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When your world stops.

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Byron’s Post Today:

“I got one of those calls.  It came at 5:33 pm.  Angie and I were talking and… it happened.  Kayleigh had been in an accident.  We didn’t know much and flew out of the house.

So much goes through your mind.  Of course… “Is she okay?” is the main thing.  She was traveling down a major road in Orlando and for some reason a guy on a bike decided to cross the road… a six lane road!  She had no time to stop and she hit him.  Once I knew she was okay, I began to wonder about the guy that rode out in front of her (he was taken to the hospital).  Her front windshield shattered, front fender dented, bumper cracked… he must have hit pretty hard.

I have no idea what he was thinking – how he determined that was a good idea.  My little girl is incredibly upset, but she’s okay.  That call… that accident could have been so different.  There are moments when life is interrupted… moments we’re reminded what’s really important (I’m sure the family of the guy who was hit is having those tonight as well – please pray for them.  It’s my understanding that he’ll be okay as well).

When I saw Kayleigh’s windshield… and saw that she only had one minor scratch… it just didn’t make sense – but I know why she’s okay.  So, tonight I’m grateful.  I’m also so grateful for the Orange County Deputies (thanks Deputy Burk), the paramedics, the FL Highway Patrol… and the witnesses who stayed around.  I really was struck by how encouraging and helpful everyone was.  So much happens that we never see.  Tonight I saw the kindness and compassion of many people.  Life was interrupted… and I’ve payed attention.  I love my little girl!” - (Byron).

I love you, Kayleigh.  I love you, Ashley.  I love you, Nate.  I love you, Ethan.

….now I can sleep.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on August 24, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

To be or not to…..(you know how it goes)

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This morning, I heard myself tell someone that I’m “41″.

The words just rolled off my tongue - as if I were not saying, “Hello, I’m now 41, and I don’t know how I got to be in my 40’s when I feel like I should just be beginning my 20’s most days….”

Of course, there are many other days when I feel the passage of time like feathers on the wind that I can’t retrieve fast enough…and it would be pointless to try.

It’s hard being a woman in your 40’s - but, it’s made somewhat easier since the road to becoming a woman in her 40’s is quite trying - requiring the acquisition of a tough mind….and even tougher skin.  I guess I should say, it’s a hard journey to get there…and then once you arrive, you are rarely complimented for enduring the joys and trials that, most often, show up like a road map on your face.

For a man that’s called character. The world is not so kind to us women.  But, all of these things make us better, I suppose…preparing us for the days to come.

All of these things didn’t go through my head in that moment when I first spoke the words “41″ this morning, in relation to how long I’ve now been alive.  But, the thoughts are there, nonetheless.

Or, better still, they’re there…..in the “road map” on my face.

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As I walked away and went to get on stage to sing with some very talented…..teens & twenty-somethings, I thought about which I’d rather be….

…a butterfly or a moth.

Of course, the butterfly is so beautiful to look at, so often photographed and even captured and placed in a frame to show off its colors.  The moth, not so much…..it just plugs along - doing what it does.

I guess I’ve kind of always been pulled between these polar ends:  the beautiful and the practical - one so often overlooked, and one so often mishandled and desired as a trophy….

Both paths are hard.  Both have their downsides.

I guess that’s why I took both of these pictures in the mountains on a morning after the rain had past.  They were both so beautiful in their own way.  They both caught my eye.  And it was as if nature was reminding me:  Don’t worry about which you are, just be……just fly and forget about the rest.

So, I walked into the theater to sing 4 sets (feeling more like a moth than ever), and I just decided to just “be” - to fly….and forget about the rest.

I am 41, after all.  So I can fly displaying whatever colors I want!

…….and just forget about the rest.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on August 22, 2010
in Uncategorized, church, life lessons, love, random and women
. 0 Comments

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

So…

I went to the Cardiologist on Monday to find out what’s going on with me….well, one thing that’s going on with me.  And, there are a couple of minor issues: heart murmur, mitral valve prolapse, low blood pressure and rapid resting heart rate - none, by themselves, severe or life threatening.

Apparently, it’s just the combo of my blood pressure being 60/40 while my heart rate is 105 that makes for a problem.

Anyway…he scheduled an ultrasound of my heart and a “stress test” for this morning….

The ultrasound went fine - although that kind is not near as fun as the kind of ultrasound you have when you’re having a baby - but, I digress…

Then, came the “stress test”.

I assumed that any test that involves getting stressed would be one I could pass with flying colors.  BUT, NOT SO!

I barely made it through the “hooking up” process before I started having a weird (yet, all too familiar) feeling…..the nurse looked at me and immediately took my blood pressure and started talking in a loud voice (never good when you have wires hooked up to you….).  Of course my blood pressure was bottoming out again.

The technician said she couldn’t “run me” if I was in that state….so I sat down drank water and waited….

My BP went up a little and my “color came back”, so we tried again.  I got on the treadmill and started walking…slowly.  I closed my eyes to focus and she said, “Honey, I need to see your eyes….are you okay?” (gradually, getting louder as she spoke).  Then, she said to the nurse, “Shut it off, she’s bottoming out again!”….back to sitting down and drinking water…..

You may ask, “Who fails a stress test?”……..and, apparently, the answer would be ME!

We left the doctor’s office and I was craving salt, so I downed a quarter pounder with cheese and some fries - got home around 10:45 - said, “I just need to lie down for a second” and when I regained consciousness it was 3:30.

So,  there’s my day.

My “Happy Wednesday”.

It’s all good - at least they’re not scheduling any kind of surgery or anything like that - well…that I know of.

Right now, I’m coming off all medications, trying to change my lifestyle….just whatever I can do to not “lose” any more days like today.

We’ll see…

Actually, I’m getting quite used to charting my days between doctor’s offices and the bed - I’ve grown quite familiar to this new level of “La La Land” (I just thought I was the mayor before!).

Thanks to all of you who have prayed or thought of me.  I’ve appreciated you all so very much.

You all make every Wednesday - test failures and all - a happy one.

Peace to you all.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on March 31, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 3 Comments

If You Don’t Mind…

…I would ask for your prayers.

As many of you know, I’ve been ill for quite some time.  I seem to catch whatever anyone throws at me - actually, if a man sneezes 10 blocks away, it somehow seems to travel right to my head!

But, beyond that, several weeks ago I began to feel dizzier than normal (no blonde jokes please - it’s not “Happy Wednesday” yet people!) - so, last week I finally went to see my doctor about it.  Then she did a blood pressure test…

It didn’t surprise me that my blood pressure was low initially - usually nurses take it more than once and seem to want to tap on my wrist and say, “Is this thing on!” - but, when I stood up, my bp dropped through the floor.

Apparently, it’s called orthostatic hypotension - they know what it is, they just don’t know what’s causing it.

So, in the next couple of weeks I’ll be going to a cardiologist and having a bunch of scans (I read in my dr’s referral something that looked like “ct brain scan” - I really don’t want that because I definitely WON’T pass that test!!).

Anyway, if you think of it, please pray for me and my family.  I have been MIA for quite a while now and they have had to pick up the slack (in fact, I really haven’t been out of the house in weeks except to go to church ONCE and go to the doctor).

It just stinks for everyone - I can’t sing anymore until I know I won’t fall over and take out the first 2 rows in the theater, and…well, it’s just getting old to lie down all the time and feel like a slug.

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Seriously, I’m making the “couch potato” look great - I’m more like a bedroom squash!

And let me tell you - IT STINKS TO BE A SQUASH!!

Thanks so much for your prayers.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on March 22, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 17 Comments