Saturday, May 30, 2009

Vampires, Oh my!

I have resisted the temptation long enough. I admit it. I joined the crowd and started the Twilight series. And yes, I am hooked. My name is Holly, and I am a Twilight fan.
I feel like there should be some kind of addiction group for this. I have always love to read, but I can't seem to put these books down. During the school year, I do good to get a chance to read 2-3 chapters of a book a week. In 4 days, I have read the first Twilight book, and I'm 2/3 of the way through New Moon. In one way, I am thankful for AMSTI next week so I can get out of this cycle but in another way, I'm upset that I won't get to start the next book immediately. Geez, I'm starting to look like a vampire with my lack of sunlight!
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't excited that the movie for New Moon is being released the day before my birthday!!
I have been hooked on Jodi Picoult for so long that is nice to read something that I don't have to think so hard about (or get so emotionally involved in the book).
What are you reading this summer?

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Follow Up

My procedure today went really well. We arrived at the diagnostic center bright and early and I was seen fairly quickly. Those people have it down to a science. Everyone waits in the same waiting room and once it is your time to go back for procedures/surgery, your name is called, you are given some paperwork and told to take the elevator to the 4th floor. Once you step off the 4th floor, you are met by your nurse who immediately takes you back for bloodwork and pre-op. I was in my room in less than 10 minutes. I remember the doctor coming in and telling me what he was going to do and then making some small talk with the nurse. The next thing I remember, I am in recovery and the nurse asked what I would like to drink. About 5 minutes later I was driven (in a wheelchair) out to my mom and husband who were waiting for me in the car. What I did not know at that time was that they had already met with the doctor and gotten all of my discharge information.
From the esophagogastroduodenoscopy they believe that I do not have a stomach ulcer but instead have GERD. GERD is the lovely name for gastroesophageal reflux disease. They also did a biopsy that I should hear the results back from in 2 weeks.
Thank you for the prayers last night and this morning. Like I said, the procedure went really well. I have no memory of the actual procedure and my throat if only the tiniest bit sore. I have felt the effects of the sedation all day and have taken some might fine naps.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Tuesday

Tuesday, I am having a little medical procedure done that, if you don't mind, I would appreciate your prayers for.
It all started in August of 2007 with a dull stomachache. For months, I would have a dull, burning sensation in my upper stomach. I self medicated with Tums and Pepto Bismol and that seemed to help everything. But, by early December things got worse. The dull, burning stomachache turned into sharp stomach pains. I was nauseous and nothing seemed to help. I missed 5 days of school that week (and if you know me--I hate to miss work). I finally ended up going to my favorite doctor and they determined I was dehydrated. I was so dehydrated that it took over an hour to find a vein for an IV. I spent 2 hours hooked up to an IV just to get enough fluids to satisfy the doctor to send me home (with strict instructions for me to go to the emergency room if I felt worse). I remember just lying in bed crying because of my stomach. Many tests later (including a parasite test, gallbladder test, feces and urine tests, and appendicitis evaluation) it was later decided that they couldn't quite figure out what was causing my stomach to hurt so bad. But after about 8 days, the pain started to subside. I was put on an antacid and would be continually monitored. I would have stomach pains pretty regularly but nothing like the pain I felt around Christmas. I thought all was well until about March 2009.
This past March, I noticed that I was starting to chew Tums again like candy and was going through a bottle of Pepto Bismol almost every 2 weeks. While at a routine doctors appointment, I mentioned that my stomach was starting to have the dull burning pains again. My doctor examined my stomach and I had 3 distinct areas of pain. She gave me some trial packs of Previcid and had me schedule an appointment with a gastrointestinalogist (I think that is what he is called--a stomach doctor). My doctor suspects that I might have a stomach ulcer.
Since my appointment in April with my doctor, I took the Previcid and had great results, but once the medicine ran out, my stomach pains have returned. I still have 3 distinctive areas of pain which I will admit worries me.
Tuesday I will be going in to have a esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) performed. The doctor will sedate me and put a lighted tube down my throat to look at my esophagus and stomach. I have heard that this is a very minor procedure and will be virtually painless, but yet (I am human) and I am still anxious about it. I pray that I can get some sleep tonight and that tomorrow, I will finally get some answers to why my stomach hurts like it does. I will admit, that at times the pain scares me because at times it is so intense. At other times, it is not there at all. I cannot pinpoint any triggers (food, stress, ect.) that set it off. I just want answers. I really have never had to have any big medical procedure/surgery before (other than my wisdom teeth and my Lasik surgery).
Please pray that the doctors have a successful procedure and that we can finally get answers and take care of the pain. Pray that I can get some sleep tonight. Pray that this anxious feeling will subside.
I am sorry if this is too much personal information for a blog, but it is on my heart tonight.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Assembly Hall Makeover


Words cannot explain how excited this video makes me. I think it is absolutely amazing what young adults can accomplish when God puts a mission in their heart. Timmy and friends did an amazing job designing the new stage, raising money, and making over the assembly hall. If you have never visited the assembly hall at Camp Sumatanga, then you must contact me immediately so that I can share this special place with you. This simple building is truely holy ground. Many lives have been changed inside of those 4 walls. From folk dances to candle lit communions, I have made many memories in that place.
Please continue to support and pray for Sumatanga. The summer camping season will be beginning in a few weeks. The Team will arrive soon to prepare for campers. (Oh how I miss my days on Team!). Pray for strength and wisdom for the counselors, directors, and Team. Pray for each of the campers that will be coming.
I'm really sad that I will not get to spend a week at camp this summer (In the past 6 summers I have spent atleast 1 week and up to 7 weeks at camp). Because of graduate school commitments, I will be unable to direct a junior high camp this year. Instead I will be directing one weekend of Mom and Me camp. If you have young children (too young for a week of camp) you might want to consider Mom and Me camp. It is a one night camp set up for Moms and their children to get a taste of what Sumatanga has to offer. We will go swimming, hiking, canoeing, do arts and crafts, participate in an environmental lesson with Helena, sing, dance, and best of all, worship together. If you are interested in attending my Mom and Me camp, please let me know, or you can check out http://www.sumatanga.org/summer/momandme.php

Since I'm having trouble embedding videos, you can also see the video at www.givebacktocamp.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99TgtSSLAeE&feature=player_embedded

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Sun Always Shines

Tomorrow James Spann is coming to speak to the 2nd graders at MVES. I made him a cake as a thank you. I hope he feels better tomorrow and can make it. I'm not sure why this picture is turned sideways, it was turned the right way on my camera but blogger flipped it.



I am really excited about how the cake turned out overall. The abc33/40 logo took over an hour to get just right.
Each day, LuAnn the world's best office manager, says "The sun always shines on Meadow View" so I decided to incorporate that in the cake. I love when she says it!

I had a ton of yellow icing left over from the sun so I made a polka dot border.

Whatcha think? I used my white/almond cake and almond buttercream recipe. I love the taste of this buttercream and it is easy to color.
I hope James Spann and the rest of the abc33/40 crew enjoy the cake!