Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz::My results & a link::October 7

I know I've showed you this quiz: Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz ... before lots of times, but I really, really love it! If you are a woman and like to take personality quizes, I highly recommend this one; it only has 3 questions (just don't ask for extra info at the end, because it takes forever.)

I took it again this morning and got this:

You Are a Grace!
You are a Grace -- "I need to understand the world."



Graces have a need for knowledge and are introverted, curious, analytical, and insightful.

How to Get Along with Me
* Be independent, not clingy
* Speak in a straightforward and brief manner
* I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts
* Remember that If I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it may be that I am feeling uncomfortable
* Make me feel welcome, but not too intensely, or I might doubt your sincerity
* If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place
* don't come on like a bulldozer
* Help me to avoid my pet peeves: big parties, other people's loud music, overdone emotions, and intrusions on my privacy

What I Like About Being a Grace * standing back and viewing life objectively * coming to a thorough understanding; perceiving causes and effects * my sense of integrity: doing what I think is right and not being influenced by social pressure * not being caught up in material possessions and status * being calm in a crisis

What's Hard About Being a Grace
* being slow to put my knowledge and insights out in the world
* feeling bad when I act defensive or like a know-it-all
* being pressured to be with people when I don't want to be
* watching others with better social skills, but less intelligence or technical skill, do better professionally

Graces as Children Often
* spend a lot of time alone reading, making collections, and so on
* have a few special friends rather than many
* are very bright and curious and do well in school
* have independent minds and often question their parents and teachers
* watch events from a detached point of view, gathering information
* assume a poker face in order not to look afraid
* are sensitive; avoid interpersonal conflict
* feel intruded upon and controlled and/or ignored and neglected

Graces as Parents
* are often kind, perceptive, and devoted
* are sometimes authoritarian and demanding
* may expect more intellectual achievement than is developmentally appropriate
* may be intolerant of their children expressing strong emotions

If you take the quiz, I'd love to find out "who you are". If you share it on your blog, leave a link in my comments so I can come take a look. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Thankful Thursday::October 4th

Today I am very thankful that my brother Bill is home from the hospital and seemingly out of harms way. He fell off of the porch and lacerated his spleen. Since he has stage 4 liver damage, he bleeds w/o easily clotting, so he was in intensive care for a few days because of the internal bleeding. To be perfectly honest, I didn't think he was going to survive this one.

We took him to the ER on Friday night right after he fell, and they checked for broken bones, concussion, and internal bleeding. Nothing was apparent, but his blood pressure was very low - something like 100/46. They sent us home w/ orders to come back if there were any changes.

On Saturday morning, he had a headache and was dizzy. It seems that that would just go along with falling on your head (his hands weren't even scratched up - I am going to talk to the doc about reaction time w/ liver failure.....), but since he hadn't had a headache or dizzy the night before, I called a clinic and was going to take him in.

But then.... as he was getting ready to go, the dizziness increased and he actually blacked out and fell as he was walking to the car. The doctor was bypassed and we headed for the hospital.

They checked his hematocrit, and it was down to 23 after being 30 the night before. More ct scans - but w/o contrast, because that would have ruined his one working kidney - and x rays. The doc couldn't see where the bleed was because of the ascites in Bill's belly from the liver failure, so he decided Bill needed to be admitted for observation. We chose to go to the same hospital that he had gone to when he had his cancerous kidney removed in case he needed surgery they are more ready for someone with as many heath issues as he has.

The scary part was that when we took him to the hospital at 1:30 Saturday afternoon, he was perfectly coherent. By 4 he was confusing things a little; by 5 it was more; at 6:30 they took him by ambulance to the other hospital; by 8:30 when I got there w/ him he was lying flat on his back talking very little and was very out of it - no meds had been given. For the next couple of days, he was mostly disoriented, though he could remember his name,birth date, and what month it is which made the docs feel comfortable, but to those of us who know Bill, we were all very concerned.

He spent Saturday night until last night in the hospital, and they felt he was ready to discharge last night. Steve, Matt, and I went to pick him up. He was eating his dinner. And I realized something was wrong. Whenever his ammonia levels are high, he eats incredibly slowly... and he was. I talked to the nurse who talked to the doc who ordered an ammonia level to be taken. I was surprised when it was only 45 - usually when there are problems his level is 100+. Then I was left with the idea that perhaps it was his pain medicine making him confused....

I called the liver doc who said that 45 shouldn't be that noticeable, but more lactulose (which he takes to control ammonia levels) wouldn't hurt him. I convinced him to take 10 ml more - he usually takes 30 ml and I reduced his pain meds just a tad. He woke up hurting and had to take more early this morning.

He seems a bit better this morning. He has a doctor's appt in a couple of hours that I'm taking him to, so I'll get to hang out with him more and see more clearly if his confusion is subsiding.

Oh, one more thing: when they discontinued his IVs, they took out the IVs, put gauze on the openings, and wrapped coban around his arm. About 5 minutes later, he said, "What is wet on my arm?" and as he lifted his arm blood dribbled onto the bed. The nurse came in and pushed on the gauze and blood poured off. Oh.my.heck. Things like that used to happen to my mom after dialysis, but I was never with her and only heard about it.

I have concluded that valium should be ordered for caretakers when so many worrisome things happen... but then would would take care of the sick patient? The song "Designated Drinker" by Alan Jackson kept going through my head this morning. Even though I believe strongly in not drinking, there sure are some days that push me to the edge!

Anyway, I know I spilled my guts, whined and complained, but all in all, I am so very thankful that he made it home alive. 20 months to go before he can be evaluated for a liver transplant.....

(P.S. I have ran out of time and can't edit this post. Please forgive any spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, etc. ;)

Senior Pics::Laura M::October 2

A couple of weeks ago, I got to take the senior pics of my good friends' daughter. It was tons of fun to visit with my old friends, get to know Laura, and photograph her with her favorite things. She told me that she felt like she had all of her important worldly possessions with her right then and there. She had her performing keyboard, her french horn, her car, a steam punk outfit that she made herself, and two other beautiful dresses. I learned that she had taken her ACT and was one point shy of getting a full ride scholarship to wherever she'd like to go; she said that she's going to retake the test to get a better score.

She amazed me, and her parents beamed with pride in her. It is so great when our children bloom into themselves and we get to watch that transformation with awe.

Her parents are also amazing. As I watch Jody's posts on facebook, it is easy to see that she and Leighn have been over and above supportive to their children. They are actively involved in marching band right along with their kids. In fact, while we were at the shoot, many calls were taken trying to square things away with the band's trailer. Kids get so much farther with parental guidance and help, and it is so true for this family.

Here are the pics from the shoot:


Thank you Jody, Leighn, and Laura for letting me take your senior pics for you! Laura, I wish you all the best and all the success and all of the joy that the world can give you!