a little late, but not forgotten

I had meant to pre-set this post last week and then didn’t and well December first came and went…

Yesterday was World AIDS Day. What does that mean and why am I breaking my self-imposed silence on this sort of thing to write? It’s been 25 years and we are closer but not where I thought we would be. Yes, today there are medicines which enable those with HIV/AIDS to live better and longer and less-painful lives, but so many people don’t know about how to prevent it or what causes it. There is a lot of blind ignorance going on based upon community culture (and pressure) and it saddens me.

To teach does not condemn those that learn to be. It opens them to be aware, to make a difference, to have choice. To teach ignorance is not to teach with intelligence.

When I was in high school, the youth orchestra I was a member of ((Bassoon)) performed a benefit concert ((I know we performed Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet b/c I recall my bassoon behaved, for once. If you don’t understand why that is a big deal for a bassoonist, then uhm, hit google. Or go take music hum. (er, that’s a columbia term, go take an intro music course.) )) for children with HIV/AIDS ((I think it was for children, I really can’t remember.)). I felt so good performing that day, I hoped that our little concert would help find solutions, foster discussion. I don’t recall much from that day (it was a decade ago), but I remember that I came home with a little gift basket that had a tshirt and a little red ribbon patch. That is all I really remember. This was not discussed much in my high school years and I know my alma mater does things but right now, I can’t recall what. Mea Culpa.

Also: World AIDS Campaign

While I’m on the soapbox,

World Preemie Awareness Day was on November 14th. Please give all babies their time. While it is true we might still “come out” ok … it’s best for babies to stay inside a bit longer than I and many others did. I am thankful for all of the developments in NICU and if someone wants to kick my butt, maybe I’ll write the little book I’ve been planning to in order to give hope. The difficult part will be not sounding like a complete mean person because I look at what is available today in the hospitals and as testing before, and quite honestly, I’m jealous. I can’t help it. My mum didn’t hold me until 19 days after I was born, my father until I was 7 weeks old. Apparently during one of the first feedings she and I had together (at 6 weeks) i “wee’d” on her. Hah! (at that point I was up to 2lbs 1oz.) She didn’t nurse me until I was 10 weeks old. The hospital let me home when I weighed 4lbs 8oz. The day E was born.

That probably explains why I have such difficulty with parental-figures.

So, I will be making some donations soon in honor of some preemies who are doing great (b’h) and for the health and full-term of some babies who are currently inside their mommies. I want to hear 38-40 week terms. I want to hear healthy babies and families.

Ok. I’m adding some pictures of me to spark some thought and hopefully to encourage someone somehow. Sorry about the poor quality. It’s difficult for mum to let them out of her sight. This was scanned out of the picture frame to a photo copy, then I rescanned it just now! The big thing on my head is an IV. I will always have the scar. As if I needed a reminder.

The following pictures are released under a Creative Commons Sampling 1.0 License and are © Penny Shima Glanz.

[photopress:psg_nicu_1.png,thumb,pp_image] [photopress:psg_nicu_2.png,thumb,pp_image] [photopress:pas_age6wks.png,thumb,pp_image] [photopress:psg_2_80.png,thumb,pp_image] [photopress:psg_4_24_80.png,thumb,pp_image]

Thanks for listening. Be well now. ((Oh heck, here’s as good a place as any. E was looking in the fridge for something to eat tonight. I commented on how he had some banana strawberry yogurt. He saw the olives. “Oh great! I can put them on top of my yogurt”! he exclaimed. To which I asked, “are you sure you aren’t pregnant?”. He smiled. He had something else for dinner, and for the first time in weeks didn’t put the olives on the table. And no, we aren’t. I’m VERY sure of that fact. Nibi and grad school (for both of us) and a one bedroom flat are enough stresses.))

Thanks to WW for his two posts yesterday, which somehow sparked my writing this and making those scans.

• Category: life, misc
• Tag: family