pregnancy 3 Comments

Experiences In Birthing

Being that we’re actively trying to conceive, I’ve been searching around teh internets a lot lately about, well, having babies. Not just having them, mind you, but HAVING them. Like, how does one successfully pass a bowling ball through one’s hoodie-hoo?

I came across an interesting set of photos by snowdeal (a.k.a. Eric Snowdeal III, father of internet-renowned micro-preemie Eric Snowdeal IV). This subject of this set was his… sister? sister-in-law? At any rate, it was of a home birth. It hadn’t occurred to me that a home birth could be more like a holiday or a family gathering than a private moment with one’s partner and one’s doula and/or midwife. But, sure enough, here was a woman inviting her family and friends into her home to hang out while she had contractions and watch as she gave birth to her daughter.

Watch.

Y’know, I love you all, but I don’t know how comfortable I’d be with you all in my living room, seeing me squat down and produce the miracle of life right there before you. I think that takes a certain kind of person with a certain kind of social network. And even my closest friends — Amy, Sheryl, even my Mom — I don’t know how comfortable I’d be with you guys RIGHT THERE watching my first delivery. Afterward, sure, come visit and meet Diana Junior. But during the process? I dunno.

There are so many options… home birthing (which I don’t think I’m down with, even without the party), water birthing, hypnobirthing, lying down or squatting or reclining… I’m looking forward to eventually sitting down with a medical practicioner and finding out what the options are. And what Aetna will pay for. I’m guessing I’ll be getting the standard Delivery Room, bright surgical lights, lots of strangers staring at my crotch, doctor not even there yet, WTF is going on right now kind of dance that is my impression of what The Big Day must be like.

Of course, I have no idea what any of this is really like. And I’m NOT asking my Mom until we’re at T-minus nine months and counting.

family 8 Comments

Diana’s First Christmas, 1976


[Posted on Flickr by dianaschnuth].


Thirty years ago this month, this was the scene somewhere in Medina County, Ohio. According to the captions in my baby book:

July 4, 1976 was your first holiday but I am saving this place for Christmas.
[Page Title: “My First Holidays”]

You were 8 months old and you were in awe. On the 27th you got the croop and bronchitis and spent 11 days in the hospital.

Gifts: Raggedy Ann, dress and leotards [tights], two squeeky toys, and a teddy bear (at the hospital).

Santa was played by Butch’s brother Bill.

Mom also wrote about Christmas Eve in the baby diary:

December 24, 1976: Just got back from Gramma Dobbins. Took a picture of your dad and his girl got real mad. Gean got you a Raggedy Ann.

Later – Everyone was fussing over you saying how cute you are. Bonnie got you a little dress and leotards and she got Grannie [Memaw] and Mom a juice set. It was after midnight when you went to sleep so I’m tired. I was going to watch “The Blue Bird,” a Shirley Temple movie, but you have really worn me out.

I love you, good night.
Mom

In addition to all this, I’d just like to mention that the plastic Santa suit with the beard made of quilt batting is so trés 70’s. Way to go, Uncle Bill! 🙂

health & fitness 3 Comments

An Open Letter To Aetna

Dear Aetna:

I have been covered under my husband’s insurance, provided by your company, since we were married in 2003. However, as my family did not always have insurance coverage, I did not get in the habit of visiting medical professionals for regular checkups. Therefore, up until recently, I only had rare occasion to use my husband’s insurance, and had little to no problems with the coverage.

When my husband and I decided to try to conceive, I decided that I should visit a gynecologist, to get a pap test and ensure that all my parts were functioning properly. My doctor prescribed pre-natal vitamins, which were covered by my husband’s prescription program (not through your company). My pap test, however, was not covered by Aetna, and I had to pay $148 for an exam which is generally accepted to be a necessary preventative measure for all adult women. Since this expense was not for the treatment of an existing condition, and was considered preventive medicine rather than treatment, your company did not foot the bill.

One is forced to wonder whether Aetna would prefer millions of women to develop cervical cancer, instead of paying for the preventative measure of an annual pap test.

Yours truly,
Diana Schnuth

randomness 2 Comments

Exhausted

I haven’t been posting much lately, and there’s a reason for that. I’ve been exhausted and generally disinterested as soon as Aaron pulls out of the driveway and down the road to work in the evenings. I really can’t get excited about much at all, which is frustrating.

I have plenty of projects I could be working on. The podcast will soon be going on a much more erratic schedule (i.e. I post an episode when I feel like it, instead of weekly). I have clothes that need mended or surgerized. I have websites that need maintained. I have candle orders that need to be filled. I have PUSH DVDs that need to be watched and exercised to. I have blog essay ideas that should be expounded upon, especially holiday-themed ones.

I wish I could just smack myself upside the head and get myself moving. I’m not depressed. I’m just tired.

otaku 1 Comment

Hen Na Gaijin

For anyone who remembers Jeff “Pip” Hawley, from Residential Computing Connection at BGSU:

Japanese T-shirt “Hen na Gaijin” (I’m a Strange Foreigner)

I remember him telling us that the Japanese exchange students nicknamed him Henna Gaijin, which he said meant crazy foreigner. It’s one of only two phrases I picked up from him that semester we were both Senior Lab Coordinators. The other one was “Nihongo o hanashimasen,” (although I believe it’s technically “wo,” but pronounced “o”?), which basically means “I don’t speak Japanese.” Not exactly the literal translation, but close enough.

Since back then, in the year 1999 or so, I’ve learned a few more phrases, and a little of how the language is structured, and a few bits of hiragana and katakana (I can recognize “n,” “to,” “ro,” “no,” and “shi,” from sheer repitition alone). I can introduce myself, and get into a knife fight with the Yakuza, and warn the locals that Gojira is coming. Being that I’m not going to Japan anytime soon, though, I’m not in a big hurry to actually learn the language, although it’s something I want to accomplish someday.

Although I can’t speak or read Japanese, that doesn’t keep me from totally digging on Japanese language and culture.