Catholics
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MRDRN: Welcome! I'm so happy you stopped by. This is a great bunch of women and such a supportive thread. God bless you with your surgery.
Paula: I was born in February, Aquarian!
Michelle: Praise be to God that you are feeling the effects of prayer and Our Lady of Guadelupe!!
I'm going to post the last sections of the "Suffering" pamphlet. It will be two posts, then you won't have to suffer anymore with my posts! LOL (Just kidding)
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Hi MRDRN - so glad you popped in! I will say a prayer for you, your medical team and your loved ones that surgery is a complete success and that you quickly find yourself on the road to recovery & health!
I think I had a few extra Our Fathers in there:):) Whenever I say repetitive prayers I get the words all mixed up and have to start over. Does that happen to anyone else?
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MRDRN ~ a warm welcome to you and good luck with your surgery!
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Suffering is the Gold in our Lives
Secondly, [First was suffering is not the evil we think it is, and thirdly was God always gives strength to bear our sufferings] if we accept the suffering He sends us and offer them in union with His sufferings, we receive the greatest rewards. Five minutes' suffering borne for love of Jesus is of greater value to us than years and years of pleasure and joy. The Saints tell us that if we patiently bear our sufferings, we merit the crown of martyrdom.
Moreover, suffering borne patiently brings out all that is good in us. Those who have suffered are usually the most charming people.
If we bear these facts clearly in mind, it certainly becomes much easier to suffer.
Penance
We must all do penance for our sins. If we do to, we shall have long years of suffering in the awful fire of Purgatory. This fire is just the same as the fire of Hell.
Now, if we offer our sufferings - the very little ones as well as the greater ones - in union with the sufferings of Jesus Christ, we are doing the easiest and best penance we can perform. We may thus deliver ourselves entirely from Purgatory, while at the same time gaining the greatest graces and blessings.
Let us remember clearly that:
- 1. Sufferings come from God for our benefit.
- 2. When we are in the state of grace, we derive immense merit from every suffering borne patiently, even the little sufferings of our daily lives.
- 3. God will give us abundant strength to bear our sufferings if we only ask Him.
- 4. If we bear our sufferings patiently, they lose their sting and bitterness.
- 5. Above all, every suffering is a share in the Passion of Our Lord.
- 6. By our sufferings, we can free ourselves in great part, or entirely, from the pains of Purgatory.
- 7. By bearing our sufferings patiently, we win the glorious crown of martyrdom.
Of course, we may do all in our power to avoid or lesson our sufferings, but we cannot avoid all suffering. Therefore, it is clearly necessary for us to learn how to bear them
In a word, we must understand clearly that if we remain calm, serene and patient, suffering loses all its sting, but the moment we get excited, the smallest suffering increases a hundredfold.
It is just as if we had a sore arm or leg and rubbed it violently; it would become irritated and painful; whereas, if we touch it gently, we soothe the irritation.
We suffer from ill-health, from pains, headaches, rheumatism, arthritis, from accidents, from enemies. We may have financial difficulties. Some suffer for weeks in their homes, some in hospitals or nursing homes. In a word, we are in a vale of tears. Almighty God could have saved us from all suffering, but He did not do so because He knows in His infinite goodness that suffering is good for us.
Next: Prayer...
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Prayer
We have a great, great remedy in our hands, that is, prayer. We should pray earnestly and constantly, asking God to help us to suffer, to console us, or if it pleases Him, to deliver us from suffering. This is all, all important.
A very eminent doctor, in an able article he recently published in the secular press, says that "Prayer is the greatest power in the world."
He says, "I and my colleagues frequently see that many of our patients, whom we have failed to cure or whose pains we have failed to alleviate, have cured themselves by prayer. I speak now not of the prayers of holy people, but the prayers of ordinary Christians."
We should above all pray to Our Lady of Sorrows in all our troubles. We should ask her, by the oceans of sorrow she felt during the Passion of our Lord, to help us.
God gave her all the immense graces necessary to make her the perfect Mother of God, but He also gave her all the graces, the tenderness, the love necessary to be our most perfect and loving Mother. No mother on earth ever loved a child as Our Blessed Lady loves us. Therefore, in all our troubles and sorrows, let us go to Our Blessed Lady with unbounded confidence.
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto tee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer them. Amen
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MRDRN,
I wanted to welcome you, and we are here praying in numbers tonight. You are most welcome to come, pray and share.
and Sisters, thank you for coming together, posting prayers, and adding your own heartfelt prayers for Jeannine. Many Angels are gathering for Jeannine. When I just typed that, I could see it in my "minds eye." I know we were heard, as you all do too. God Bless you Jeannine.
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Janet: Whenever I say repetitive prayers I get the words all mixed up and have to start over. Does that happen to anyone else? YES!!! 0
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And Michelle - your experiences are inspiring - the pain going away at the vigil & no upset tummy today!
And He shall reign forever and ever. Amen. (Don't know why I'm thinking about The Messiah music tonight!)
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Theresa-Feb 10th here.
MRDRN-Welcome, you have my prayer.
Janet-It happens all the time, I just keep starting over and over.
Ladies, great pray for our sister. I am so honored to be a part of this.
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Theresa - well that's a relief!! It's not like I don't know the words!!
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Janet ~ it happens to me too!
Michelle ~ so glad that your prayers has been answered
Tori ~ glad you are doing well
Theresa ~ thank you for typing all the prayers. And I want to share with you about Prayers and Holy Water!
My late father (passed away almost 19 years, anniversary on Nov 25th). He visited Lourdes twice. Each time he brought home many big bottles of Holy Water. Now my late father graduated from the university ran by the Jesuits in the Philippines. One of the priests that my father was corresponding with had eye ailment (I don't remember if it was glacoma or catarac) but definitely he was near blind. My father mailed him a couple bottles of Holy Water from Lourdes. The priest prayed and used the Holy Water on his eyes daily. After a couple of months, my father showed us a letter from the priest that he was cured. No joke. No surgery, no medicine. He was cured. It was a miracle indeed.
The power of prayers!!!
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Those who have suffered are usually the most charming people.
This is true,and I was thinking along those lines today as I was walking. I would like to share with you some of the lessons I have learned from my patients. I had the pleasure of being visited by three patients with whom I spent between 30 minutes to one hour on Friday. One is without a home, and all three have very little means. One carries most of his life in his bag, as he goes back and forth trying to get help. All three brought me more joy in one sitting than can honestly be measured, because we laughed, we shared, we teased, and my co-workers and I came together, and stayed late to help the sickest one.
Their countenances are beyond loving and special. Their sufferings immense, some suffering is now in the past due to their medical care bringing them to a place of health, but not cured. The patient who is most ill, and had lost 20 lbs, but still gave me a sweet smile, and waited PATIENTLY for us to help him and get him medicines. No one was surly, no one demanded I get them this, or that, or the other. I was given gracious smiles, and the lesson of love that cannot be taught, just experienced.
Are all my patients like that? Well, no, some have substance abuse issues and psychiatric issues that make them challenging, sometimes confrontational. I work with the disengaged, the downtrodden, the meek, the homeless, immigrants, and those who have lost their jobs and cannot afford insurance.
They have given me so much over the years, and have been supportive of me and my health struggles. The meek shall inherent the earth indeed. I am truly blessed.
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Traci, so true. Some people just think that they are higher up than the rest and "deserve" better.
This has been swimming in my head for a long time. Why are there innocent babies born into this world but suffers instantly? I am talking about how some mothers gave birth in the filthiest of places like a public toilet and just abandon the baby there. Some are abandoned in the garbage dump, along the street. Some mother's didn't even have the decency to wrap the baby up!
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oooh, Love The Messiah Janet. Oh, I'm having an idea, for those of us in the NOVA area and MD, perhaps we could find a Christmas concert to go to? (Church Music) (I'm sorry to exclude our other Sisters, but if you were traveling this way....
Theresa,
I have Hail Mary and Our Father on a piece of paper in front of me when I pray with you all. I am getting better, the Our Father is familiar, just a bit different from my upbringing, but Hail Mary is new...but I got it down tonight!
Michelle,
I am thrilled for you recent healings. I can say that when I am really hearing a prayer, especially reading a prayer, I relax all over. I will go from my usual tense way that I hold myself, into a mini meditative state, slowed breathing and all. This really supports Theresa's last post regarding the power of prayer. If I can feel physical relief after a short prayer, I can only imagine the health benefit of regular prayer.
Betty,
So nice to see you, and I was interested in your story about the Priest you took care of the other day. I didn't know you were an LPN, Nursey Sister! I too am honored to be part of this group and our prayer circle. So happy we have all landed here.
Paula,
Super prayer that you added at the end of The Chaplet (oh gosh, did I say that right?) I am still curious how you are feeling under your arm, and the redness that started. How are you today/night?
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Traci ~ thank you for asking about me
The axilla area and where the lymph scar is is definitely more swollen today (not sure if this is the norm)?Also, I was asking in the Rads thread, whether I should feel pain during the zap? It was #8 tx yesterday (Friday), the machine was calibrated 2 days in a row. I get the beam/ray coming from L angle, 12 zaps. Then the beam coming from R angle also 12 zaps. They start from L angle first, and I could feel pain 5 times out of 12 zaps. Coming from R angle, about 3 painful zaps. I wonder if that means the dosage is too strong for me? But why is it such a co-incidence with it after calibration? I will email the rad onc too. He's only at the rad center on Thursdays. Or I may have to see other rad onc on duty.
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Sisters,
Please forgive me for missing prayers for Jeanine...I feel like pond scum for not getting on here to pray with you all...I don't have an excuse....I'm just a big dummyhead....
Tori
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Tori ~ please don't beat yourself up to that. You're recouperating from chemo yourself. It's ok to forget and you can always say it alone. Our Lord knows each and every one of us. We know you have the best of intentions. Please don't feel guilty, K?
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It is an honor to pray with you my sisters. Praise be Jesus and Mary.Amen
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Torigirl,
We don't want anything but your health and well being! So be kind to yourself please..no stress for our Sister.
lovemyfamilysomuch,
It is an honor to pray with you too.
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Amen. Jeannine... oh how I PRAY for your healing. Michelle... please let me/us know about her as she writes to you. She has great faith and I hope she is spending all her time with family.
Theresa... I thank you for posting the prayer on offering up our pain. I need to hear that more often. When we hurt... it is hard to change the thinking. TY.
All the great stories posted here today... so nice to read... this is a peace place.!
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Paula,
I can only say I did not have any pain during my radiation treatments. My pain did not start until week four or so. I think an email to your Rad Onc is a good idea, and to see a Rad Onc on duty would be even better. I can pop over to the Rads thread, but I am curious if they had any suggestions?
Sheila?
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I agree Paula.. let them know about this. You should not feel any pain during rads. I had pain, from rads, anf still do... but there was NO pain during zaps. Please look into this. You do not want the radiation going to the wrong area.. you need those zaps to go to the RIGHT spots!
xxxooo
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hey me too. I'm crying as I write there are so many problems. The nurse in me wants to fix them all. Squid will understand. As mothers you each will understand , but nurses that are to their core nurses, internalize their patients problems. Since my left brain now malfunctions and the right brain handling fright& flight responses has been on high alert for about 3 years (even preceding BC & lymphoma). I'm not the stalwart that i once was.
But let me help where I can.
Michelle.--You should do the stretches several times a day period. You should do the stretches any time you feel pain. That means you must stop what you are doing and go do them. Sitting in a chair at a computer can put you at risk for this spasming. The broad category is "Over Use Syndrome". Many physical problems fall under this category---carpel tunnel syndrome---where there is to much use of the hands /forearms in a certain position, for example at the computer or sewing.
When I was still 24, I hired into the Operating room. Within a few months , I developed acute cervical sprains of the neck. I'd wake up in the morning with acute pain in the neck. The first was a reaction of well this is different what can this be. By the fourth occurrence I was hysterical because I knew the pain I was going to be in and what I thought would be the recovery time.
First, the neck pain that would progress down my left arm to the point I could not use my left hand. I was put in cervical traction at night by my ortho guy. 10 lbs. Talk about birthcontrol. One bad experience taught us to use a code phrase with my Dh "honey I'm going to hang up now".
After 1/1/2 years in traction , I decided Thats it. I WILL not live the rest of my life this way. So, with my best Sherlock Holmes observation , I analysed what was causing the problem. Conclusion: Scrubbing in surgery(oh how I used to Love to scrub). The pain would start on the right side of the neck, extend to the left the progressively down the arm. What I learned was as soon as I felt the pain on the right neck was to STOP what I was doing, change positions, do some relaxtion techniques. But to get out of traction because it in itself caused damage. I gave up scrubbing(passing instruments) for 8 months, Quit reading for a year for longer than say 15 minutes, Quit watching tv unless especially positioned--dead on with no turn of the neck), Quit needlepoint/cruel. I call it the most boring year of my life. BUT BECAUSE I ANALYSED WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND WAS WILLING TO GIVEUP WHAT I CARED ABOUT MOST, I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRACTION AND ON WITH A NORMAL LIFE. It took 1 1/2 yrs to fully get out of traction. I have always protected my neck from overuse syndrome. Except stress periods can cause the muscles to get tight which starts the merrigoround. BUT i interrupt it as fast as I can. I also avoided any drug use , unless I wasin dire straits. Valium is the best skeletal muscle relaxer there is and had the antiaxniety component. Most medical people don't have a clue it was developed first as an antispasmodic. The antiaxniety thing was only observed postmarketing(after on the market approved by FDA).
The other thing that helped immensely was chiropractic care, but just as there are good and mediocre surgeons, the same goes for chiropracters. In the 70's as a nurse I couldn't even use that word in the hospital setting. The Agency on HealthCare Policies and Research came out with a clinical practice guidline in the 90's That patients should be made aware that this is an alternative to invasive practices such as epidurals or Sacro- illiac ( SI) injections. The agency was dissembled after that position paper came out and turned into a different group. Qualatative something --Squid will know and be able to tell you., because it is the parent of Quality Review. Concurrent to that time the National Institute of Health NIH developed a department of "Complimentary Medicine" there charge was to research those approaches outside of what was considered orthodox medicine and fund research as to validity. The first research project was Accupunture. It was found that accupunture had validity. (the chinese have known this for about 2000 years?). I was impressed, they allowed something that the 20th century docs didn't agree with to be published as to having validity---amazing. AHCPR was shut down and changed into a completely different entity. Trying to find that paper on chiropractic is like impossible. I didn't run it off at the time because it was 84 pages long
Trivial pursuit---those patients that have back problems have less "loss of work days" when treated by chiropractic than those treated by standard orthopedic procedures. Comeback---if nothing is done certain patients will recover without treatment of any kind. Notice the word "certain'.
Trying to find relief from pain---all the saints willing to bare pain notwithstanding---pain sucks , disability sucks. If we can find a way to manage either, or any disease. We should. A simple stretch done right that can keep you well and off drugs and out of despair and off the surgical table is truly our Gods blessing.
LE Lymphedema can be erradicate with proper research. The research into vascular neogenesis has been known for at least 15 years== means developing new blood vessels. The problem is it led to some cancers. Well so back to the drawing board.
But why we can't develop a treatment for lymph glands, is so hard to deal with. It will happen. In what number of years is unknown. All can be accomplished, but time is again the unknown.
Laura your note on your new LE site. Your arm is worse when you work. From a person(me) who spent most of her life preventing overuse of weak neck muscles related to possibly polio and 2 severe neck injuries. I want you to think, do I want this to get worse because someone wants their hair cut. Dear laura, your first response is going to be, but its my life's work --it's what I know. Then look at your arm, think of the pain. Then say to yourself sweet one, is it worth it.
I decided after 1/1/2years---(total 3 years to no longer wearing traction), it wasn't. The richness in the diversity of things, that I've learned because I chose to leave the situation that was hurting me, has been amazing. We each think we are trained for one thing. We're not, once you reach a certain level of knowledge, you can move to other things. You can likely teach. Change professions entirely. Actually your arm may qualify you for social security disabity because of the infection risk and inability to use the arm without significant intervention. But LE will not get better. Until science comes up with a solution. What I have written will likely make you cry and , scream, and yell. But the pretense that PT/OT or anyone at this point making it better doesn't exist, but they are making alot of money off of it. True Le no. Venous outflow obstruction yes, But not LE.......
Pray everyone that my words our right. I wish that they were wrong , but at this moment in time.
When you cut off a leg we know the leg is no longer there. In the lymph system when you cut it's outflow track without creating another outflow track, the flow won't occur, once it is breached and the extrusion of fluid occurs into the extravascular space. The lymph system that is the garbage collector can't pick it up. The blood vessels aren't designed to pick up the garbage. Why it occurs at anytime after surgery, from zero to many many years. No one knows. It was only identified in around 96 that flying could cause it. I only know this because this was the year my sister sue developed LE after flying. I have 3 lymph nodes removed. Sister Sue knows of a woman with 4 removed and developed LE 18 years later. Unknown reason.
Wrapping and sleeves may help with the fluid that the normal vascular system can deal with, the other being the molecules that the vascular system can't reabsorb science doesn't have an answer too.
The bottom line is we each must protect ourselves from things that can damage us. Laura of the good heart, please consider what I've said with belief that I mean no harm. L&H and faith Sheila
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Laura, Traci ~ you guys are right. Last Friday, I was laying on the table and usually the machine will start almost right away. This time, I was just laying there (feeling like a spectacle) and the machine didn't start until almost 5 mins later. As if the techs were talking and laughing about my complaint to the rad onc on Thursday. I've never felt any pain before, this was the first time. Co-incidence?
I just checked and the axilla area look like it is lightly bruised. It's giving me more pain than after the surgery. I had NO pain at all after surgery. Figure that!
Since these are controlled by computers, I wonder if there's any log on the dosage of my zaps for a certain day?
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Been typing --remember two fingers--just caught up on last 7-8 posts---Paula, remember i said something wasn't right , but i couldn't remember. There again, isn't something right . Get the rad doc to clarify before next treatment. There is something about the rad doc not being in the building doesn't sound kosher. Sheila
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Paula,
What Sheila said! I agree that you should not have any more treatment until this is sorted out. There should be a log as well for each patient, most likely kept on the computer. And Sheila, I am considering see a chiro for my SI joint issue...I posted a question earlier in the Nursey thread about it. (when you get a chance, take a peek, one of our Sisters from there is in the hospital.)
So Paula, (and others) would you like a story to take your mind off of things?
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Traci ~ YES PLEASE
I've been patiently waiting since last night
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Of course sheila
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thank you Shelia. I own... well... it does not matter..... I read what you wrote... and you are right on so many levels. ..TY,,,,,, I will re-read it tomorrow when my head is more clear. We did family pictures today... ALL of us..:).. well... that was only 7 lol.. and I am so tired. I have been sleeping more than normal.. and even falling asleep in the day time.. SO SO NOT me. ???
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Paula,
LOL!
Alright, I am off to find a book I want to share from...give me 20-30 minutes
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