Health and Dance

Quick health update: Yesterday afternoon, I had my second dose of IV antibiotics (Rocephin). I used a new home health care company, so when I talked with the pharmacist over the phone, I explained my sensitivity to saline. The pharmacist didn't appear extremely surprised and instead said, "Oh, no problem! I can mix the Rocephin with sterile water and give you D5W flushes instead". Then, I was further surprised when the nurse arrived at my house. She said that administering the Rocephin would only take ten minutes. The last time I had Rocephin intravenously, it took an hour, because a bag of saline fluid was given at the same time as the antibiotic. The Rocephin burns my veins, and I was dehydrated today, so it was a bit traumatic receiving the antibiotic this afternoon. Still, I know the Rocephin is helping to get my body back on track. I'm hoping that some pain now creates a lot of gain later.

This morning, I had an appointment with my GI doctor. He believes I have an overgrowth of bacteria throughout my entire body. Thus, I'm on a "cleanse" diet, consisting of only fluids, for the next few days. I'm supposed to call him on Monday to let him know how I feel. I also have a follow-up appointment with the hematologist on Monday.

Pictures: Now that the health update is written, here is something to enjoy. Back in March, my parents and Qavah attended a birthday party that took place in an old barn. There was hot chili and dancing. Below are some pictures of Mom and Qavah having fun:

Graduation Plans

As Mom stated on the Campbell Family Journal website, I have decided not to attend this year's commencement ceremony at Mary Baldwin College (even though I am finally receiving my Bachelor's degree). The keynote speaker was chosen by MBC's President Fox and will be Musimbi Kanyoro. After reading about Kanyoro on Wikipedia and in academic journals, I do not want to attend - or have my family attend - a speech given by this woman. On Wikipedia, it lists Kanyoro's profession as "activist". She currently is the Director of Population Program at the Packard Foundation.

Wikipedia further states in the third paragraph of their biography on Musimbi Kanyoro, "Dr. Kanyoro is passionate about empowering young women and her portfolio as director of the Population Program will keep her engaged in this arena. A majority of women who need family planning services or access to safe and legal abortion are within their childbearing years, meaning many of them are young. Dr. Kanyoro and the Population Program she oversees understand that to create a systemic change, civil society must foster women leaders and provide for them to keep reproductive health on the development agenda."

I once read in a Bible study, "Life is like bungee jumping. We fall down. We get up. The critical detail is: Where is the rope tied?" My rope is tied to the Lord Jesus Christ and His laws, as written in the Holy Bible. I know the Lord considers all life - including preborn women - sacred.

Once I discovered who would be MBC's commencement speaker, I wrote a letter to President Fox. In the letter, I shared my views and told President Fox I would not be attending if she continued to choose Musimbi Kanyoro. I would not subject my family to hearing Musimbi's personal views, which are ungodly and unmoral. I am not afraid of public speaking, thus I offered to speak at MBC's graduation ceremony. President Fox was kind enough to write me back. However, it was clear from President Fox's response that her "rope" is tied to society's lies that it's justifiable to kill innocent life in the name of convenience and women's empowerment.

President Fox's choice for keynote speaker is disappointing for another reason: until this decision occurred, my educational experience at Mary Baldwin College was excellent. Mary Baldwin College worked with my health issues, so I wouldn't have to drop out. They held my "senior status" for two years until I was well enough to complete my degree. Several of my instructors were Christians, and those who did not share my beliefs were respectful. I was challenged academically; I learned important critical thinking and research skills. I still recommend Mary Baldwin College to prospective students. However, I am dismayed that I will not be attending the commencement ceremony of the academic institution that inspired me to persevere amidst adversity.

I know I need to update. I will try to write a post sometime this weekend and tell you why I'm not attending MBC's commencement ceremony. However, I'm just too exhausted tonight. Mom, Qavah, and I went shopping today at Goodwill and Tuesday Morning. That was fun! Tomorrow, Mom and I are attending a wedding shower. I'm really looking forward to that event. It's not near our home, so we'll be gone most of the day.

Surprise!

When Mom and I arrived home from taking Aunt Marcia to the airport, I received a big surprise. Grandmom and Granddaddy were in the dining room setting up my new harp! Without my knowledge, they called Mom this morning and said, "It's such a beautiful day that we'd like to visit you and bring Kathryn her harp". I was shocked when I saw their car in the driveway. Then I was even more stunned when I walked into the house and saw my beautiful harp in the dining room. I was so excited that I started jumping up and down! Grandmom even loaned me some of her beginning harp books, so I can get started with lessons. My grandparents have blessed our family with their prayers and love. Today, they blessed me with their "special delivery" visit.

Walk for Life

I'm planning to participate in the Walk for Life to benefit the Blue Ridge Women's Center. The Walk for Life will take place on May 31, however, I will be doing my walk near that date in a neighborhood near my home. The Walk for Life is two miles. I'm trusting the Lord to give me the strength to participate, but if I cannot walk, then I will use my wheelchair. I'm hoping that you will consider being one of my sponsors.

Your support can make a tremendous difference for the women and babies of our community. Since the Blue Ridge Women's Center first opened in 1984, this nonprofit organization has served more than twelve thousand women facing unplanned pregnancy - all completely free of charge. Through Christian medical clinics in Roanoke and Rocky Mount, Blue Ridge Women's Center provides life affirming services including:

• Pregnancy testing and verification

• Pregnancy dating via ultrasound

• Pregnancy counseling

• Parenting and life skills classes

• Maternity clothes and baby items

To sponsor me, simply leave a comment or email me. I will get in touch with you directly with more information about sponsorship. The amount you indicate (once I contact you) will be your total gift, not a pledge per mile, and your donation will be fully tax-deductible.

Aah Monday!

see more crazy cat pics

Company

It has been a splendid weekend! I'll write more soon; just wanted to do a quick update in case you were checking the websites and wondering. We have a good family friend- Marcia- visiting with us for the week. "Aunt" Marcia and "Uncle" Les live in Upper Michigan. As a child growing up, we'd have our family vacation on their Michigan farm. I have many fun memories of campfires, corn monster, singing, piano playing (Aunt Marcia gives lessons), devotions, etc. Aunt Marcia's trip here was her Christmas present from her husband. She has been looking forward to this week since December and so have we. Aunt Marcia arrived Saturday afternoon and we've had a joyful time together ever since the plane landed in Roanoke. We are praying for continued good health and nice weather, so we can create more meaningful memories together.

Senior Thesis: Published

This week has been routine thus far and that's the way I prefer it! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going shopping with my friend Aleah. Today, I rested for most of the day, because the Methotrexate dose made me feel "blah". It's amazing how the very drug that makes me feel sick one day a week keeps my cells functioning the other six days of the week. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the wound care doctor. The appointment is at 7:45 AM..."beggars can't be choosers," I guess! Then, I have a voice lesson at 3:00 PM. Friday, I have a doctor's appointment with the hematologist; I always look forward to those visits.

For those of you who keep asking me, I have finally published my senior thesis! Click on the pink text below to read the research paper. The formatting is slightly different than the official copy I sent to my instructors. Google Docs did something strange to the formatting and it took me awhile to make it even readable. There are five chapters. Thank you to my family and friends who helped me edit my thesis. Thanks to the rest of you who prayed for and encouraged me along this journey. I'm so grateful to be finished, but it was an enjoyable learning process. And yes, Jess, I should update the About Kathryn post!

Kathryn E Campbell: Senior Thesis (April 2008)

Last week, I received some graduation-related scrapbooking items from a dear friend. That was the motivation I needed to make a graduation scrapbook. I didn't even have the idea before receiving the stickers and paper. However, I have pictures from Graduation 2004, my harp, writing the senior thesis, and Graduation 2008. What fun!

Video Fun

Mom received these two videos from a friend today. I thought they were so amazing and encouraging that I had to post them on my blog.

Two-year-old sings the Lord's Prayer in almost perfection pitch and diction:

Ninety-two-year-old woman witnesses to man who tries to rob her:

Wild Weekend!

It has been an enjoyable weekend thus far. I just finished scrapbooking a 4x6 album of previous tea parties. I had printed the pictures back in January, but due to college and other responsibilities, I didn't get to work on this project until tonight. While looking through all of the pictures, I was reminded of how blessed I am with family and friends. Most of the tea parties were held after I was diagnosed with HPS, so I praised the Lord for the fun adventures I've had despite the daily hardships of living with a chronic illness.

Last night, I got to see a Christian comedian named Tim Hawkins perform at a local church. I went with some friends and a few family members. We laughed for almost two hours straight! It was so good to laugh that much. The Bible says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). I came home refreshed from the good medicine of laughter. Below is a funny, but surprisingly true-to-life video Tim Hawkins did called A Homeschool Family:

My Bookshelf

I've added a new widget (computer term) on the right side of my website, under About Kathryn's Keepsakes that says My Bookshelf. I thought it would be neat to list what I'm currently reading. One of the other things that my grandparents passed down to their grandchildren, besides the love of music, is a desire to read. I can look in our Library room and on my bookshelves here in my office and point to the books my grandparents either bought me or books I purchased with money they gave me. Last week, I came across a large print version of Anne of Green Gables they bought me when I was seven-years-old.

Now that their grandchildren are getting older with varied interests, my grandparents give Barnes and Noble gift certificates to us for Christmas. I remember one year, I got seven books with the gift certificate, because I shopped at the B&N bargain table. I was ecstatic! So, really the inspiration for My Bookshelf comes from my grandparents.

One of the books I'm currently reading is titled Heaven by Randy Alcorn. This book has been on my "books to read" list for quite awhile and different people keep telling me to read it. Now, that I'm done with school, I can finally devote some time to what I want to read, so Alcorn's book is one I recently checked out of the library. I found it to be Biblically based and accurate to what I know about Heaven. Below is the synopsis from Publishers Weekly:

"According to Alcorn the subject of heaven rates as one of the least accurately discussed subjects in the whole of Christendom. Even seminarians fail to give appropriate time and attention to heaven as described throughout the Bible because other themes take pre-eminence both chronologically and preferentially. Alcorn is likewise astounded that the majority of Christians who do take time to consider heaven often possess faulty, nonbiblical assumptions, one of the most common being the misconception of heaven as a place of unending church services. The author, who is also the founder of the nonprofit organization Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), has spent years studying what the Bible says about heaven, and in this compelling and comprehensive resource, he offers every conceivable question about heaven, or the "New Earth," as a Christian believer's ultimate destination. Alcorn answers the expected queries on heavenly life as well as quirkier ones: will Christians drink coffee in heaven? Will there be homeownership[?] Will our pets be in heaven? Evangelical scholars and laypersons alike will appreciate Alcorn's expansive—though perhaps long-winded—musings on this neglected subject, a real boon in a time when many people are eager to understand what happens after death."

Wednesday Morning

Be prepared, not an update for the weak of stomach. The clock says it's only 10:00 AM, but it's already been an interesting day. Eventful. I ate, took my medicine early, and went back to bed. Forty five minutes later, I woke up out of a wonderful sleep only to vomit all over my sheets. Yuck! One washer load is ready to be put on the clothesline; only three more to go. I guess I'll clean my room while everything is off my bed. The dust on my fan blades is quite embarrassing. Spring cleaning time, indeed!

In other news, I scheduled my first voice lesson for April 10. I'll probably begin harp lessons soon, too. Since music skill doesn't come naturally to me, I know it's going to be some work. However, I'm quite excited about it. With just the little bit of piano I've taken, I can see why experts say music develops both sides of the brain. It should make my mind sharper and, hopefully, counter the dullness developed as a result of all of the medicines I'm taking. I've noticed in recent years that my mind isn't quite as sharp as it used to be and I rather change that fact if I can.