Journal about your health- past and present. Any surgeries? Any broken bones? Allergies?
Entry One of Two: “The Pre-Mission Days”
I saw this journal question on a friend’s blog and thought “what a great idea!” My family really does need to know about my health so that if they did have any health issues come up later in life they might know where they came from. Or curse me!
For the most part I was a healthy kid growing up. I was six and half pounds when I was born. I don’t know if my mom got the story right but I think she said I was due in August but I was born in July. Who knows? I seem just fine! They used something called “Twilight Sleep” for moms in labor then. My mom said she was asleep for the whole thing. HOW IS THAT?
Growing up I was pretty healthy. I went in for the normal check-ups, and this and that, but I don’t remember anything really big. I think I spent a lot of time at the dentist office, but I was a little kid and that could really be different. What do I know? I know I have a lot of cavities and that I didn’t get to have straight teeth until I was 39. I loved having braces. —Oh that’s a whole story in it’s self.
When I was about 10, my mom noticed that I couldn’t hear very well. I had to have tubes in my ears and my adenoids and my tonsils out. It was the week right before fourth grade. I was in the hospital for a week. I got to go to the brand new hospital near our house. Alvarado Hospital. I would later return to that hospital as a volunteer—“candy-striper.” I was voted “Junior Volunteer of the Year” and received a scholarship to college from the same hospital.
The tubes in my ears lasted about four months and after that I was just fine. I was able to hear very well and I started swimming and doing synchronized swimming. I never had another ear infection and to this day I don’t get the “hiccups.” It’s strange!
When I was in high school I had about 20 warts show up on my feet and that was so gross. Someone told my mom that I must be deficient in vitamin A, so she gave a little dose everyday and in a few weeks they were gone. TOO WEIRD! I’m surprised my mom didn’t rub “Vick’s Vapor Rub” on them. You know the answer to all of life’s diseases can be cured through a daily dose of “Vick’s Vapor Rub.” Maybe that’s why I found “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” so funny. WINDEX!
Side note: I do remember my mom taking me to the doctor to have two warts removed from my feet. I, to this day, almost get sick when I think of the pain of that procedure. I would gladly give birth tens times over than have something done to my feet. It was only about three months ago when I started going and having a pedicure on a regular basis. I sure have been missing out, but I just couldn’t bare the thought of something painful happening to my feet!
So, for most of my growing up years, I do remember being very healthy. I don’t remember spending much time in bed nor would our mom allow it. She wasn’t one to fuss over us when we were sick. TOO BAD! I think of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and now I know why I am so lax on letting my little one’s stay home when they don’t feel well.
As for accidents before my mission, I can only think of one “Big” one. I didn’t have any broken bones. I only remember breaking a finger here or there, but nothing big.
The big accident growing up for me was when I was riding home from swim practice one night on my bicycle and I went through a puddle of “sand.” My! Oh My! I lost my balance and my bike went down on its side with me on it. We did a 180-degree turn on the side of my body. I was really badly hurt. I was too far away from the swimming pool to go back and too far from home to be able to peddle home and besides, my bike wasn’t in working order anymore.
I put my swimming towel over the bigger bleeding areas of my leg and just cried and cried. Finally a neighbor from the down the street drove by and took my bike home and told my mom where I was. I was in bad shape. Mainly, road rash and long scrapes and many bruises and I still have a few of those scars today. The hard part was that the next day our family was leaving for a week long vacation to Hearst Castle and the surrounding area. It was a lot of walking and stair climbing and I was not in the best shape to do any of it. We stayed in a beautiful hotel on the ocean and I couldn’t go in the ocean, because the salt in the seawater burned my sores so badly.
I still remember that trip so well, but that is an entry for another day. My parents got in a huge fight, which wasn’t abnormal for them and my dad ended up having to hitch hike home from Hearst Castle. EEK!
That will have to be the health entry for today. I will start “Post-Mission” health issues tomorrow. Now that will be a long one. Stay tuned….
Entry One of Two: “The Pre-Mission Days”
I saw this journal question on a friend’s blog and thought “what a great idea!” My family really does need to know about my health so that if they did have any health issues come up later in life they might know where they came from. Or curse me!
For the most part I was a healthy kid growing up. I was six and half pounds when I was born. I don’t know if my mom got the story right but I think she said I was due in August but I was born in July. Who knows? I seem just fine! They used something called “Twilight Sleep” for moms in labor then. My mom said she was asleep for the whole thing. HOW IS THAT?
Growing up I was pretty healthy. I went in for the normal check-ups, and this and that, but I don’t remember anything really big. I think I spent a lot of time at the dentist office, but I was a little kid and that could really be different. What do I know? I know I have a lot of cavities and that I didn’t get to have straight teeth until I was 39. I loved having braces. —Oh that’s a whole story in it’s self.
When I was about 10, my mom noticed that I couldn’t hear very well. I had to have tubes in my ears and my adenoids and my tonsils out. It was the week right before fourth grade. I was in the hospital for a week. I got to go to the brand new hospital near our house. Alvarado Hospital. I would later return to that hospital as a volunteer—“candy-striper.” I was voted “Junior Volunteer of the Year” and received a scholarship to college from the same hospital.
The tubes in my ears lasted about four months and after that I was just fine. I was able to hear very well and I started swimming and doing synchronized swimming. I never had another ear infection and to this day I don’t get the “hiccups.” It’s strange!
When I was in high school I had about 20 warts show up on my feet and that was so gross. Someone told my mom that I must be deficient in vitamin A, so she gave a little dose everyday and in a few weeks they were gone. TOO WEIRD! I’m surprised my mom didn’t rub “Vick’s Vapor Rub” on them. You know the answer to all of life’s diseases can be cured through a daily dose of “Vick’s Vapor Rub.” Maybe that’s why I found “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” so funny. WINDEX!
Side note: I do remember my mom taking me to the doctor to have two warts removed from my feet. I, to this day, almost get sick when I think of the pain of that procedure. I would gladly give birth tens times over than have something done to my feet. It was only about three months ago when I started going and having a pedicure on a regular basis. I sure have been missing out, but I just couldn’t bare the thought of something painful happening to my feet!
So, for most of my growing up years, I do remember being very healthy. I don’t remember spending much time in bed nor would our mom allow it. She wasn’t one to fuss over us when we were sick. TOO BAD! I think of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and now I know why I am so lax on letting my little one’s stay home when they don’t feel well.
As for accidents before my mission, I can only think of one “Big” one. I didn’t have any broken bones. I only remember breaking a finger here or there, but nothing big.
The big accident growing up for me was when I was riding home from swim practice one night on my bicycle and I went through a puddle of “sand.” My! Oh My! I lost my balance and my bike went down on its side with me on it. We did a 180-degree turn on the side of my body. I was really badly hurt. I was too far away from the swimming pool to go back and too far from home to be able to peddle home and besides, my bike wasn’t in working order anymore.
I put my swimming towel over the bigger bleeding areas of my leg and just cried and cried. Finally a neighbor from the down the street drove by and took my bike home and told my mom where I was. I was in bad shape. Mainly, road rash and long scrapes and many bruises and I still have a few of those scars today. The hard part was that the next day our family was leaving for a week long vacation to Hearst Castle and the surrounding area. It was a lot of walking and stair climbing and I was not in the best shape to do any of it. We stayed in a beautiful hotel on the ocean and I couldn’t go in the ocean, because the salt in the seawater burned my sores so badly.
I still remember that trip so well, but that is an entry for another day. My parents got in a huge fight, which wasn’t abnormal for them and my dad ended up having to hitch hike home from Hearst Castle. EEK!
That will have to be the health entry for today. I will start “Post-Mission” health issues tomorrow. Now that will be a long one. Stay tuned….
2 comments:
this is good information for your personal history...although your dad walking home from the vacation made me so sad. So sad!
Love getting a glimpse into the life of Ann! So sorry I missed your phone call the other day. I honestly can't even remember what day it was. It is a ZOO here.....CRAZINESS!!!! How are things?? New calling going well? All well with the fam? Work? Etc? Drop me an e-mail!
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