JoannaC's blog

I just got the phone call I have dreaded and anticipated. My brother, a National Guard soldier, is being deployed to Iraq. The news will be much less abstract for us over the next year or two.

My brother is an exceptional human being, who volunteered shortly after 9/11, because he wanted to do something more for his country. He's a rational adult over 30, not an idealistic kid. He's a true citizen soldier, in the best possible sense. Selfishly, our family felt that he was already doing his public service every day as a special education teacher in a low income school. I'm so proud of him, but a (large) part of me wishes he had never joined. --read more

Well--about 4 months ago I posted that I was pregnant, although it was very early. Two weeks ago tomorrow I went to a routine visit (16 weeks), and there was no heartbeat. An ultrasound confirmed that the baby had died sometime in the last few weeks. This is my second miscarriage, and we're pretty heartbroken this time. I had a D&C, which was fairly horrifying. Luckily, the anesthesiologist gave me a general, so I don't remember anything except the first five minutes in the OR. The nurse kept questioning me on exactly what happened, and why I was having the procedure, and saying that they don't usually do D&C's here, etc. I maintained my composure, although I wanted to throw up and/or throw a grade-school worthy punch. It was not good.--read more