25 Letters

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Wrist Cysts

I've had a small disturbance in the right wrist lately. It isn't seen unless the wrist is flexed…and when flexed just looks like a bone forgot where it was going and went up instead of over. After discussions with several medically trained specialists (aka friends who "had a friend who had one of those"), I decided it was probably either a calcium deposit or some sort of cyst.

Several suggestions were given. Several were: Have someone flick the protruding bump to burst it, or brace it against a wall and slam a book into it (which I'm sure the wrist didn't mind at all), and yet another favorite - place a quarter on it and slam a bible into it (a new and different use for God's Word…).

While all of these options were interesting, none seemed entirely appealing. I decided, that since I was a dutiful state employee, and was the possessor of the health benefits that is sometimes the ONLY reason you work for the state, I would take advantage of said benefits and let a medical professional take care of the bump.

I headed to the Capitol First Aid station and was told by my friend Tim (who is a nurse practitioner) that I indeed had a cyst. While many called them bible cysts (for the above mentioned method) he had a much more technical name - that I can't remember, and definitely couldn't spell. Wait…it was a ganglion cyst (thanks google!). To see a technical definition, click here. He told me the best option was to go to a doctor and have them remove some of the liquid that was making the cyst. I took his advice.

Yesterday I headed to ARC (Austin Regional Clinic) to the doctor Tim recommended. He agreed with Tim's opinion and told me I had a couple of options. He then proceeded to tell me about the banging methods, which I quickly nixed. He said he could stick me and remove fluid or I could go see a surgion to have them remove it via surgury. My chances of it coming back were 50%-50% if he took fluid and 93%-7% if it was surgically removed. I'll take my chances thanks…I don't want surgury.

After removing what looked like Neosporin from my wrist, he said to keep a pressure dressing on for 2-3 hrs and be nice to it (Tim had told me to elevate for 24hrs, and that typing would hurt. After this post, I'm beginning to believe him).

So, my wrist is close to back to normal. However, there is still a bump, and I definitely am sore in the wrist region. Hopefully I'll be in the top 50% and it will go away on it's own. I'm still grateful that I had topical anesthetic and no bones broken in the quest to remove the bump. I'll keep you updated I'm sure.

I'm headed of to the cool Colorado. Enjoy Texas heat this weekend, and think of me.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Off the charts impulsive…

So I've been a slacker lately when it comes to posting…so I've decided to do an update in a bullet format so that you don't get bored with me droning on and on about what's going on.

1. 4th of July was a lot of fun - went tubing on the Guadalupe on the 3rd with lots of family and friends. Ended up stuck on the Guadalupe with lots of family and friends…the 2 hr float took FIVE hours. We had fun, but forgot to sunscreen after about 3 hrs - so many of us are still peeling the effects of that day.

2. Tons of people have come to visit me! Stephen, Steph and Jovita came for the tubing trip, Spencer (my cuz) spent the weekend, Aunt C came in town for a wedding, Ashley came to hang out for a couple of days (yeah!), and Leighann (my other cuz) is coming this weekend! Tons of fun, but I definitely had to do laundry (I don't have enough towels) and borrow an air mattress!

3. David and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary last month. Can you believe that it's already been a year since we began this relationship? It's crazy to think about, and yet when I try to think about the time before we were dating, it feels like years ago. We are continuing to seek the Lord in our relationship and He's been teaching us (especially me) a lot through this time. Grace (our church) has a pre-engagement mentoring program that we have started and are working through. It's been good so far - we took a personality test to see where our major differences were (and to see how well we knew each other). There weren't many surprises though I did find out that I am pretty much off the charts in the impulsive catagory. Yes, I know that this is a HUGE shocker to many of you - especially since I really like to plan my life out, don't really like surprises or change, and am so self disiplined it's disgusting. (all of course said with sarcasm dripping from each word).

4. David is doing well - he started his new job yesterday! To update that - he got a job at Seton Medical Center as a web developer and has been in transition for the last couple of weeks. He told me that he was excited about it last night. That's really good, he's been so busy trying to finish everything up at Grace that he hasn't been able to even think about being excited. The one big thing that is a bummer…he has to work on a PC. He's in the market for a good Mac laptop as we speak…

5. Work is going well. I'm starting to actually feel like it's interim (for you non-politicos interim is the slow time between legislative sessions…something we haven't felt for 3 or so years). Working on getting out a newsletter and setting up a filing system - whoo hoo!
6. Weddings. Can I say lots of weddings. We're back into the wedding blitz - I was priviledged to go to 3 weddings in a two week span of time! It's fun to see all these lives joined…it's just somewhat comical that they all happen in such a short period of time. There have been 3 weekends this year that I've been invited to multiple weddings - and 2 of the 3 times, I made both! It's a good thing I really enjoy them…now feel sorry for David!
I think I'll end for now. I hope you're all doing well and please do keep in touch!

Live 100%

My son, give me your heart.

"Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!"

Your heart is not right before God - The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

But they gave themselves first to the Lord. - In everything that he [Hezekiah] undertook…he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. - Like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord not men.

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Taken from Daily Light on the Daily Path - a compilation of scripture for daily reading.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

And who does this surprise?

…not that I like dark chocolate - but the description kinda fits…

You are Dark Chocolate

You live your life with intensity, always going full force. You push yourself (and others) to the limit… you want more than you can handle. An extreme person, you challenge and inspire the world!