Infertility Myths

Before I start this post, I just want to let you know that I've finally received the copy of my training contract. I'll start on Monday and it ends on October 19, 2009. I'll be working for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (at least she said in the beginning it'd be 5 days a week - well, if they ask me to do overtime, I'm going to demand compensation in terms of taking some time off 'coz they're not paying me any salary). So I'll be so busy after next week he he...Oh yeah, my job includes cleaning the hotel and office work.

OK, now on to the infertility thingie (mind you that a couple is considered infertile after trying for a year). Yesterday went by bike to the health care centre in the morning after fasting for 12 hours (I brought some chocolate to eat after the test was done). They took 4 vials of my blood. I think they also took some blood to determine whether I was diabetic or not ('coz I told the doc that I'd never taken that kind of test before). We'll see how it goes. I think they want to determine my hormone levels by taking my blood.

I'm rather tired of meeting old school friends in Facebook and hearing some of them them say, "Come on and have a baby soon" whenever I tell them that their kids look cute (as if having a kid is solely based on their efforts). Not that I misunderstand their good will in wanting us to feel the joy of parenthood 'coz they've felt it...but still after hearing it again and again and again, it just feels like hearing a broken record...so I decide to write this post.

Let me take some excerpts from Infertility Myths article:

THE FEMINIST MYTH

“We are in control of our reproductive lives. We can determine when, where, and how we will conceive and give birth.”

God gives us wonderful freedom to make many choices, but we must never forget that ultimately we are not in control of our reproductive lives. God is. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain . . . Sons are a heritage from the Lord . . . “ (Psalm 127 NIV).

THE STRESS MYTH

“Infertility is caused by stress. Try to relax. Take a vacation or a cruise.”

Infertility is seldom the result of psychological factors. In 90 percent of all infertility cases, infertility specialists are able to determine a physical problem. According to Resolve, the national infertility support organization, “Psychological stress is more likely a result of infertility than the cause.”

On the other hand, I totally appreciate all the effort and support I've received until now. If any one of you wants to read this long article, I've also found a great one here:

Infertility Etiquette

3BT: Random Days

1. Last night it was raining and sunny at the same time. Thus I could see double rainbow again!!!! Magnificent!!!

2. Went to the doctor and laboratory on my own and being able to communicate (and understand) with the staff there to find out what to do next. It feels GOOD to be able to understand!!!

3. EXCITEMENT to get my food/balm package from Germany. Through an acquaintance, I found out about this site: Toko Indonesia. They have SO many things that I've been missing and their price isn't too high, either. I've ordered many things from them and they told me that they were going to send the package to me today. YIIIIPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!

4. Because of #3, I don't have to ask my friend to buy and send me those things anymore. This way I also have full freedom on how much I want to buy without burdening anybody.

5. Having fun while taking pics of myself jumping the other day in Kelujärvi (I realized I'd never tried taking pics of myself jumping). Had to jump over and over and over to get a good pic (I used my timer to take the pic). Here's one of them:


6. Hubby dropping me off and picking me up at the health care centre yesterday 'coz it looked cloudy, so I was hesitant in going there by bike. I appreciate his thoughtfulness in coming home before my appointment just to find out whether I needed a lift or not.

TV Programs

When I moved to this new apartment, I found out that there are different types of TV programs that a building may use. Now that we're all using digibox and digital cards, when we moved to this apartment, we couldn't use the old digital card, because this apartment building uses a different satellite. So we couldn't watch TV at all until we bought a new digital card for our digibox.

If you live in USA, have you ever heard of Direct TV? Well, if you move to another state, by subscribing to Directv, you don't have to worry about changing anything, because they have all the local channels in every package. So no matter where you move, you can continue using their service. For example, if you click on this link, you can check out Direct TV in California. Checking for other local packages is easy. Just type the zip code of the state that you want to check in the search box and click to get the result.

And if you sign up for an online account, you will also get a $5 off per month. You can also find out about the benefits of subscribing to Direct TV compared to cable TV by visiting the website and clicking on the link they have put there. If you're interested in visiting the site, don't forget to check their Web Specials link. There are plenty of wonderful offers there, such as: free receiver upgrade, 3 months free of HBO, and many more.

East and West Revisited + More Photos

Remember I once told you about a Chinese woman (who was born in China) living in Finland who wrote a Finnish novel? Well, I started reading it a long time ago, but then got distracted with other books (yeah, bad habit, I know). Anyway, I continued reading it again yesterday and I found interesting things, esp. about the cultural differences.

Here I just want to mention one point I found in the book. In one chapter, this main character, a Finnish woman who moved to Finland to be with her Finnish husband, is wondering about the value of a mother in a boy's life.

She said that in China there's this saying that goes something like this: "If a man loves his mother, he can also love his wife."

This main character has read somewhere about a research. The research is about this: "If you're in an accident with your wife, child, and mother, which one would you safe first?"

The result of the research is interesting. Most Asians state that they'd first save the mother, because they only have one mother. Then they'd save the wife, because she can give birth to more children. And the last one they'd save is the child.

Most westerners state that first they'd save the child, because he or she has got the highest life expectancy. Unfortunately I don't know the rest of the result.

When I read that question, I was also confused. What would my answer be? It wouldn't be an easy decision, would it? But when I imagine such a situation, I can almost hear my Mom yelling at me, "Save your child first!" he he he he he...I can't answer any other way about that hypothetical situation, 'coz it depends on many factors: whether or not it is easy to help that person get out of the scene of accident, who's jammed under what, etc. etc. etc. *knock on wood*

One thing that I find true about cultural differences here is the calling of your first name. Here even at work you call people by their first name, even though they're much older than you. In Indonesia, it'll be considered VERY impolite - more like an insult (unless the person is only a few years older than you or unless they ask you to call them by their first names).

It's hard to describe these cultural differences if you haven't lived in both worlds, because there are still so many subtle and less subtle things that make up a culture.

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Now let me share some more weekend pics here.






Last pic: I have NO idea what this flower is called.


P.S. I just went to the health care centre and tomorrow I'm going to do some blood tests (I assume they want to check my hormone level). Weirdly enough, the doctor didn't do any tests on me (I was assuming that she'd at least do an ultrasound, but she didn't). But she did ask me many questions he he he...

Anyway, she wants R2 to give sperm sample later on but he has to make an appointment first. I can do the blood test any time I want to 'coz she's put it on the computer already (in my file, I mean). Better do it quickly before my training starts (though not sure yet when it is going to happen).

Weekend Photos

Before I start, I just want to let you know that I signed the training contract today, though there were no dates or how many hours per day/week on it. I asked her about it, but she said that she'd add them later. Weird. Had it been a real job contract, I wouldn't have signed it without knowing my working hours, but since it's only a training contract, if there's something wrong on the paper, I'm sure the unemployment office won't accept it. Before I can start, the unemployment office must accept it first and then send me a copy of it, but I THINK I may start the training next week for around 3 months. So I'm gonna be busy again! :-D

On Saturday we helped my in-laws cover the strawberry field with a net. While doing so, a hare scurried away from one of the corners. It jumped so faasssttttt to the neighbour's field ha ha ha...

Here are the pics...


Next pic: FIL was putting some poles so that it'd make it easier for us to pick the strawberries later on.


Next pic: Notice the yellow clip on the net? Yeah...MIL, R2, and R2's brother had to put clips on the net all around the field to make sure that it stayed there.


Here are some other things that my MIL has grown.



Below is a pic of ruohosipuli or chives. The greenery next to it was the place where we planted potatoes a while back.


A close-up pic of the flower he he...


Next pic: I have NO idea what flower this is, but it's VERY tiny he he he...





A close-up pic of the flowers in the above pic:



I just LOVE LOVE LOVE these Tiger Liliesssss...every year I'm tempted to take pics of them he he he he...


OK, time for me to blog-hop...

3BT: Random Days

1. When my cold hand accidentally touched hubby's bare back last night when we went to bed, he shrieked in surprise, but didn't get angry. Instead, after realizing that my hand was cold, he grabbed it gently with his hand and he pressed it onto his super warm back. I don't need diamonds or expensive gifts to show your love, just keep on treating me this way for the rest of my life...

2. Being able to see my brother, Ken, my bro's wife, and Mom through webcam.

3. Fresh cold blended mixture of apple, strawberries, and bananas (a litre of it). Yum yum...

4. Having a very positive mother who always encourages me and supports me.

5. Memoriesssss...beautiful memoriessss...let me also share here some old pics of me and my friends...Looking at these photos took me back to those beautiful moments spent with my friends.

First pic: I was around 15 years old. It was probably taken in 1993.


I forgot when this one was taken. Probably around 1998 or 1999. So at least 10 years ago.


This one was taken on my friend's farewell party before she flew to Holland. September 2003.


This last one was a pic of me and my ex-campus friends in 2004 when one of them visited Bandung again after having lived in USA for a few years.

Death on My Mind

In this post I'd like to say my condolences to all the grieving people in the world. Death has been on my mind for the past week, not because I want to kill myself, but because of the news I heard about somebody's death.

First was the death of Cliff's brother Allen. I pray that God give him and his family comfort and strength throughout this tough time.

The second death I read about was when I clicked on a link distributed through Facebook. In that site, a woman wrote a post about her husband's death due to heart failure or heart attack or something like that. Mind you that the guy was still young. They had been married for almost TWO years only when the guy died.

The third death I read about was from my penpal. We started writing each other when I was at the uni (I think, or was it High School?). She's from Germany, but she moved to Sweden to further her studies and to be with her Swedish boyfriend. I never knew that her boyfriend was sick. She wrote me yesterday to tell me that he died six weeks ago due to incurable cancer.

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There's nothing like death to shake your perspective of life and everything important in life suddenly changes. All the little things I wanted - all my dreams and goals - suddenly mattered less and less...all I want is just to spend as much quality time with my loved ones and cherish them as best as I can and just tell them that they are so precious to me.

Of course as time goes by, we tend to "forget" that death is lurking in the corner...and I'll go back to chasing my dreams and goals...until death news comes to shock my system again. It's just a natural human nature, I guess.

Anyway, if I think only of myself (being selfish), death is a welcome end to my tasks on earth. As much as I love my life on earth, but still death is like the last curtain call where I bow and hope that I have done all my tasks well before I vanish from the stage of life.

However, when I think of the loved ones I'll leave behind, I can't bear to think of their sadness and their longing. I just hope that if I'm taken first, God will prepare my loved ones to continue life after I'm gone...

When it comes to my loved ones' death...that's something I don't know what to say yet. I'll never know until or if it happens first before my own death.

Life's so fragile...reading about three people's deaths in the course of a week is enough to make me realize again that everything we have (including our life) is on a loan to us. When we die, we're not going to bring anything with us to the other side...

All of this brings me back to:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can't change
Courage to change the things I can change
And wisdom to know the difference..."

May God comfort all whose hearts are in grief...

glitter-graphics.com

Rhodes Trip: Epta Piges, Filerimos, Butterfly Park

I think I'm having a writer's block 'coz I don't know what to say in my blog. Yesterday I wanted to write something, but nothing came out he he he...I guess my mind must be in "silent mode" HA HA HA HA...

Anyway, let me share some more pictures from Rhodes again, shall we?

Epta Piges is also called The Valley of 7 Springs, though we couldn't find all 7 of them. It was too tiring already 'coz the road going there was so rough. Without knowing (due to the unclear road signs), we followed the fastest road there, which turned out to be so tough to handle. It was very rocky and winding and narrow. Thank goodness we hired an ATV, so it was pretty solid to travel through such terrain. But still I had to grab hard on the back of my seat so that I wouldn't be thrown away. When we reached the place (at last), we realized that there was a main road that we could go through (a nice asphalt road). Bugger!!!

Anyway, on the way there we saw a few tourists WALKING through the rough, narrow, rocky road towards the 7 Springs. It took us about an hour by ATV to reach the place in the heat...I can't imagine how long it took them to walk there. Gee...and there were no suitable places to rest in between, either.


Next pic: One of the springs we found there (we only found 4 springs and then we decided to go to the next place to visit since we were tired already). We saw a tourist jump into this spring and swim there. A tourist guide told us that there are two springs where you can swim in - one is the spring of youth and the other one is the exact opposite. Though we had worn our bathing suit, we didn't swim 'coz we didn't know if we were allowed to do so or not. Besides, we went to Tsambika Beach to swim after leaving this place he he...


Saw these lovely creatures in the area near the first spring we found (the area where we found a restaurant).



Okay, now let's move on to Filerimos. Filerimos is again located on the mountain and there's Ialyssos ancient city nearby. In Filerimos there are many artwork depicting Jesus' journey to Golgota. Here's one of them...there are at least a dozen of these on a long stretch of path...


At the end of the long Golgota path, you see this...You can actually go upstairs, but we didn't do it 'coz it looked claustrophobic enough for me. I mean, the stairs were only big enough to pass by one person at a time and we could hear some voices upstairs...so it would have been a hassle if we got up there and found that some tourists wanted to come down.


So we just walked around the area near the huge cross...and here are the views...



After we browsed through Ialyssos ancient city, we followed a path that lead us to this...


At the end of the above pic, we found this opening. Just magnificent!!!


Next stop is Butterfly Park. Unfortunately we didn't see too many butterflies there. Thus we couldn't take pics of many butterflies as they flitted about so fast (and there were too few anyway). However, it was quite a huge park and we were quite tired of going up and down the stairs. Gladly the place was filled with trees, so it wasn't too hot he he he...


Here's one restaurant in Butterfly Park. We ate there before we took a bus back to Faliraki. Only after some time we realize that there are regular public buses going to Filerimos, Kamiros, and Butterfly Park from Rodos (read: downtown Rhodes). But that means we have to take a bus from Faliraki to Rodos first before we board the bus from Rodos to Butterfly Park (for example). It cost €5/person to go to Butterfly Park from Rodos.


Instead of just butterflies, we also found these animals in Butterfly Park he he he...



Finally R2 could take a decent pic of this yellow butterfly outside the Butterfly Museum.


The entrance ticket we paid to get inside Butterfly Park included the ticket to go inside Butterfly Museum. Here's one pic of the museum (it was a very small museum, though):



Okay, I think this is long enough.

Here's to Friendship!

Today I got an SMS from Mom, saying that two of my best friends had just visited my parents. One of them is a doctor (click the link to read her blog) and her husband is also a doctor. All three of them came to visit my parents 'coz they knew my Dad had just had that little accident. My friend's husband told my parents that if something happened, they could call him to get some advice or help.

I can't describe how touched I am having such great, thoughtful, caring friends (the kind of friends I trust with my life). There were never any back stabbing among us...though of course sometimes a misunderstanding happens, but still we've been sharing all the good and bad times together for years and years...I don't know what I'll become without them.

So today, in honour of my wonderful friends, I'd love to say CHEERS TO FRIENDSHIP!!! :-D :-D :-D

I've also met so many thoughtful, supportive, positive blogger friends who have been there for me through my good and bad times. Life is much more beautiful when you're surrounded by friends, especially those you can trust.

glitter-graphics.com

Here's a classic friendship song that I'm sure everybody knows...

Update on Dad + Flower Pics + 3BT

Just had a long chat with Mom. My Dad is still in recovery stage, so we'll see how it goes. At least my Mom says that now that he's at home, he eats regularly (usually he goes out for a walk in the morning to a nearby park and plays chess for hours and sometimes he forgets to eat!!!). They haven't gone to a doctor yet, but they'll wait for a while before deciding whether to go to a doctor or not. It does seem that the car didn't hit him hard, so I think he's going to be fine. :-))))

Anyway, since I've put too many travel pics, this time let me share some flower pics from my MIL's yard. These pics were taken last week. Yesterday I brought my camera, too, but the weather was awful, so I didn't take any pictures.


Next pic: Those bird decorations must be new. I had never seen them before. :-))))







Last pic: MIL, me, sis-in-law last week. Last week's Saturday was a perfect day to sit outside like this, but yesterday it was only 9'C and it rained a bit.


Well, I might just as well write my 3BT post here then...

1. Receiving support and soothing words from many people, including my blogger friends. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

2. I'd like to thank Febri for having sent me some chili sauce and Indonesian snacks from Aussie (she's travelling in Finland at the moment with her whole family). Can't wait to eat themmmmm YUM YUMMMM...THANKS SO MUCH, Feb!!!

3. Our being able to save some money. (I just heard from Mom about a cousin who can't save money due to his circumstances - not because he wants to and not because he can't control his spending - and not because he doesn't try hard to earn more money, either).

4. Cooler weather outside ensures that we sleep well at night under the blanket 'coz the room isn't too hot (we have no fans).

5. My brother has bought a laptop with a built-in webcam and subscribed to a monthly internet package and I've also bought a webcam so that we can see one another when we chat next time (the last time I hadn't bought a webcam yet, but at least I got to see him and my Mom and Ken in action!!!). YIIPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! THANK GOD for technology!!!!!!!!