to the hospital, with prayers preceding me and trailing behind!
Hail O Surgery Day
Blest day which is long awaited!
After the surgery day
I can stoop down to the earth.
Here's the tune for the words above.
Labels: BAD, health, music, prayer, singing, Songs, surgery, writing
posted by Grace @ 5/28/2008 06:32:00 AM
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When it comes to my surgery tomorrow, I have the easy job. I just have to show up. Everyone else around me has a tougher job. And I must do the exercises they teach me. Like religion.
I have a big prayer circle praying for me...family, friends, people from Church. I am certain it will all go well.
Labels: BAD, exercise, health, prayer, surgery, thankfulness
posted by Grace @ 5/27/2008 09:35:00 PM
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I am in the home stretch before I have my surgery. The last few hours of food have included fresh Mexican dinner out with Mom, Dad, William & family. I have some sweet corn set aside, too.
Labels: BAD, dining, excited, family, health, surgery
posted by Grace @ 5/27/2008 08:39:00 PM
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I went this AM to get my blood typed and crossed at the hospital's Central Testing facility, only to find (fortuitously) that it had already been done, according to the blood bank.
Yeah! No pokin' me again. Dad and I waited in the waiting room patiently, and I was happy to hear that the blood had been set aside for me.
We ran into my former Carnegie coworker, Mike M., and chatted with him. It was a good morning.
Labels: BAD, Carnegie, friends, health, surgery, surprise, thankfulness
posted by Grace @ 5/27/2008 12:04:00 PM
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I cleaned up yesterday, prepared my paintings for storage, did some organizing of my encyclopedia article, caught up on correspondence, and napped deeply!
I met Mom and Dad at the airport at about 10pm---waited next to the Lallys, who were waiting for Michelle's return from the continent and Dublin. We chatted about travelling, cell phones, and my imminent surgery.
Mom and Dad were glad to be back from Las Vegas, and glad to see me bearing fresh fruit. Dad was chatty, and mom was fighting a cold, caught at the casinos' air-conditioned and smoke-laden air.
Labels: BAD, cleaning, encyclopedia, friends, Ireland, organizing, painting, surgery, surprise, travel
posted by Grace @ 5/27/2008 09:45:00 AM
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Today marked the official end of the choir season for 2007-2008. It being the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we sang
Ave Verum Corpus (Plainsong)
Gloria Sine Nomine (Bernard Newell)
How Lovely are the Messengers (F. Mendelssohn)
Ave Verum Corpus (Charles Gounod)
and
Sing We Merrily (Sidney Campbell)
The Danchik women and Don teased me about being a hip chick after Mass today. Amy and I dined at Kiva Han for lunch.
It was good to dine at the Lawrenceville location of La Filipiniana with Charles, Susan, William, Marissa, Beatrice, and Solomon. Dinner was family-style al fresco. We enjoyed Martinelli's sparkling cider and champagne with dinner. Charles and Susan kindly presented the youngsters with gifts. A highlight of the evening was seeing the lights in the arbor go on after dark.
Labels: Beatrice, Choir, dining, friends, garden, niece and nephew, St. Paul Cathedral
posted by Grace @ 5/25/2008 10:26:00 PM
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Yesterday Beatrice and I planted flower seeds that I had received from Ellen for my birthday. We sat on the back deck and planted four pots of seeds. I also dropped my cane off the side of the deck! Les and Chere were there, too. The concept of the little seeds becoming flowers was too abstracted for Beatrice, yet.
Marissa took some photos of my pre-surgery (now-unscarred) hips...and even a little video of me dancing on the back deck!
Labels: BAD, Beatrice, dance, family-Marissa, garden, niece and nephew
posted by Grace @ 5/25/2008 10:23:00 PM
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In addition to the "Safety Song" which I give to my students every semester, earlier this week I came up with two versions of a ditty: Version I is "My Mommy Loves Me So," and version II is "My Doctor Cares for Me." Don kindly had used the software program on his laptop computer, Finale, to set these to sheet music format for me, most recently the ditty's two versions.
~~~
I spent most of the early part of this afternoon collecting resources to write an encyclopedia article, the first draft is due mid-July. I plan to work on it when I am out of commission with my hips, post-surgery.
Labels: accessibility, BAD, encyclopedia, music, Songs, surgery, writing
posted by Grace @ 5/22/2008 09:23:00 PM
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There is a story from the news of a man whose mind automatically calculates for a date the day of the week, and specific events during that day. Talk about total recall! Labels: computer, games, health, photos, school, sports, surprise, talent
This is a rather interesting story, showing what happens when one has a mindful (and mind-full) mind.
posted by Grace @ 5/21/2008 06:27:00 PM
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A few days ago Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was airlifted from his summer home on the Cape to Mass Gen Hospital, with a seizure. After in-depth testing, it has been determined that he has a malignant brain tumor, a glioma. He departed earlier for home.
Being of a certain age and a Pilipina-American, I grew up in the shadow of people who cared about Kennedy family politics and Camelot trivia. I grew up with family members who could name Kennedy family trivia: From children's names and education, all the way to medical conditions of family members.
Ted Kennedy's current health is more than just a piece of trivia to ponder---it means the potential beginning of the end of his career as a US Senator. Which raises questions: Who will take on his roles on the Hill? Who will they be---because certainly it will take more than one [younger] senator to fill his shoes.
God bless him in this current struggle of his life.
Labels: Atlantic Ocean, Church, Faith, family, health, politics
posted by Grace @ 5/21/2008 12:10:00 PM
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When we last left our intrepid List, I had bravely elaborated on the original list of 2006.
On today's current episode of the TV show The View, there was the discussion that "there is nothing wrong with having a list [of qualities] while looking for a mate." To wit, these qualities which co-host Sherri Shepherd were looking for were listed:
not cheating/monogamous (listed by me, too)
good credit [rating] (sort of goes without saying...RESPONSIBLE)
family important
Mom important
God important
healthy relationship to children
can laugh
hard working
Sherri was chastised by her co-hosts that she had a list--and was pressed to say which qualities were more important to her.
posted by Grace @ 5/21/2008 11:52:00 AM
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While I patiently await my surgery date, I struggle with the tail end of a cold, making lists of things to mention to the doctor and anesthetist before surgery, list things to pack to the hospital, and wait for the weather to warm up (it has nicely sprinkled throughout the week) so that Beatrice and I can put in the garden at her home.
It was fun dining with Beatrice and her family last night. Before dinner, Beatrice and I read library books before her daddy showed up, and she joined Solomon on the Gymini mat from Lola Helen Faye for some playtime. Solomon has filled out nicely (all that nursing and sleeping has paid off, buddy!), and Beatrice is a hearty, neat eater at dinner time. She feeds herself with a spoon; she proudly announces when she is finished, and gently gives a small push to her dinner plate. Same with her bottle. She knows all the colors in the box of blocks I gave her when Solomon was born---and more colors! What fun times we have had!
Labels: BAD, Beatrice, cold, family, games, garden, library, niece and nephew, read, soils, surgery, water, weather
posted by Grace @ 5/21/2008 08:43:00 AM
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I had three storage ottomans (ottomen?) delivered to my home yesterday. I unpacked them, and initially loaded items into two of them yesterday. Today, I finished loading and organizing current files and photos into two of the ottomen. One stands empty. I am uncertain as to how I will use that space. Perhaps I will use it as my "buffer zone" for mess in the house, standing ready and empty to have me "toss 'n' hide" any unsightly messes before company comes over.
I need to further clean my living room of papers. Sooo many papers. If I wanted to, I could paper my walls with them...my floors with them...I already sleep with them! Eeep. Again, the true reason that I haven't a husband rears its ugly head: No room in the bed for him, next to me and all the papers and books!
And my project for my paintings...Must get the [rolled] paintings off my living room floor, maybe tuck them away to the place they were before...
Labels: list, love, organizing, painting, photography, photos, sleep, work
posted by Grace @ 5/20/2008 11:15:00 AM
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I received a birthday postcard in the mail from my college class officers, asking me to supply news of a personal nature for the Wellesley class notes. I know that there has been many a Wellesley event I have attended, friend I have reconnected with, and hey, I even survived my class reunion last summer!
~~~
As in my posting of November 2007, this link is an update on Kim Dozier's life after the bomb blast two years ago.
I am proud of this brave fellow Wellesley classmate who has trudged through her multiple surgeries to write her story and share it with the public...what a true journalist! We all have a story to tell, hers just happens to be rather extraordinary.
Labels: school, surgery, Wellesley
posted by Grace @ 5/18/2008 08:06:00 PM
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My mom forwarded to me this video, the link is at the end of my email, after the tilde~~
*FOR my low-vision friends-
The video takes a couple of moments to load in another "tab" in your window. Please be patient.
Please excuse the occasional background piano music during the show.
This video is of a Korean talent show called Star King in which this 5-year-old blind and wholly untutored pianist plays tunes that she hears for the first time (she could do this since age 3). She also accompanies singers in their own key. Then she sings and plays piano at once, a song with beautiful words that include 'You were meant to be loved...and you are receiving that love all the days of your life...all your life.' Finally, there is the 'scoring' process of many talent shows, and she sets a record for the talent show---95.
What a lovely talent!
~~~
Here's the video
Have a blessed Sunday!
Labels: Blind, children, international culture, Mozart, music, talent
posted by Grace @ 5/18/2008 11:25:00 AM
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This week, I received a general survey from the National Academies in Washington, DC. I have not had any contact with them for at least a dozen years---just goes to show that "They will find you" and that our country hasn't totally forgotten about the advisory body of scientists, engineers, and physicians available for the political decision-making body.
I was gently critical of the fact that my pre-doc fellowship did not preclude a new grad student from a heavy load of teaching, research, and classes. I even had a 2X teaching load! In addition, the work was also rather theoretical, and I transferred to a more applied, interdisciplinary field and campus.
I was generally thankful for the opportunities the fellowship opened up to me: I have also attained my goal to teach at a 4-year research institution; and I happily mentor students into summer research, PharmD, and (chemistry) PhD programs.
Labels: dreams, research, school, science, thankfulness
posted by Grace @ 5/17/2008 08:57:00 PM
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I thought I was over my cold yesterday, but it has moved to my nose and to post-nasal drip. I awoke at ~6am, and couldn't get back to sleep. I discovered that I needed to sit ~upright to let my nose drain. My cough is not very productive.
~~~
So, this morning I watched two movies: Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion and The Wedding Planner. A milestone HS reunion is approaching for me---much of the "Romy and Michelle" movie brought tears and laughter to me. Its screenwriter is of "The Simpsons" fame.
The Wedding Planner takes place in San Francisco. Elements of it reminded me of other movies---The Graduate, and Roman Holiday.
~~~
I cannot taste anything. Everything has no taste, no smell. Only occasionally, when I drink plenteous fluids do I have a remnant of a sense of smell. Boo Hoo, pore li'l ole me! I am wondering what I should eat for lunch, beyond a snack of pizza for "elevenses."
Labels: cinema, cold, health, smell
posted by Grace @ 5/17/2008 12:18:00 PM
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someone unlocks the doors across the street and turns lights on. I think today it was Oscar, my dad's friend. He uses the keys to unlock the House of God for people to worship. And he locks up every night.
posted by Grace @ 5/17/2008 06:26:00 AM
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I have cBAD (congenital bilateral acetabular dysplasia). That means I have bad hips from birth. No clue of this status for me until ~4-5 years ago....
I started having pain after a few-month hiatus from swing dancing (Big Band music). My then-boss used to write emails to her friends making fun of my use of assistive devices. I am glad that I don't work with her anymore. I quit dancing on a regular basis about that time. Until then, I had danced 3-4 evenings per week---Irish ceili/set dancing, ballroom dance, swing (big band) dance, and sometimes Latin/mixed ballroom/swing dance. Boy, I really enjoyed my dance.
I am really excited about having my procedure done...total hip replacement. My medical team insists that I will be able to do basically "anything [within reason]" after my surgery. I guess that means getting back to dancing, swimming, maybe [stationary] biking, but I guess I won't be able to play the violin [snif].
I am currently held together by "string, tape, muscles, and God." What I have done in my life up to this point is pretty amazing---scratch that, miraculous---considering my bone structure, or lack thereof: Ballet to pointe (I was accepted to a ballet school for a large-city Ballet Theater), gymnastics, I lettered on the track team in high school (100m hurdles and 400m dash), modern dance and choreography in college (with my good friend, Liz, through MIT Dance Theatre), rockclimbing in college and beyond, hiking for recreation and work (our little research group of American and Mexican scientists were self-entertaining when we were lost!), and the dance styles I took up in Pittsburgh, mentioned above.
~~~
I am truly thankful that my parents did not inform me of my bone structure until I started to have pain when I reached "a certain age": That they did not limit my activity as a child. "Hey, she can walk---let her be, have a normal childhood."
I am thankful for a good orthopedist: Who understood my need to try to strengthen what was already in place with physical therapy.
I am thankful for a good PT team that has held me together with a little more muscle for good measure.
I am thankful for my PCP and treatment team which have been part of my greater support network.
I am thankful that I have one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the region doing this procedure for me.
I am thankful for everyone who has gone before me in this procedure: Gene, Joyce's father-in-law; Tom, Jen's dad; Dr. Linda, who gave helpful advice...and especially for Gene's helpful hints to me during our visit to California.
And finally, I am thankful that I have a problem that can be easily solved by the miracles of modern science, technology, and medicine. I am truly fortunate.
Labels: BAD, Carnegie, dance, excited, exercise, family, international culture, Ireland, research, soils, surgery
posted by Grace @ 5/16/2008 05:44:00 PM
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I'm off to the Pittsburgh Folk Festival 2008 this morning. I will be the storyteller at the Philippines booth. I have two stories that I think the children will appreciate, Ang Alamat ng Palay,(The Legend of Rice) and Kala-Kalahati (Half and Half).
~~~
The booth was so busy with "Passports" for the students that I helped out with that. The other two helpers, Marcel and John, left to take a tour of the other booths. So it was li'l ole me and several hundred students between ~10:30 and noon---my handing out stickers/visas for each student, whilst I doled out snippets of information, with an air of interested humor:
The Philippines is found in Southeast Asia, and there are over 7100 islands. That means that there is a lot of coastline, and the people like to eat a lot of fish and rice.
Most people are not aware that there are many dialects in the Philippines. A major dialect, Tagalog, forms the basis for one of the national languages--Pilipino. The other national language, you may be familiar with---English.
The traditional cloth of many of the blouses and barongs is pina cloth---made from the pineapple plant.
If you are an American citizen, you do not need a visa to travel to the Philippines. These stickers today are just for fun.
Stickers (said with slight impatience, of a child waiting too long in line for an item)---wala ang sticker ko! / I don't have a sticker! Nasaan ang stickers? / Where are those stickers? (as I handed out stickers/"pretend visas" insouciantly)
"Thank you for waiting."
And information on wedding ceremonies to interested parties: Mostly teachers, parents, and young women.
Labels: children, diaspora, languages, Philippines, Pilipino culture, Pittsburgh
posted by Grace @ 5/16/2008 08:17:00 AM
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I am fighting off a cold.
But it was time for my preoperative question (Q&A) session at the surgeon's office. His MD assistant greeted me first, and answered most of my questions. I don't think he caught my joke, though, when I said, "What if I have shallow [acetabulums] like the person on the screen," as I motioned to the film up on the computer screen. (The screen held an X ray image of my hips, with a non-existent acetabulum on the right and a very poor excuse for one on the left.)
The surgeon, Dr. L., walked in and I asked some last-minute questions of him. The bus ride home went by without a hitch, and I happily took a nap to rest my tendons, muscles, and bones. (I lost my voter pin somewhere in my travels today).
Labels: BAD, research, surgery
posted by Grace @ 5/15/2008 07:07:00 PM
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Yesterday, I spent the morning at Dr. Betty's office doing more preoperative testing. I also went downstairs to do my urine and fasting blood samples. Afterwards, I had lunch, stopped by the pharmacy, went to the computer lab on campus to work on my encyclopedia project from Grace Y, and picked up my pharmacy items.
A nap followed, and I had a mellow evening watching "Dancing with the Stars," and talking with Grace Y and Kary, both in California.
Labels: BAD, California, encyclopedia, health, phone
posted by Grace @ 5/13/2008 06:37:00 AM
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I called Mom on the West Coast at about 7:30 am her time. "Are you my mother?" I said, quoting the children's book. [Because you must be, to answer the phone for me at THIS hour.] She returned the silly phone call later today.
Choir practice and singing at Mass was not the same as previous Pentecost Sundays, as we did not sing of the “The gale of God, the singing fire of life.” I love that Spirit-filled song---so moving and poetic and reminiscent of the winds carrying the Spirit.
It was one young man's Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation (Patrick/Ambrose), Mother's Day, and Fr. Tom's last day on the job as Parochial Vicar here at St. Paul Cathedral. We on Pastoral Council gave him a gift of a filled piggy bank, and a gift certificate to Mitchell's Seafood restaurant. He is arriving at his new job in time to accompany the elementary school students of Good Shepard in Braddock to Kennywood. We attended the farewell party for him in the Social Hall after Mass. He really deserves to be the pastor of his own parish. He has so many gifts to give them.
I went from that event to tea/dinner at the Frick Cafe with Les, Chere, William, Marissa, Beatrice, and Solomon. The broccoli/cheddar cheese soup, pulled pork sandwich, and Tres Leches dessert were all wonderfully rich. Beatrice liked the blueberries and whipped cream from my dessert. We returned to William and Marissa's home to have Marissa and her mom play anagrams, and the rest of us to sleep or meditate.
Mom called near the end of my visit to ask,
"Who is the Larry like Seinfeld? What is the name of the show?" (Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm)
and
"What is the name of the cafeteria in downtown Parkersburg near the Parkersburg Art Center?" (Wawa guessed, incorrectly, Wendelken's)
Labels: California, Church, Curb Your Enthusiasm, family-Marissa, ice cream, niece and nephew, pastoral council, St. Paul Cathedral
posted by Grace @ 5/11/2008 09:42:00 PM
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Kelly made it into town last night, in time for dinner and some Carcassonne with William, Marissa, me, (and the kids, of course). It was nice to see her after her retreat to the Zen center in Elkins, West Virginia. She told us about her accordian mentor, her incipient breakdancing classes, and her life in general.
I departed after our first game of Carcassonne (coming in second), and turned in for a relatively early evening. She departed for NYC this afternoon around lunchtime.
posted by Grace @ 5/11/2008 09:35:00 PM
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Kelly's mentor has a rare form of CA. I am praying for him, his health, and for everyone who depends upon him.
He seems like such a hearty guy, so full of life. This came on so suddenly. Please join me in praying for him.
Labels: accessibility, Atlantic Ocean, music, New York
posted by Grace @ 5/10/2008 11:48:00 PM
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I am proud of Miranda and Benny for being fiercely dedicated to their own interests---gymnastics and aminals, respectively---but not to the point of being selfish or self-absorbed, as their choice to attend the play with Jason and Michael demonstrated.
I am proud of Beatrice for being a bright, nice kid. I am proud of very young Solomon for making it out to our part of the world and for knowing and doing what he needs to Grow.
Labels: niece and nephew
posted by Grace @ 5/10/2008 11:43:00 PM
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I read an article online about choosing a mate. I took the online quiz, and found that I am neither too picky nor indiscriminate about choosing a mate--I am "realistic." In fact, some of my coupled friends may be secretly jealous of me! I just have to keep on keeping on...as in the Jet article...and I probably will find my [lifetime] mate. I did note, an additional quality to add to my list--faithfulness. O wait, that probably agrees with my added quality of monogamy.
posted by Grace @ 5/10/2008 11:30:00 PM
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I had my preoperative testing--swab my nose ("boogers! I got one!"), approximately 9 tubes of blood drawn ("don't worry, I won't faint, I had a good breakfast and my juicy-juice"), urine sample (pee in a cup, "eww!"), EKG ("stickers!!"), chest X ray, (that "bracelet-I-Have-to-wear-until-surgery---it's better than a diamond bracelet!"), sundry questions asked by Sofya, RN (aka MEDICAL HISTORY), an overview of PT by the physical therapist Anne, and a video in the Hopwood Library of what to expect before and after surgery. I took a nap before my other medical appt. across town (my orthopedist wrote on my chart, "she really wants to have this [procedure/operation] done,") and am wiped out. Will take another nap before choir practice...whew! I got tired just reading this.
I hope I can wake up in time for the bus to RIS tomorrow.
Labels: BAD, health, RIS, sleep, surgery
posted by Grace @ 5/08/2008 05:03:00 PM
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I'm getting used to the time zone change, from Pacific Time to Eastern Time. Also, arrived at Tues/Wed at ~midnight, so there was that sleep difference to get accustomed to. Yesterday, after some errands, I spent the afternoon at Beatrice and Solomon's home with them and their mommy, Papa, and Nana. Also sneaked a couple of naps in...
It's good to be back in (overcast) Pittsburgh.
Labels: family, family-Marissa, sleep, travel
posted by Grace @ 5/08/2008 04:58:00 PM
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Just back from the Bay Area, with tons (more) emails in addition to the ones I answered while in California.
It was great to see some of my friends I haven't seen in a long time (some since 2002), visiting with family and friends, to tell stories with Miranda and Benny, to listen to stories by Grandma Tia and my aunts, and generally to have a great time in the sunshine.
Well, it's been a late flight, with lots of luggage. I don't know how I would have managed without Wawa's meeting me at the airport---now it's time for sleep.
Labels: California, family, genealogy, transportation, travel
posted by Grace @ 5/07/2008 12:26:00 AM
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Days in the life of me.
