My blogger friend at Blessing the Elements invited us to blog about something for which we have Gratitude. If you are interested in her blogs, see my followers and click on the one which says 'Blessings of a Wildflower" as her name on the picture. It'll carry you to her blog. Here is my offering:
Is my heart full of gratitude? For sure! 'Why?' you might ask. I can tell you, quickly...and with certainty, if you've got a moment.
I am flooded with gratitude when I think about the fact that I am alive and well. Years ago I was sick, for nearly a year, and no tests results had a cause for it. To this day the only thing they've come up with was 'you must have had a pelvic infection, at some point, leaving the web of scar tissue that caused you such abdominal pain." I've learned to live with the unknown cause and the vague diagnosis.
But, because of all that testing and mystery of cause, I saw one doctor after another, finally seeing another gynocolgist who took a fecal testing. Never before had I had the painless test, but I'm glad this doctor did it. I had occult blood in the sample. From there, I was sent to a proctologist for a discussion and a scheduling of a colonoscopy. (yeah, I know...such fun.) Actually, the prep drink was the worst part of it, and the test was a breeze, sleeping through the procedure, and waking a short time later with no after effects. The doctor's news wasn't wonderful, however. I'd had a couple of polyps, which were removed and one was sent for biopsy. It looked as if there was a small, new cancer growing on one of them. When the word came back, that was exactly what happened.
It wasn't a problem. It was so new that it hadn't had a chance to grow into the intestine or cause any trouble. With the polyp removed, it wouldn't cause me any, but I was told to be diligent in having routine colonoscopies in the future. So, another appointment was made for three years later. That one came up free of any growths of any kind.
Since then, I have followed Dr.'s orders and have had my colon scoped on schedule when they tell me I should. If no polyps are found, it's every 5 years. If there are polyps, they are removed, and I return in three years. All is well in that area, and there's been no more cancer scares.
So, I have a heartful of flowing gratitude. I am grateful for the year of abdominal pain, because it led me from doctor to doctor, until I had a test that saved my life. I am grateful for the medical technology, invasive and otherwise that finds and saves lives.I am thankful for the prayers of many friends who took my name and my mysterious ailment before the Throne of Grace. I am grateful that God watched over me and kept me safe, and I am thankful that I am here to tell you this story, so that you,too, might heed a warning and have your testing done. I am grateful that you are reading this, and hopeful that you will run, and not walk, to your telephone to arrange for your appointment. The life you save may be your own!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Great Grandma Rackett
Again, I write about a woman whose blood flows through my veins. This time it is my maternal Great-Grandmother. She was born in Nantucket, Mass., the daughter of Henry Fisher and Maria Chase. She met Clinton Rackett, who was a fisherman from East Marion, Long Island, and moved to that little community in New York state.
I think of what it must have been like to move away from all she knew, to begin a brand new life as a young wife in a new area. There must have been a strong resolve and an even stronger love for the man, to leave everything behind. East Marion might have felt somewhat familiar to her, since both Nantucket and Long Island are surrounded by water, and in those days, many of the men worked the sea as a way of life. The air in both places would have smelled salty, and weather conditions would have been somewhat similar as well.
There are photos that show the home that was built by GrGrandpa Rackett, for his family. I'm not sure when it was built, but it stood fairly early in their marriage. It stood close to the Community church, but across the street on the Main Road. It was taken down many years later, but I never had the chance to see the building. I'm told that GrGramma Rackett kept an immaculate house and yard. Even the outhouse had starched and ironed white curtains hanging in the window! There was a garden, a cherry tree, a picket fenced yard. My Grandmother was married there, in the garden.
Not only was GrGrandmother a woman who took good care of her home and four children, she was also a good business woman, I'm told. Her husband died in the early 1900's, leaving her alone to raise the youngest child, my Grandmother. She took on the his fishing fleet business, keeping it running in fine order. How these female old timers got all the household chores done and ran businesses to support the families, is beyond me.
I was a working woman, but my housekeeping was none too good. I gave up my baking, except for an occasional batch of cookies. I had to let some things go and organize other things when I went to work. But, the women of old couldn't do that. Baking, sewing, laundry, mending, gardening, cooking, canning, cleaning (including beating room sized rugs!), etc. could not be not be overlooked. They didn't have take-out food or frozen, pre-made meals to pop in the oven. They had to do that work. Taking on the bookkeeping, records, payroll and other matters relating to running a fishing fleet was a time consuming endeavor. I don't know how she did it.
GrGrandma's obituary tauts her as a 'pillar of the church'. I know she was a woman of faith, but apparently she was quite involved in the women's ministries of the time. I'm sure that involved meeting the needs of other women, widows and orphans. Besides muscle and determination, she apparently was blessed with a compassionate heart. Perhaps it was her faith that gave her the strength she needed to keep going and to accomplish all that she did.
Our ancestors were not wimps. They were hard workers. They knew there was nobody to do the work but themselves, and they did what was necessary. We could learn much from these family members. They were pretty good examples.
Sometimes it pays to look back so that we know how to move forward.
I think of what it must have been like to move away from all she knew, to begin a brand new life as a young wife in a new area. There must have been a strong resolve and an even stronger love for the man, to leave everything behind. East Marion might have felt somewhat familiar to her, since both Nantucket and Long Island are surrounded by water, and in those days, many of the men worked the sea as a way of life. The air in both places would have smelled salty, and weather conditions would have been somewhat similar as well.
There are photos that show the home that was built by GrGrandpa Rackett, for his family. I'm not sure when it was built, but it stood fairly early in their marriage. It stood close to the Community church, but across the street on the Main Road. It was taken down many years later, but I never had the chance to see the building. I'm told that GrGramma Rackett kept an immaculate house and yard. Even the outhouse had starched and ironed white curtains hanging in the window! There was a garden, a cherry tree, a picket fenced yard. My Grandmother was married there, in the garden.
Not only was GrGrandmother a woman who took good care of her home and four children, she was also a good business woman, I'm told. Her husband died in the early 1900's, leaving her alone to raise the youngest child, my Grandmother. She took on the his fishing fleet business, keeping it running in fine order. How these female old timers got all the household chores done and ran businesses to support the families, is beyond me.
I was a working woman, but my housekeeping was none too good. I gave up my baking, except for an occasional batch of cookies. I had to let some things go and organize other things when I went to work. But, the women of old couldn't do that. Baking, sewing, laundry, mending, gardening, cooking, canning, cleaning (including beating room sized rugs!), etc. could not be not be overlooked. They didn't have take-out food or frozen, pre-made meals to pop in the oven. They had to do that work. Taking on the bookkeeping, records, payroll and other matters relating to running a fishing fleet was a time consuming endeavor. I don't know how she did it.
GrGrandma's obituary tauts her as a 'pillar of the church'. I know she was a woman of faith, but apparently she was quite involved in the women's ministries of the time. I'm sure that involved meeting the needs of other women, widows and orphans. Besides muscle and determination, she apparently was blessed with a compassionate heart. Perhaps it was her faith that gave her the strength she needed to keep going and to accomplish all that she did.
Our ancestors were not wimps. They were hard workers. They knew there was nobody to do the work but themselves, and they did what was necessary. We could learn much from these family members. They were pretty good examples.
Sometimes it pays to look back so that we know how to move forward.
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