This year our Relief Society is focusing on service.  I am excited about  all of the service opportunities.  There are so many ways to help our community.  When we serve, we take His name.  We are serving our fellow brothers and sisters.  This is another way to enhance your relationship with Christ.  As we serve in His name, we will feel closer to Him.  Jesus Christ is also known by other names like brother, friend, healer and advocate.  One thing I reflected on today was how each names describes a way that He blesses my life.  The one I focused on today is healer.  I have a digestive disease that can be very painful.  I have reached the point where non surgical treatment will not work and I will have surgery.  I was in the hospital for ten days for a perforated bowel.  During those times in the hospital when I felt alone, I knew He was there as a brother and friend.  But ultimately, He was there as a healer.  I never had a feeling that I was not going to be okay.  I knew that surgery was inevitable and I feel good about it.  I know that it will be a long road, but one that will ultimately be for the good.  I know that during this time He will be with me as my brother, friend, healer and advocate.

John 13:4-15

“You are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you.” C.S. Lewis

In a recent lesson in Relief Society lesson, we talked about our relationship with Jesus Christ. It really got me to thinking about my own relationship.  What is my relationship with Jesus Christ? Do I have a relationship with Him? How can I make it better? I often feel that I am lacking when it comes to spiritual things in my life.  I always feel I need to do better.   When I got home I remembered  a great book I have by Emily Freeman called 21 Days Closer to Christ.  I have decided to embark on this journey to gain a stronger testimony of Christ and to hopefully be an example to my children to show them about Jesus.  I hope to share this journey on this blog. I will try to blog every day on my thoughts, etc… as I try to strengthen my relationship with my Savior.

I got my Entertainment Weekly today and was happy to see my guilty pleasure show listed as #10 in the Must List.  It’s on MTV and called 16 and Pregnant.  A season began a couple of weeks ago and I am hooked.  This season the guys are total jerks. The first girl, Jenelle, got pregnant and thought her “boyfriend” would step up to the plate. Nope, he couldn’t even get a job at McDonald’s.  He also lives four hours away and is a drunk. He got a DWI and thrown in jail during the episode.  Then after the baby is born, Jenelle leaves all of the caring of her son  to her mother.  She is back in school, but she has no connection to the baby. It was really sad. I doubt the baby will ever know his father and I can only hope that Jenelle will bond with her son.  The second episode is about Nikkole from Michigan. She is so naive.  She lives with her mother and younger brother.  Her boyfriend dumped her after he found out she was pregnant. Throughout the episode, they go back and forth until finally he dumps her for good.  She is better off without him. He had been expelled from school and was just so rude to everyone he came in contact with.  His own mother called him an ass. It’s a sad situation. Another baby who will probably never know his father.  The only good thing in the two episodes are the strong and supporting mothers.  I don’t know why I am so compelled to watch this show.  I had two miscarriages before I got pregnant with Billy.  I always wondered why teenage girls were getting pregnant and not me.  There was some resentment. Now I watch a show about teenage moms and feel sorry for them.  I think this show should be required viewing for all teenagers.  It gives the best argument for birth control and  for the option of adoption which far too many do not even consider.

One thing I learned a long time ago is there is no such thing as modesty when in the hospital.  I recently spent ten days in the hospital clad in a blue hospital gown that didn’t fit. It fell off my shoulders and exposed my back even though I had it tied tight.  I had my husband go to Target and get me some cotton pajama buttons.  I felt so much better.  I still at times had an exposed back, but I felt more comfortable.  When in the hospital, patients are encouraged to walk the halls.  I felt more confident walking the halls and going on my ice chip runs while wearing my pajama bottoms.  Other patients just didn’t care and I often saw things I really didn’t want to see.  I saw more exposed backsides then I care to count.  One patient who had been in the hospital for several weeks came by my room to talk.  After finding out I had Crohn’s, she proceeded to show me her surgery scars on her stomach.  I really didn’t want to see them, but she already had her gown up.  I quickly said oh i hope it heals soon and looked away.  She about passed out while talking to me because the nurse had just administered pain medication to her.  I suggested to her that she should really go lie down which she did.  I don’t know if she is still in the hospital as I was released later that day.

I learned in the hospital that names can be deceiving.  Apparently, my name sounds like a  90 year old European woman.  While in the ER, I was taken back to Radiology.  The tech came to get me and he seemed surprised to see me.  He said are you Jana Dunow? I said yes and he said oh I thought you would be a 90 year old woman. Gee, thanks.  I guess my name if pronounced Yana Dunow is very Eastern European sounding.  Now I wonder what others think of my name.  I also learned that  a lof of  people have problems with pain medication. Fortunately, I have never had this problem. Well morphine doesn’t do anything for me, but that’s it.  There was a woman who came in on Sunday afternoon with a broken leg/ankle.  She was knocked out.  She didn’t come through until later that night.  She had no idea where she was, who she was and why she was there.  Then instead of pushing the nurse button for assistance she would just yell out.  Her room was not near the nurses station so no one heard her except for the patients who were all trying to sleep.  She woke me up on more than one occasion.  Finally, the nurses figured out she could not tolerate hardly any of the pain medications they were giving her.  Things got a bit quieter after that.

There are entirely too many food ads on TV especially when you can’t eat anything.  I was in the hospital six days before I was given anything to eat by mouth. I was allowed a clear liquid diet the first two days.  All I saw were commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken. I craved their potatoes and biscuits.  Someone in the dietary department must have heard my pleas because the first day I was allowed soft foods, I had mashed potatoes and a roll.  It was heaven.  I continue to see those KFC commercials and I still want those potatoes.

I will be going back to the hospital in April for surgery.  I am seriously considering asking for a private room. I know that I will have to pay for this luxury, but I think it’s worth it.  I had three roommates during my stay.  Luckily two stayed overnight and then on my last day in the hospital I got a roommate.  For four days of my stay, I had no roommates thanks to my great nurses who looked out for me and put patients in other available rooms.  I really appreciated that.  I understand that they double and sometimes triple patients in rooms because of volume, but I think the quality of care goes up when a nurse has one on one time and doesn’t have to worry about the other patient in the room. Also as a patient, I rested more comfortably when there was no one in my room.  I didn’t have to listen to their IV machines beeping and having to call the nurses station because the other patient couldn’t hear it.  I didn’t have to listen to moaning or groaning.  I don’t think anyone really wants to listen to others suffering when they are also suffering.  A private room is on the top of my list.

I am thankful to be home.  Hospitals try as they might are not places people want to be.  Well, most people. My first overnight hospital stay after my procedure at the end of January, I had a roommate that had been there for three days.  She  was in her 70s and had been brought in because she had congested heart failure.  The thing is the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her.  Later, she told me that she was a widow with no children.  She lives alone.  I felt sorry for her.  After I went back into the hospital for the second time, I made a comment to the technician why do doctors ask patients before discharge if they want to go home.  The tech said you would be surprised how many people try to stay.  It made me think of that first roommate I had.  I hope I never feel so lonely that I want to go into a hospital for companionship.  I am sure I will have more stories from my next hospital stay and I can’t wait to blog about them.

Professional sports never start with a prayer.  But let me make a correction, Professional Bull Riding does.  A prayer is said for the protection of the riders and bullfighters and all those involved.  The majority of the riders show their gratitude for a safe ride by looking heavenward.  I am impressed by this especially in this day and age.  When I was in high school in Southwestern Oklahoma, Friday nights in the fall were all about football. We sang the National Anthem and said a prayer.  Nobody seemed to object and everyone bowed their heads. Nobody complained.  Now groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups are trying to have this practice stopped.  Unfortunately they have been successful in many areas.  I think this is a shame.  I don’t see anything wrong with a short prayer asking for the protection of the players and those involved in the activity. It’s certainly not hurting anyone.  If a person doesn’t agree, don’t bow your head.  A prayer is made up of words so if a person don’t believe in the words  then that’s okay.  But don’t make a stink about it.  I love the PBR and I am proud to be a fan of an organization that puts God and country first.

Yesterday, I was at the doctor’s office.  I went to use the bathroom and found the door open.  I did not expect what was on the other side.  A man standing up tucking in his shirt.  I quickly said sorry and shut the door, Luckily, I didn’t see anything.  The man walked out and started talking to a woman.  It was his wife!  She saw me open the door and yet she said nothing.  After he came out of the bathroom, she went in.  I had to stand there with the man I just walked in on.  How awkward.  I think next time I will knock.

I was a late comer to Facebook.  I signed up to keep up with a good friend and ended up with a lot more friends to keep track of.  I like playing Bejeweled Blitz, but don’t have a farm or zoo and am not part of the mafia.  It’s fun to see what people are up to during the day, but does status really matter? I have put status updates and sometimes will get a response, but usually not. I wonder does anyone care or even read them? I am beginning to think why bother. It’s like a blog. A blogger really wants comments and the same goes for Facebook status updates.  Comments are always welcome. People want to know that others are interested in what is going on with their lives.  It can be a little disconcerting when no one comments on anything posted.  Is anybody out there? Does anyone care?

“A broken promise is bad enough in private life. It is worse in the field of politics.” – Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President (1901-1909)

While then Senator Obama was campaining for the White House, he said several times that his administration would be transparent.  We, the public, would know what is going at all times through web sites and C-Span.  That is not happening.  We have already seen the web site that is devoted to stimulus money and where is goes, is full of mistruths.  Now, we are at the pinnacle of the health care debate and the negotiations that Obama said would be on C-Span are being held in back rooms and at the White House.  President Obama or BO (that’s how I like to refer to him) isn’t getting much help from the Speaker of the House, Botox Nancy or excuse me, Nancy Pelosi.  When a reporter reminded her that Obama said several times that all health care negotiations be open to C-SPAN cameras, she said “There are a number of things he was for on the campaign trail.”  Ouch! I am sure BO didn’t like that at all.  I think he should call C-SPAN up right now and offer them full access.  Wouldn’t that be a bee in Mrs. Pelosi’s bonnet.

You may not see him walking down the street.  His head is cast down and he is packing all of his belongings on his back.  If you happen to walk by, he probably won’t make eye contact.  You may even cross the street to avoid him.  He is homeless.  The day before Thanksgiving, Bill and I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Joy Junction /City of Albuquerque Annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless.  We were greeters. We stood at the doors and greeted everyone that walked in.  There were many that didn’t smile, but more that did.  We got handshakes and thank yous.  We weren’t doing anything special just saying hi.  But as I thought about this on the way home, our smiles could have been the first smiles they have seen in days.  Albuquerque, unfortunately, has a high homeless rate.  Joy Junction is the largest emergency homeless shelter in the state.  We saw a man with six or seven sweaters on and a bag that held his possessions. We saw families with small children, couples and singles.  I don’t know why the people that were enjoying the warmth and the Thanksgiving dinner were there or how they got to the point of homelessness. There is always someone out there that needs our help.  We can offer a smile or a word of encouragement or we can do more.  We can donate our time.  We are living in hard times particularly now with the economy the way it is.  If you have something you can spare, donate it.  Sleeping bags, blankets, food, socks, gloves, hats,  whatever you may have to help someone that needs it.  The  simple acting of smiling to welcome someone to a dinner has changed me.  I hope during this holiday season and beyond you will seek out ways to serve those in your community. After all, we are our brother’s keepers.