It is impossible to threadjack a thread that has no real theme! This thread simply is, and accomplishes (or not) whatever happens on it on any given day. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Interesting question, since this happens more often than you'd think. Pregnancy denial is usually seen in somebody with a good reason to deny they're pregnant. You mentioned the teen hiding things from her parents as an example. I have taken care of (myself) young girls with exactly that scenario. Their parents bring them to the hospital in terrible pain, and the ER diagnoses a pregnancy and sends them up to us. But I've also seen women who've had several children come in to deliver and claim they had "no idea" they were pregnant. Well, what about all that fetal movement? "I thought it was really bad gas." Oh, please. Tell me, ladies, when's the last time a gas bubble stuck its elbow through YOUR belly button?

I'm sure it's possible to have some woman or girl so totally ignorant that she doesn't know why she's getting so big, or why there are so many lumps and bumps on her abdomen...and they keep moving around. But you've got to be awfully ignorant for that to be true, and quite frankly, I don't think there are THAT many dumb women around.

So, you're left with several possible explanations. There is true denial, more of a psychiatric condition, where the woman so refuses to believe that she's pregnant that she genuinely convinces herself it's not true. I don't think this is the most common explanation, though. Some people, while conscious at some level that they are pregnant, just flat-out refuse to acknowledge it and although they have a certain degree of denial, it is not as deep. Some people pretend they didn't know, when they really did all along; they just don't want to admit it. We see this a lot with women who didn't bother to get prenatal care, and now at the hospital to deliver, want to pretend that the reason for it was that they "didn't know." And maybe there's a woman or two with such hyperactive intestinal gas production they were able to convince themselves everything was normal.

I don't think your lady is likely to be that ignorant. What reason would she have for not wanting to be pregnant? An inconvenient-to-identify daddy? A career obstacle? I mean, there are lots of possibilities...but based on her age and apparent level of education, my guess is that she knew more than she's admitting, or may ever admit. All I can say for sure is that I've never met a nurse yet who actually believed somebody who said they had no idea they were going to have a baby! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

T&L - I worked in the ER for several years, and saw lots of girls and women who claimed to have no idea they were pregnant. And then there were those who claimed they were pregnant, and even looked pregnant, but weren't. Strange.

There are 3 hospitals in the town where my "main" job is, and I remember hearing a few years ago about somebody like that, who came in complaining of preterm labor, but nobody could find a heart rate...so they did an ultrasound and she wasn't pregnant. I think the conclusion was that she was trying to get away from her pimp, at least for a little while, but I've always wondered how she paid for her lie when she was released from the hospital and he had access to her again.

L&D is fun a lot of the times, but the sad times are sadder, I think, because babies are involved...and some of the people who take children home with them can no more be good parents than they could sprout little feathers on their arms and fly. And I say that recognizing my own parenting mistakes, too! Nurses have a rough time with the really great couples who lose their babies, while down the hall is some doofus teenager having her 3rd kid in 3 years, with the 3rd different dad--and her baby is just fine. Life bugs me when it isn't fair! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

t&l

I have a confession to make! I have given this thread a one-star rating on the board. It is simply too hard for me to easily find the thread title (with the itty-bitty print on the various computers I use...which I can't adjust), especially when it gets to the 2nd or 3rd pg. I figure nobody else wants a dinky one-star rating, so I can scroll down that column instead and find The Thread Without a Theme easily and quickly. Even with my middle-aged blurry vision, I know I can recognize a single yellow star! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I'm even more far-sighted than usual when I first wake up, which is when I log on and try to see what's been happening and if I sit any farther away from the keyboard trying to focus, I'm going to have to grow me some longer arms!

t&l

"Thread without a theme"

Why, oh why - does this make me think of an old John Wayne movie???

Or maybe it's the song "Horse With No Name", by America.

I'm curious t&l....are you considering going to the So Cal MB gathering, maybe with Neak?

Ooooh, speaking for myself, I would love to, though I pretty much shot my trip wad with the journey to St. Louis. (Please tell me that 'shot my wad' only refers to spit balls, and not something obcene. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />) I also still need to schedule a short trip to Montana to do a spot of research for my next writing project.

Don't know why, but I just have such an urge to meet as many of the wonderful MB folks as I can. If I get too desperate, which I will at this rate, I may have to plan a bash of my own, maybe later on in the fall when it cools down. Unless I have a swimming party, in which case it would be better smokin' hot. How does a barbeque (veggie dogs for me) at a lake sound? Or a trip to one of the waterslides around Sacramento or Manteca? It's too late for the Gilroy Garlic Festival and the Stockton Asparagus Festival, but surely there must be something enticing.

Old Sacramento and a stop at Imax? The promise of Baskin Robbins would get my grandpa to go just about anywhere...

Wish you could be there, Neak! It would be fun to meet you and t&l.

I'm SURE I told you what that meant, and a very long time ago, too. You need to quit turning off your ears when I'm talking to you!! Although you're very attractive when you're all pink in the face like that!


If you try to go off to Montana on your NEXT project before you finish the one we've got, I'll wring your scrawny neck! Heh, heh. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Sorry. Didn't know anybody else was listening. Neak knows I was kidding, don't you Neak? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Ahem. So don't be afraid to tell all the nice people the truth about your very wonderful mother. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

t&l

yesniceandwonderfulmotherwhateveryousayniceandwonderfulmother...

The only reason there is a time contraint on that is because of the weather and availability of transportation to the site in question. September would be a maybe, but after that it would have to wait until next spring.

BTW, I remembered most of the crudities you taught me. Perhaps I should rephrase that to, 'I remember most of the crudities you taught me NEVER EVER EVER TO SAY!!!!'

***whispers*** was that really one of them?

Alright, who gave this thing 2 stars? I promise you, it wasn't me. I just wanted something I could recognize, even when fuzzy, to flag the thread for me. I was not trying to actually "rate" it for value and worth!! Neither this, nor any further star goosing will be my handiwork. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

t&l

Boy, there's just NOTHING like a spontaneous expression of affection, is there?


Thank you.

I think. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

And as far as time constraints go, there are certain of those to be applied to something you want to have ready to market before Christmas!

t&l

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

t&l

I'm afraid to speculate about which anatomical portion I might POSSIBLY be, if I were that Nameless Horse!


I'd love to, in an ambivalent sort of way. I'd come in my super-secret disguise of a short, pudgy, graying, wrinkling, moderately-dignified middle-aged woman who obviously never had a young thought in her whole life...nor ever did, or even IMAGINED, anything inappropriate or untoward or UNSEEMLY. That should make it so nobody could recognize me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> It might work, don't you think?

Both the hospitals I work at schedule about 2 mos. in advance. I can easily schedule myself time off to go somewhere I want to go, but only if I hear about it during the time the schedules are being made up. Once they're printed up, it's a big dolor in la caboosa to change them. Neak and family could go, though, if she wanted to. At least this trip would cost me less than the last one she took! Neaksis could take care of Grandpa, and even the kiddies, if necessary, although that would be a little bit cruel to do to her 2 months running! Personally, I have to have sufficient warning to be able to plan my spontaneity in advance <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />, and August is just too close. Maybe another time. If my secret identity doesn't work, I'll just buy me an invisibility suit, practice my duck and weave...and it might be fun!

t&l

The only nice thing about being charge nurse is that for coming in 1/2 hr. early, you get to leave 1/2 hr. early, too, so I will get home this AM with 1/2 hr. before I'm used to going to sleep. What to do? What to do?

I know. My bruises are fading--haven't been beaten up on enough just lately, I guess. Maybe I can have a brief picnic with you all, and we can frolic together in the Pool of Introspection (That would be in the shallow end, of course.! You know how I feel about sharks!), splash a little water, throw a few beach balls, build a sand castle, make a few waves............... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Then, when the excitement is at its peak and nobody is looking, I'll sneak away and go to sleep. I'm sure you'll all do fine without me! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Won't you?

t&l

****Dips one toe in Pool of Introspection

****Takes toe out of water

*****Removes attached shark from toe

*****Considers changing picnic location to Mt. Everest

****Aw, what the heck! Splash...

So, where was I? Really bummed out, that's where. I gave up on getting out of the marriage, and settled into a cold, bitter anger and hatred towards my husband, fate, and God. Why God? Well, obviously if He's omniscient, He KNEW what a lousy rotten marriage it was going to turn out to be, and HE DIDN'T STOP ME! Naturally it was His fault. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> The little missionary girl learned lots of new words while working at the maximum security prison, and since HP didn't like to hear women swear, trotted out her new vocabulary at every possible provocation. Or without provocation, for that matter. And boy, let me tell you, when I decided to QUIT being a potty-mouth it was a battle royal between my will and the force of habit, and I had some pretty embarrassing moments before the struggle was over. I still pretty much had my baby face, but there was nothing but darkness behind the mask.

I tried to be careful what I said around Baby Neak, and didn't think she had absorbed any of my attitudes or language, until one day when she was about 3 years old. She and I were standing out in the yard and Neakie fell down in the grass. She gave a great exclamation of disgust, picked herself up off of the ground, dusted her shorts with great vigor, and enunciated with precision and clarity, "Well, feces, FECES, FECES!!" only not with precisely that word, you understand. To see my mannerisms displayed in her actions, my tone of voice and my own words, coming out of that baby mouth was such a shock to me that I felt like somebody had hit me over the head. Baby Neakie, wielder of the metaphorical 2x4...

It was a lightbulb moment for me, when I realized that I could not teach her what I didn't know. I couldn't introduce her to a God who was a stranger to me. I couldn't help her find peace I didn't already have. I was going to teach her, by the things I said and the things I did, to be exactly what I was myself...and I knew without a doubt that I never, EVER wanted her to be like what I was becoming. And so, for no other reason than that I wanted to spare my daughter the kind of life I was living, I made the decision that I had to change, that God was the only one who could help me do this, and that I'd better start doing some serious hunting for a way back.

It's after 9AM, and I really have to sleep. I wish somebody would strangle the little men with jackhammers who are busily breaking up concrete in the base of my skull! Maybe the sandman can smother them with a load of grit.

Oh, yes, I think it's CSue that I want to thank <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> for bringing up the Horse with No Name. I haven't even vaguely thought about that song for years...perhaps decades. And now I can't get it out of my head! Even worse, at this point I only still remember one line of it: "I've been through the desert on the horse with no name, La la la la, la lalala," which makes it even more annoying than if I could remember even a whole stanza. Neak, this calls for some very drastic measures. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Quick!! Sing me a few bars of "76 Trombones", and help your poor mother out! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
t&l


P.S. I'm a technofailure...again. Neak tried to talk me through posting a picture of my mask, but when I tried to read it on the actual thread, Yahoo pictures said it was an "empty file". See, even internet servers make grotesquely deprecating jokes about me! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Sheesh! Neak said she'll post it herself while I take my primitive skills off to bed and leave computer stuff to those who understand it. How I ended up producing a son who blithely immerses himself in all the computer sciences, I will never know! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Ahhh...I see where the story is leading us to the Susan of today. I am waiting patiently for the rest. Sleep well.

******lalalalala************ 76 TROMBONES IN THE HIP PARADE

A HUNDRED AND TWELVE CORNETS CLOSE BEHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND

T&L says you really, REALLY don't want to judge a book by it's cover.

Are you SURE it's a "hip" parade? That sets up a very interesting, if somewhat impolite, image for me. I think it's a "hit" parade, dearie. Probably done by the Sadist and Masochist Society Marching Band. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

Ever since we were small, that little snippet of 76 trombones was enough to send Mom screaming from the room. "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!!!!!!!!!!!" Days later, she would still be whistling it in odd moments. (Ok, living with the four of us, every moment was an odd moment...) We grew more sly as we got older, humming it almost imperceptibly until she started, all unconscious-like, to sing it. Whereupon we would begin jumping and shouting "We did it!" and she would realize the hated song was once again stuck in her head and she would try to hit us with pillows. We never felt the lack of video games. Why would we? Mom was all the entertainment we needed.