Pic of the Day

Rain and Migraines

I had planned to write today about a recurring dream I’ve been having, but it has snowed all night and now we are having a rare Vermont thunderstorm. With bad weather inevitably comes a migraine. I dread today anyway. I have a dentist appointment late this afternoon. I think I might just go back to bed.

That being said, here’s you Isabella pic of the week. I missed her when I was in the hospital.

Pic of the Day

Good to Be Home

It was so good to be home and sleeping in my own bed last night. I had a wonderful group of nurses and LNAs taking care of me, and my hospital bed was comfortable enough. However, there is nothing like my own bed. I haven’t been able to say much about what happened not because I was keeping anything secret but because: 1) I did not feel like writing much and 2) I did not have a phone charger with me so I could only do so much before the battery was going to die. Luckily, I started feeling better, but also because one of my overnight LNAs offered to take my phone and charge it using her charger while I was sleeping.

Anyway, you are probably asking what happened. Friday night, I got a severe migraine, and when I woke up Saturday morning, I still had the migraine but my back was also hurting and I had a stomachache. The stomachache got worse throughout the day. I one point, the pain was bad enough that I could not move. I was on my side and tried to roll over onto my back and wasn’t able to because of the pain it caused. I was nauseated and vomitted at least three or four times during the day and had been running a low grade fever off and on throughout the day. At this point, I would normally would have gone to urgent care, but there were reasons I didn’t. We received 9” of snow over Friday night and throughout the day on Saturday. While roads had been plowed, I would have had to clean the snow off my car, and I was in no condition to do that. I was also in way to much pain to drive anywhere or to get up and do any of that. I took medicine that I hoped would help and alternated between my bed and the couch. I eventually fell asleep and mostly slept through the night not having been able to eat anything the day before. I had drank a cup of tea first thing, but that had seemed to take forever to get down, I had drank as much water as I could keep down, but it wasn’t much.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I was feeling better, but not a lot better. Susan convinced me to go to urgent care, which I did and was there just after they opened at 9 am. When I finally saw a doctor and told her what was going on, she examined me and poked and prodded me. I cried out in pain as she pushed down on the upper right quadrant of my abdomen. She said, let me make a phone call. She left the room and came back a few minutes later to tell me that she had talked to the doctor at the emergency room at the hospital and she was sending me there. She suspected it was either the flu or my gallbladder. She said that when I arrived to tell them she had sent me. Since I had driven to the clinic, they let me drive to the ER. The nurses in the ER thought I might have the flu and tested me for Covid and the flu. Both came back negative. They hooked me up to an IV because my blood pressure was very low, something like 90/56, and I showed signs of dehydration. On the weekends, the hospital apparently doesn’t have people who can do ultrasounds, so they sent me for a CT scan. What the CT scan found was that I had an obstruction in the small intestine, some minor kidney damage, and an enlarged spleen. They admitted me to the the hospital, and I was taken to a room.

While the nurses and LNAs had checked in on my regularly and taking my vitals throughout the days and nights, I only saw a doctor for about a minute Sunday night, maybe two minutes Monday morning, and another two minutes Tuesday morning. Basically, the only thing he told me was that the kidney damage and enlarged spleen on the scan was probably from dehydration, and if I kept feeling better and had no setbacks, he would begin progressing my diet, which he did. He told me if I did well on the progressed diet, that I should be able to go home. I was told by the nurses that the best treatment was to limit my diet and allow the IV fluids they had given me to get things moving again. The ER doctor had told me that surgery did not look necessary and that the most they might have to do is to send this thing down my nose and into my intestine which would then balloon up and push anything on through. She said it was an unpleasant procedure and would only become necessary if the rest and fluids did not work.

By Sunday evening, there had been signs of movement, but nothing to indicate that the blockage had moved, and I was only allowed ice chips. At this point, the only thing I’d had since Friday night had been some water, a little ginger ale, and some hot tea. I really did not want to eat. My blood pressure and glucose remained low and my temperature was still slightly elevated. I was miserable. Eventually, there were small signs of movement during the day on Monday, and I was allowed to be on a clear liquid diet starting that night. I still had some pain whenever I took in anything more than ice chips, but things did seem to be getting better. On Tuesday morning, they let me have a full liquid diet. I have never been so excited over vanilla pudding before. Around mid-morning, a nurse brought me the room service menu and told me I had been allowed a full diet and could order whatever I’d like. I ordered an open faced turkey sandwich with gravy, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and some vanilla ice cream. When the lid came off, I immediately got nauseated, but that passed and I was able to start eating. I ate maybe a third of it because it was making me nauseated, and it was very bland, which I had expected.

About mid-afternoon, a guy came in and said he was there to take out my IV, and I said, “I assume this means I’m going home.” He said that’s usually what it means. My nurse of the day came in, said she had some paperwork for me, went over the information about what medicines I’d been given and what I had not been given (they kept me off my blood pressure medicine since my blood pressure was so low), and asked me to sign another sheet of paper. I said, “So, I can go home?” She said, “Yep, you can go home.” I said, “I just get dressed and walk out?” She said, “Yes, unless you want a wheelchair to be brought up to take you out.” I told her I was fine on my own. I got dressed, and as I was walking done the hallway following the signs from the elevator, I saw my LNA of the day, and told her goodbye and asked if the elevator was just ahead. She said she’d walk me to it. We were talking on the way to the elevator and I told her I had to find my way around to get to my car which was in the ER parking lot. She said she’d walk me through the emergency department and rode the elevator with me and let me through the employee area to a set of doors just behind my car. I got in my car, sent some messages to different people telling them I was on my way home, and then drove home.

It was an ordeal, but thankfully it was not worse than it was, and I did not require any surgery or any more significant time away from Isabella. By the way, I did have a friend bring me a phone charger, but it was having some trouble which is why the nighttime LNA charged my phone for me. I told my boss that I would not be in this week. My coworker, who isn’t known as the most friendly person, texted on Monday to see if I needed her to go check on Isabella. I thanked her and told her that I had neighbors who would do that. My boss texted to check on me, sounding reluctant that she was doing so, at least it seemed that way to me. My cold and distant coworker sent a warmer message than my boss. I just can’t get that woman. Anyway, she should be working her ass off today with me not there. We are having an event that I’ve been planning for months, and she has continually added more and more for me to do and offering no help or assistance. Now, she gets to reap the rewards of her style of management that has everybody do only their job and nothing more. We are a three person staff, siloing jobs doesn’t work. Maybe she will learn a lesson. I will be taking a sick day tomorrow also.

Pic of the Day: Home Edition

I’m so happy to be back home. The hospital released me this afternoon. I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful group of people to take care of me when I was sick. I’m taking the rest of the week off work to rest and completely recover. I have a workshop in Burlington to attend on Friday, but I am looking forward to it and will get an early dinner up there afterwards.

Thank You 🙏🏻

Thank you everyone for your well wishes. They have meant so much to me. I am feeling better, and if things go ok today, I can hopefully go home. I am more than ready to go home at this point.

I wish the guy above (Finn Harding, if you’re wondering) was taking care of me, but I couldn’t ask for a nicer group of nurses and aids taking care of me. They have all been so sweet and kind.

There won’t be a poem today and I won’t have a chance to post a Pic of the Day until I get back home (I have to conserve my phone battery), but I’m hoping we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program soon.

Thanks again for all your well wishes. 😘

Addendum:

You get my random musings since I am bored and don’t have a charger for my phone to be able to use it much. Anyway, I was thinking that instead of Elon Musk buying elections with million dollar checks or Jeff Bezos buying the Washington Post for wider propaganda distribution, why can’t they take a page from other super rich individuals in American history. Yes, many have been influential in politics. JP Morgan bailed the country out of a financial crisis, but others did great things following the concept of the Gospel of Wealth. Carnegie built libraries all over the United States. Bill Gates supplied computers for schools across the country, as did Apple. The Waltons built one of the finest art museums in the United States.

As I sit here bored out of my mind, I wonder, why can’t Jeff Bezos distribute thousands of Kindles to hospitals throughout the United States and the world so when people are unexpectedly hospitalized in a place where they have no family or friends to bring them needed comforts. (I have friends, but I don’t want to inconvenience them unnecessarily.) Kindles can be reset and allow a new person to log into their own account. Cell phone companies should provide phone chargers to hospitals so that people could at least charge their phones. Those are just two minor things that would be a drop in the bucket for these billionaires. The wealthy could do so many wonderful things to help people in need, instead of only doing what increases their influence, power, and wealth! 

Hospital

I briefly mentioned that I was feeling poorly on Saturday. Well, it got worse, and yesterday morning I went to the local urgent care, who sent me to the ER, who admitted to the hospital for an intestinal blockage. Hopefully, I will go home today, but the doctor doesn’t know for certain.

Running the Race with Faith

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

— 2 Timothy 4:7

There have been a few things that I have wished for most of my life. I want to find a man who will love me for who I am. I’ve always wanted to get married on the beach with both of us barefoot and wearing khaki linen pants and white linen shirts. I’ve wanted to have a job that I love that pays well and for my family to accept me for who I am. Those are probably all unrealistic dreams that will never come true, but one dream that might come true is for my tombstone to read “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”—2 Timothy 4:7 because that is the way I have lived my life, not just because it’s my favorite Bible verse.

As LGBTQ+ individuals, we fight every day for equality. Even if you live in a country where there are no laws limiting your equality, we all wish for equality for the LGBTQ+ around the world. Our fight may not always be against people, family, religious leaders, the homophobic in society, or politicians who do not accept us, but it can also be against our own doubt, fear, rejection, and even internal struggles about who we are. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:7 remind us that faith is a journey—a race we are called to run with endurance, courage, and conviction.

The simplest things can be our weapons in the fight for universal equality. First and foremost, we must vote for those who believe in equality for all and who do not exclude others because of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other characteristics that people deem to separate into categories. Life as an LGBTQ+ person of faith can feel like a race filled with obstacles and can sometimes feel like a battle. The United States and many other countries around the world are fighting against a strong resurgence of fascism that wants to erase our freedoms.

Many of us have fought to be seen, to be accepted, and to be loved for who we are. But remember, we do not have to fight alone. God fights for us. The battles we face—whether external or internal—do not define us. Our faith, resilience, and love do. Many of us have had to fight for our place in the world, for the right to love openly, to be our authentic selves, and to worship freely. These battles are not in vain. Each step we take in love, each act of kindness, and each moment of standing firm in who we are is part of our race of faith. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

At times, the path may seem lonely, winding through rejection, misunderstanding, and the struggle for acceptance. But Paul’s words to Timothy remind us that faith is a journey—a race that we are called to run with perseverance, courage, and hope. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Our lives are a unique and beautiful journey. No one else can run our race for us. God has called us to live authentically, to love boldly, and to keep our faith even when the road is tough. We must keep moving forward, knowing that our identity and faith are not at odds, but are part of the beautiful story God is writing in our lives.

There may be times when faith feels difficult—when church communities misunderstand, when family struggles arise, or when we wrestle with your own doubts. But faith is not about having all the answers. It is about trusting that God walks with us, even in uncertainty. Keeping the faith means holding onto the truth that God’s love for you is unshakable.Proverbs 3:5 advises us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” God calls us to keep going, to hold onto the truth that we are beloved, cherished, and created in divine love. We are not running alone—Jesus runs beside us, strengthening us when we feel weary. The community of believers who affirm and uplift us are also part of our journey.

Finishing the race does not mean that life is easy or that struggles disappear. It means that through it all, we have remained faithful—to God, to love, and to our true selves. When we stand at the finish line, we will see that every step mattered, every act of love changed the world, and that God was with us the entire way. Hopefully, those around us and love us will think, “He fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith.”

Moment of Zen: Sleep

This is an abbreviated Moment of Zen because I have one of the worst headaches I’ve had in a long time. Combine that with a backache, and it had a truly miserable night of sleep, if you can even call it that.

Pic of the Day

Utter Destruction

I haven’t said much about the current state of American politics, and in this case I mean all of North America because Canada and Mexico or at least resisting the bullying of the current administration. While the current US government is dominated by conservative, idiotic asshole fascists! They have attacked every major institutions in the government. They are attacking anything that they perceive as a threat or even the most minor opposition to their hateful ideology. They are following the blueprint for totalitarianism and fascism that Mussolini created and put into practice in Italy in 1922, and Hitler expanded in Germany in 1933.

Each day, I think when will it end. When will someone in the government go on the offensive. But the Democrats are sitting back and watching the destruction hoping that it will backfire on the Republicans in the 2026 election. But if the current government is allowed to continue pursuing their agenda, they will either not allow elections or they will fix them in their favor, probably with the help of Putin in Russia.

So, why did I decide to talk about this today when I haven’t said much before? They are attacking the Smithsonian Institution. My university has dealings with the Department of Defense and, as a university, the Department of Education, two departments that have been gutted. That being said, I work with the Smithsonian on a regular basis. The administration is trying to politicize the Smithsonian, an institution that has always remained apolitical. When I bring in curators from the Smithsonian, they are expressly prohibited from broaching politics in even the slightest statements. However, the current administration of clowns and goons wants to turn it into a political pawn in their ideology.

When will somebody say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”? I have a hard time watching the news because it makes me despondent. Every time I turn on the news it’s more disastrous than the day before.

Just as a side note, this post is late because I had a severe migraine last night, which is marginally better this morning, but it still means I’ve been a bit slow moving so far today.

I apologize for such a downer post, but I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend! It’s going to be a weekend of snow and ice for us here in Vermont. Hopefully, the weather is better where you are.

Pic of the Day

No Rest for the Weary

I’ve been so busy this week with classes, preparing for classes, getting ready for another program, and what has seemed like a dozen other things. Have you ever been so busy that you can’t even remember everything that has kept you so busy? That’s how this week has gone. Next week is actually scheduled to be worse than this week because not only will I be scrambling to get everything done, I have a workshop to attend in Burlington on Friday, and I’m judging a History Day competition on Saturday.

Needless to say, I haven’t had time to “stop and smell the roses,” let alone do anything else for personal enjoyment or entertainment, if you know what I mean. At least there is nothing scheduled for the weekend. 

I don’t think I posted an Isabella pic of the week last week, so here’s one for this week. I love this cat, even if she woke me up at 3:00 am to feed her (I didn’t get up until 4 am) and then turned her nose up at the food I gave her.

Pic of the Day