Know Thy Body, Heal Thy Self, Young Lovers

http://youtu.be/_rvt5kPlUyY

So that's a link to a song that pretty much describes me. (Before you even ask, yes, yes I did discover it in the two years I went Country in the 90's, lol.)

Seriously though, I've had a lot of love, and good fortune in my life. I do have a full house and am workin' on that rock N roll band....I can't credit that to anyone but the Maker. (How you define Maker is your business.) I am blessed especially beyond measure by my children.

Many of you know B3 (BabyBoyBlue) came to me much later in life than my other children. Words can't describe the joy he is to our family. I love children in general, but having my own was always a thing that I really, REALLY wanted for myself. And having another chance at it has been such a gift.

I don't want to be greedy. The Raley Blue Secret of the Century is that I have pretty low fertility. Sonny and Kat were conceived with fertility drugs. I thought I'd hit the jackpot when Peng came along two years later!! If you only knew the sobbing my nineteen,twenty,twenty-one-year-old self did over the many months that turned to years it took to have SonnyBoyBlue... and how guilty I felt when trying to conceive Kat because I knew I was lucky to have beaten the odds with Sonny... then you can trust me when I say, I know I don't deserve another child. But I do admit I hold out hope for a companion sibling for B3. And last month, it looked a lot like those hopes were about to become reality. Sadly, it was not to be. And it's OK. I was raised in many faiths. I know there is a plan greater than myself. I know what is to be will be. I'm not saying it wasn't a little hard, though.

So I went to a Bible study for young mothers in my community today to seek solace with my sisters. Here in the Great Lakes/ Midwest, Bible study is more of a cultural experience than a religious one. Sure most of them are Christian. There is Jesus talk. We use the Christian scripture. But in our group, it's not required. I like that. SisterMama's are welcome to stand where they are as we come along side one other and lend our support.

Today, Young Lovers, was such a sad day. A mother of three, the oldest, four years, the youngest 2 months, has cancer. Another mother delivered her second child on Sunday, only to have to have the new daughter rushed to a hospital four hours away for open heart surgery, while she still lies in the child bed recovering from Cesarean surgery. And perhaps the worst news of the day; a thirty-one-year-old woman gave birth last Monday and died on Saturday. She leaves behind four children, aged 7, 5, 3 and ONE WEEK old.

Wow. Take that in.

In one of the most advanced medical societies in the world, this happened.

I'm going to be brief, today. Here's the message: KNOW YOUR OWN BODY. INSIST YOUR DOCTOR LISTEN. GO ELSEWHERE IF YOU HAVE TO. ANYWHERE ELSE. BE HEARD. (This is in the case of all illness, female or male. Wherever in the world you live. Do the best you can, please. Any life is better than none, especially if you have small people depending on you.)

This mother died of infection due to a tiny retained piece of placenta. She didn't get help in time. She thought it was the flu. She thought it was just her body acting weird because of the recent birth. She was so toxic by the time she went back to the hospital, a hysterectomy wasn't enough to stop the problem. Poison from the infection had invaded her blood stream and spread.

There aren't words, are there?

I know.

I am blessed, Young Lovers. I am healthy. I will heal. I am grateful. And I am here for you, if you need a sister. ((hugs)) <3 Raley