2nd Degree from Walden: My Family Culture

Thursday, September 12, 2013

My Family Culture

· Blog: My Family Culture

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

The three items I would choose would be a

Ipad- so that I can always keep in contact and communicate with my husband, children, and other family members since the items are small things, my kids and husband are not included to bring. On the ipad, I can skype my family and stay abreast of other worldly news and issues.

The bible- I was raised on the bible and reading the word on a daily basis. I know that it will be my faith and spirituality that will bring me through the catastrophe. The bible will strengthen my mind and give me hope.

My glasses- Since I obviously can’t see without them.

If I was told I could only keep one item, I would choose my IPad. My family is my heart and I would really like to keep in contact with them. Through my iPad I can read bible verses to keep my faith and mind strong.

This list helps me to prioritize and to determine what is important to me. My family of course is of utter importance but first and foremost is my relationship with God. In which, I still intend to keep. Because through him, I can do and make it through anything. I was exposed to my religion at an early age as a part of my family cultural upbringing. My religion and my faith in God has through everything remained steadfast. I always have my faith and trust in the Lord. I know that he will bring me through any catastrophe.

3 comments:

Carolyn ChristensenSeptember 13, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Shavonne, an iPad is a very clever thing to bring because it can hold so many things (pictures, recipes, books)and keep you in touch. That makes me want to change what I would bring because it expands the possibilities so much. Great idea!!
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UnknownSeptember 14, 2013 at 1:54 PM
Shavonne,

I had considered technology but I decided I could not count on electricity or internet access so I did not choose anything electronic. I appreciate your choices.

Betsy
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UnknownSeptember 15, 2013 at 5:36 PM
You really gave me something to think about when you mentioned your glasses because I, like you, cannot see a thing without them. That might be the main item for me now....oh boy! Ipad was a really great one too. I never thought of that either. Great ideas you had....thanks for sharing.
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The Birth of my first son!

I chose to write about the birth of my first son, who was born preterm at 19 wks and passed away. I chose this birth to write about because it was the most tramautic and most memorable. I also chose this birth because after reading the chapters and sections I think it is important to be knowledgable about your body and to keep up with appointments and take proper test and procedures to ensure that your baby is born full term and healthy. Five days before going into labor, I felt really bad and had an inkling that something was wrong. The physician that I was using at the time had an office in my town but was only there on Thursdays for appt. This was a Friday afternoon and if I wanted to see her I would have to drive over sixty miles to her next office. So, i gnored the signs and went on thinking that I was ok. On Wednesday morning, I woke up with slight stomach cramps. Took a shower, got dressed for work, and daughter off to daycare. Stopped by my Mother in laws house and when I got inside I had to sit down, the pain had gotten progressively worse. Still I continued on to work and and worked through the morning with the pain getting getting worse. Then I went to the restroom and noticed a bloody show. I had a coworker take me to the local er where I had to got through an hour long ultrasound of the baby and my cervix. My baby looked great and I found out I was having a boy!!!! How exciting, that is just what me and hubby wanted since we already had a daughter togther and he has an older daughter from a previous relationship. This was perfect. Now, all they had to do was stop these cramps so I could get home to inform my husband of the picture perfect family we were going to have! Well after waiting hours for a dr, to come in and see my I was delivered the horrible news!! His words exactly was "you are going to lose this baby". He said it with no sympathy at all. I immediately started crying and askign why. He stated that I had developed an infection. My cervix had already dialted to 5 cm, the blood I saw earlier was my mucus plug and when he checked me, the water bag was coming through my cervix. I pleaded with him to do anything to help save my baby. He stated that if the bag would go up some, he could stitch my cervix closed but he couldn't do that with the bag protruding out of the cervix. So I waited nervously overnight, laying basically upside down in the hospital bed hoping that this would help the bag to go back up and at least give him a little room to stitch me up. The next day he came to check me again and told me that there was nothing else he could do. I had developed an infection from having my cervix opened for so long and that if I didnt deliver the baby I would die. I felt like dying right there. This just couldnt be. I was 19 wks pregnant, certainly I could hang in there three more wks. But he said no. I called my normal dr's office and they called a major medical university located near their office who has one of the best neonatal hospitals in the world. However, they wouldnt even accept me since I wasnt at least 21 wks and due to the fact that I had the infection. So I had to accept that I was going to lose my baby boy. The nurse came into to give me something to break my water and everything just seemed like a blur. I was told that I didnt need an epidural since the baby was less than a pound. However, after hollering and screaming in pain from the emotional and physical stress, they gave me an epidural. Even with the epidural, this was the most painful and emotional births of my three births. Even with the epidural I could feel every single thing, I was in a lot of pain but dont know if it was really physical pain or the emotional and mental pain that was causing me to be in pain. Jackson Reed Hemingway was born on July 23, 2008 at 12:18pm. I decided that I didnt want to see him but having to be sedated after the birth, when I calmed down, I wanted to see my baby. I was able to see him and hold him. The hospital provided me with pics and foot prints. Me and my husband decided not to have a memorial for him. Instead, we mourned privately. Although Jackson did not live, I know that if he had, he would have had tremendous health issues to battle. Pre-term babies literally have to fight for their lifes. I would have wanted him to live. However, when I think of all the pain and issues that would have plagued him the first couple of months of his life, I would never want to see my child suffer. His development would have been slowed but learning from this weeks resources on growth and development it is not to say that he wouldnt have grown up to be a healthy baby boy.