potentially harmful. If you dont have books or access to the internet, how in the world would you know that? Assuming patients have access to that information (when 1/4 of Americans have difficulty reading above a 4th grade level too) is dangerous and irresponsible.
Anyways, there is my rant for the day. I am done. I know I am being over critical, and perhaps oversensitive. This is why I shouldnt blog, I just ramble on about uninteresting things.
Here is a link to the hospital, we are so excited yay! (As Audrey said, "I am not going to want to come back to Marian after giving birth here")
http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/departments/maternity_center/index.html
Well I am off to attempt to make some thanksgiving foods: Chocolate pecan pie, buttnernut squash roast and stuffing. This is my first attempt cooking in a while... maybe I need a clothespin for my nose :)
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
New Experiences
So this is my first attempt in a while to try to "blog". I don't usually have interesting things to say, but it as my sister-in-law Christy pointed out, it will help me keep up with family and friends as Paul and I figure life out here in Atlanta.
EEK there is a major southern thunderstorm going on right now! Paul is working a very long day. I love thunder, but never really enjoyed it by myself. Anyway onto blogging..
Mommy/Baby Update:
Up until now I pretty much trusted by body. It gets mad when I push it too hard, it tells me when I am sleepy, and I am well aware of its physiological functioning and am in quite awe of it. However, pregnancy is temporarily changing this. While now I am in awe of that little tiny body growing in me, I am somewhat doubtful that my body knows what its doing. Is being horribly nauseous REALLY conducive to growing a baby? I don't think so. Come on body, you need FOOD to grow a baby. I have been losing weight so far, not good, but fortunately I have some organic insurance around my hips and other areas, so I should be fine. Now the sleepiness I understand, the body needs to work harder to help grow this little life, but the nausea- nope don't see a purpose.
In more exciting baby news, Paul and I have almost conclusively decided on names. If its a girl, her name will be Magdalena (Maggie for short). For a boy we were debating some early church fathers names like Augustine, Ambrose, Athanasius etc. But I decided I wasn't bold enough. So we are going with Obadiah for a boy (Obie for short) which means "servant of Yahweh" or Tobias which means "goodness of the Lord. My motherly intuition thinks its a boy (my mom was able to predict all three kids). Hey, I have a 50% chance of being right. Well, 50.05 or so considering the gender ratio. Either would be a lot of fun!
Atlanta Life:
So what's it like living in Atlanta? Well I am not sure yet. I have spent half the time here home bound, and the other half setting up home. It looks exciting though... The most conclusive thing I can say is that trees changing colors are really pretty. Decatur, the city we live in, is right outside Atlanta, and being slightly less urbanized, is full of big, tall beautiful trees that are now red, orange, yellow...and making a mess everywhere. Decatur is pretty trendy, lots of different ethnic groups and restaurants and shopping areas. My favorite part is what is called the "Dekalb International Farmer's Market". Its this huge warehouse building with tons of fresh produce for great prices from all over the world. I even found real yams (white yams), the kind used to make fufu in Ghana! Visits there are lots of fun (though I don't go shopping much anymore as I currently cannot cook). Paul and I are hoping to go camping in either the Blue Mountains or on the coast (since there may be some semblance of surfing there).
Here is a list of things I hope to do while living here:
-Go to Savannah, GA- supposed to be beautiful and fun historically
-Camp in Appalachians, hike part of the trail
-Find an awesome southern food restaurant
-Go to Charleston
-Visit the Carolinas- supposed to have pretty beaches and beautiful forests
-Get involved in a ministry- this will be the longest I have stayed in one place in a while!
-Go to the Museum of High Art
Ok so this is kind of a lot, and is budget-dependent, but we'll see!
Well, I have several assignments due this week, and I am rather unmotivated. Time to get going on them!
EEK there is a major southern thunderstorm going on right now! Paul is working a very long day. I love thunder, but never really enjoyed it by myself. Anyway onto blogging..
Mommy/Baby Update:
Up until now I pretty much trusted by body. It gets mad when I push it too hard, it tells me when I am sleepy, and I am well aware of its physiological functioning and am in quite awe of it. However, pregnancy is temporarily changing this. While now I am in awe of that little tiny body growing in me, I am somewhat doubtful that my body knows what its doing. Is being horribly nauseous REALLY conducive to growing a baby? I don't think so. Come on body, you need FOOD to grow a baby. I have been losing weight so far, not good, but fortunately I have some organic insurance around my hips and other areas, so I should be fine. Now the sleepiness I understand, the body needs to work harder to help grow this little life, but the nausea- nope don't see a purpose.
In more exciting baby news, Paul and I have almost conclusively decided on names. If its a girl, her name will be Magdalena (Maggie for short). For a boy we were debating some early church fathers names like Augustine, Ambrose, Athanasius etc. But I decided I wasn't bold enough. So we are going with Obadiah for a boy (Obie for short) which means "servant of Yahweh" or Tobias which means "goodness of the Lord. My motherly intuition thinks its a boy (my mom was able to predict all three kids). Hey, I have a 50% chance of being right. Well, 50.05 or so considering the gender ratio. Either would be a lot of fun!
Atlanta Life:
So what's it like living in Atlanta? Well I am not sure yet. I have spent half the time here home bound, and the other half setting up home. It looks exciting though... The most conclusive thing I can say is that trees changing colors are really pretty. Decatur, the city we live in, is right outside Atlanta, and being slightly less urbanized, is full of big, tall beautiful trees that are now red, orange, yellow...and making a mess everywhere. Decatur is pretty trendy, lots of different ethnic groups and restaurants and shopping areas. My favorite part is what is called the "Dekalb International Farmer's Market". Its this huge warehouse building with tons of fresh produce for great prices from all over the world. I even found real yams (white yams), the kind used to make fufu in Ghana! Visits there are lots of fun (though I don't go shopping much anymore as I currently cannot cook). Paul and I are hoping to go camping in either the Blue Mountains or on the coast (since there may be some semblance of surfing there).
Here is a list of things I hope to do while living here:
-Go to Savannah, GA- supposed to be beautiful and fun historically
-Camp in Appalachians, hike part of the trail
-Find an awesome southern food restaurant
-Go to Charleston
-Visit the Carolinas- supposed to have pretty beaches and beautiful forests
-Get involved in a ministry- this will be the longest I have stayed in one place in a while!
-Go to the Museum of High Art
Ok so this is kind of a lot, and is budget-dependent, but we'll see!
Well, I have several assignments due this week, and I am rather unmotivated. Time to get going on them!
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