Getting a Pap smear is right up on the top of my list along with going to WalMart ( which I do not ) or out once I get home from work. Since I was off today I slept in, took off for the exam and visited with a dear friend afterwards. She knows me well enough to know that I just needed a head and soul check because, hey...everybody's got some kind of trauma to deal with. There was a fatal wreck locally last night on a major artery from the burbs to town. It is a narrow two lane surrounded by hills and extremely curvy in spots. A real bitch when it rains and is heavily traveled most days. In the blink of an eye.
In some public service news, I'd like to share risk factors for cervical cancer. Once a smear is read as abnormal it is tested for HPV and typed by strain. I found 10 years ago that I was HPV positive from lord knows who but that's beside the point. If often lies dormant for years and just comes out of nowhere to cause dysplasia. When that happens smears are repeated to confirm abnormality ( every three months ) and a procedure known as LEAP can be performed to treat the lining of the cervix. HPV is THE leading cause of cervical cancer and becoming much more aggressive, thus an attempt by big Pharm to vax an entire generation of girls to see if it works. "It could eliminate cervical cancer" exclaimed my trusty GYN. Yeah, he's the one who loves Trump and finally gave me nod on Bernie over Hills. I'm down to once a year, praise the Lord and Dr. J.
Here's another random thing you might want to dwell on to keep your mind off politics and zombies: 5% of the US population donates all the blood products that supply the other 95%. It's kind of like our current economy only it involves something that has never been reproduced successfully by any company. There were oxygen carrying alternatives to red cells that served well in trauma situations but for the most part it's dependent on who is willing to give their time and blood. Pheresis donors contribute multiple products at once and receive their red cells back. The technology is amazing and I started my career before we ever knew HIV or HCV was in the blood supply. Now, it most definitely is not. That was the 2nd most chaotic career event when the Lookback started following new test methods. All on paper y'all. A whole little village of drug users died here for years after that discover.
The governor of the great state of Tennessee is battling his own over the Bible and bathrooms and I have to give him credit for hanging in there. What a bunch of conservative nit-pickers! Meanwhile, we could be utilizing the amazing agricultural potential of our state for things like legal marijuana that could boost our economy straight out of poor white Southern with I-40 in the middle. K'ville is big, Nashvegas and Memphis. It costs more to live in those places though and the crime is pretty bad. Around here we have a random shooting when some ex-gang members feels like starting something but that's it. Well, except for the meth and pill heads who steal everything that isn't put up at night.
I was asked this morning what I'm doing for me...like to better myself. My replies were simple and quick. Being still. Meditation.Affirmation. All of the above. I got preached at pretty loud yesterday afternoon by Sista' Ro about choosing to be happy today. She should seriously get up in the pulpit because I'm a believer! She reminded me that a loss is something to be grieved and let go of when you remember what the other person would want for YOU. That helps tremendously.
I stood on the steps of my home church, in the rain across from the hospital where I was born looking for a rainbow. Across the street sits the former location of my grandfather's service station the 555. Up the hill on College I passed Mom's home and what used to be the schools. Somebody had a Ted Cruz sign in their front yard but I let it slide. I've been told that the people who live in Mama's homeplace aren't very friendly about discussing the history. That's a shame because I have a handpainted picture of the house by local Artist Floyd Speck that they might like. In fact I have 2.
I'm slowly hanging art on the Easter egg walls making it "pritty" and stuff. I walked through the cabin today silently looking at what soon will be gone. It doesn't make me sad anymore. Neither does hearing that Prince died but that's a whole 'nother story.
Agape ~
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