TAKING A BIG BITE OUT OF LIFE!

I have two older sisters and one younger brother.



There are 9 years difference between my next older sibling and me. My mom was a “brittle’ diabetic and it was very hard for her to stay pregnant.


In the 9 years between the birth of my sister Julie & I, my mom estimated she had at least 9 (or more) miscarriages. If I understand it correctly, some of these pregnancies lasted a little past the first trimester. And every time she was just about to breathe easy and think that she was going to be able to carry “this one”, she’d lose it. Nine years, at least nine miscarriages!


Then she became pregnant with me. At the same time she was carrying me, she also was developing uterine fibroid tumors which in her case were very painful.


"Uterine fibroids are noncancerous (benign) tumors that develop in the uterus (womb), a female reproductive organ.


More common symptoms of uterine fibroids are:


• Abdominal fullness, gas, or constipation


• Bleeding between periods


• Increase in urinary frequency


• Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), sometimes with the passage of blood clots


• Menstrual periods that may last longer than normal


• Pelvic cramping or pain with periods


• Sensation of fullness or pressure in lower abdomen


During a pregnancy, existing fibroids may grow due to the increased blood flow and estrogen levels.
Most women are able to carry their babies to term, but some end up delivering prematurely because there is not enough room in the uterus. They may fill the entire uterus, and may weigh several pounds. Although it is possible for just one fibroid to develop, usually there is more than one.


.Other complications of fibroids include:


• Severe pain or excessively heavy bleeding that may require emergency surgery"


(Information drawn from:  https://health.google.com/health/ref/Uterine+fibroids)


. Mama wanted this baby! After the first trimester, she remained largely bed ridden for the next 5 months. I remember stories that my sisters would bring her frozen orange juice cans to lie on her tummy to relieve the pain she was feeling.


She always downplayed what she went thru to me, but my sisters assured me she suffered quite a bit during this pregnancy, though she remained cheerful at the thought of carrying this baby (hopefully a boy!) full term!


I was born one month premature. But I was born! And I was the boy that they so desperately wanted after having two girls! I was named for my dad, hence the nickname “Charlie Boy”. They even named a sandwich after me at my dad’s business! You can still buy a “Charlie Boy” sandwich today at a local tavern in town.

My first Christmas and the first love of my life!

So my mom handed to me a legacy of life.


I have a responsibility to honor all of her sacrifices to bring me and keep me in this world.


It is important to me that I live my life to the fullest extent, and no small part of that is learning how to eat healthy so that I fulfill the promise of a full life she claimed for me.


She instilled in me that life is sacred, and since she’s been gone, grieving her loss only drives home that fact harder.  She wouldn’t want me to grieve abnormally; she would want me to choose life in all its God-given abundance!

In addition Jesus came to give us REAL LIFE!

Tomorrow, part 2...Living Life To Its Fullest Potential!