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ClarkSpencer Creative Values
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Attempting to create value in our world through the sharing of information.
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Welcome to the home of the Spencer Family and ClarkSpencer Creative Values.
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Please come back to see us often. Our website is continually "Under Construction" - as we all should be - attempting to grow and create value in our world through the sharing of ideas, information and, occasionally, offering a One-of-a-Kind item.
We hope to evoke thought and set spirits, hearts, minds and bodies in motion. Please read, relax, think and most of all, ACT.
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The Spencers in 2003. Before I started to get sick.
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June 2009 - Our Family has had another "event" involving my health "ARDS" Adult (or Acute) Respiratory Distress Syndrome. ARDS occurs when there is severe inflammation in both lungs resulting in an inability of the lungs to function properly. ARDS is a devastating, often fatal, inflammatory lung condition that usually occurs in conjunction with catastrophic medical conditions, such as pneumonia, sepsis (or severe infection throughout the body), and trauma. It is a form of sudden and often severe lung failure. My lungs could no longer carry out their normal function of getting oxygen into my blood and removing carbon dioxide from my body.
http://www.ards.org/learnaboutards
No specific therapies currently exist for ARDS patients. ARDS has no magical cure. No so-called wonder drug exists. My treatment was care in ICU, being on a ventilator and supplemental oxygen to breathe me. The goal of being on a ventilator was to give my lungs time to heal. I was deeply sedated into a drug-induced coma and intentionally paralyzed so I could NOT fight the ventilator (nor the Nurses) and to ensure all oxygen was made available for my critical organs. I was even placed on a special rotating "air bed" to help prevent anything else from happening to me. THE DOCTORS TOLD MY FAMILY I HAD A 50/50 CHANCE OF SURVIVING! Can you imagine, me, a 50/50 chance - NO WAY - NOT ME - Now the kicker: I don't remember any of this personally. This is the kind of stuff that changes your reality - it has surely changed mine!
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It's September 2009 Now I'm back at work full-time. Yes I have some serious leftovers (smile) - most of which I don't like talking about - I even have a little stiff walk - ARDS combined with the "PartHypoPanaPit" - (See Below) is sometimes more than I want to know - BUT, I'M STILL HERE!
My Family is still together and I thank everyone single person I know for the prayers and good thoughts - that got me through. Let's see what's next?
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It is now June 2010 - I had to be taken out of work the last friday of September 2009. My body begain to weaken and tire. I now am one of the many people in the county who are unemployed do to illness. Everyday I get a little stronger but I am comming to accept that I am no longer the same, and may never be. I am learning to live with that and appreciate the life I do have. Life is sweet, Family is wonderful and Friends are great! I'll be back!
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2006 - "Partial Pana-Hypopituitarism" (PartHypoPanaPit).
A deficiency of some pituitary hormones.
When first diagnosed, Partial-PanaHypopituitarism is frightening and there seems to be a limited amount of information, understanding and support for women experiencing this particular illness (or should I say, illnesses). I was finally diagnosed with multiple disorders of my Pituitary Gland in 2006, The "disorder" is called "Partial-PanaHypopituitarism".
HISTORY: I was diagnosed with a Pituitary "Mass" in 2004 but was told not to worry about it unless it became "symptomatic". Over the next 3 years I began to experience "symptoms" - migraines,blurred vision, memory loss, mental confusion, depression, frequent urination, fatigue, joint pain, brittle hair & nails, hair loss, dry skin , and my body began to emit heat (not hot flashes) & now I sometimes have trouble keeping warm also.
I had the mass removed from my pituitary gland in May 2006. It turned out to be a non-cancerous cyst (like Jello). Since the surgery my diagnosed disorders include the following:- - - - - 1. Pituitary (Central) Diabetes Insipidus ("DI" or water/salt diabetes) - [not insulin diabetes mellitus]. DI is caused by my body's inability to produce an antidiuretic hormone called vasopressin (ADH). I had DI symptoms before my operation although none of my doctors diagnosed DI until after my Surgery. - - - - 2. Secondary-Hypothyroidism, I have a deficiency in my Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). Nothing was found "wrong" with my actual Thyroid. My pituitary gland is unable to send enough TSH to my Thyroid. - - - - 3. Secondary-Hypocortisolism or Cortisol Deficiency (low cortisol [stress hormone] levels) - Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Prolonged low cortisol levels cause enhanced stress sensitivity, pain, and fatigue. I take 3 replacement hormones daily, most likely for the rest of my life.
Because of these hormone deficiencies, I "felt" like NO ONE understood what I was dealing with. There are many women experiencing life changing issues relating to Partial or Full PanaHypopituitarism, that are UNIQUE TO WOMEN. If anyone, needs information on how this combination of disorders affects women, please use the links below to begin your search for information.
NOW ON TO PET NEWS: Our RUSTOLIA and NALA have been banished to the back yard - (Did I forget to say we moved two weeks before I went into the hospital to a little rental house?) Because of the "ARDS", I must now be careful with what I inhale (smile), including animal & dust "stuff."
But my girls (dogs) are troopers. We still practice our training and I still have them (& my cats) - I Almost lost them because of this last "event". I want people to know that the animals (of course after faith and family), keep me going, they bring me joy. I have re-enrolled in the Veterinary Assistant III Course, online, at our local community college. I had to drop out during my hospital stay. I'm just going for it again - I'M GOING FOR EVERYTHING, AGAIN!!!!
WITH EVERYTHING ELSE SAID, PLEASE REMEMBER:
Both our Girls (Dogs) are Spayed - Let's help control the pet population and the number of animals put down every year due to over-population! SPAY & NEUTER!!
For Local Spay/Neuter Information please contact the "Humane Society of Randolph County" NC by going to www.hsrcpets.org or calling 336-629-PETS (7387). Your donations to HSRC are also appreciated and much needed. Thank you for supporting our local Humane Society.
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*****Nala Coco - Our Honored Gift of Love from Dave Hancock *****
Nala was the most gorgeous female I had ever laid eyes on. When I looked at her, she stared back at me with two of the most beautiful emeralds I had ever seen. Her nose reminded me of a strawberry shortcake hat. I couldn't believe the size of her head. It reminded me of a bowling ball in size and solidness. Her ears looked as if they had a mind of their own; tall and pointy. She had a tan complexion with a strong, built frame. Her socks and her belly were as white as the freshly fallen snow. She stared at me with such intensity. A look of concern and curiosity masked her face. She looked as though she were a fighter and would pounce on me if something didn't smell right. Her neck was thick and muscular like that of a bodybuilder but her legs were short and stocky. She wasn't mush taller than my knee but she carried herself as if she was six feet tall. When she jumped up on me, she almost knocked me down with her strength. I estimated her weight to be about 60 or 70 pounds, but she only weighed 42 pounds. When she licked my face, her tongue felt like wet sand paper. It was so long I knew she could just lick her whole face with it. When she put her nose in my ear, I felt as if someone had given me a wet wily. It was cold and wet but really pretty dry. Nala had the deadliest tail. It was long and powerful. When she wagged her tail against my leg it felt as if someone had just hit me with a whip. Her nails were no better. They were like little fork teeth just sticking into your leg. Now when Nala opened her mouth, that's where the real teeth were. Her teeth were pearly white like she used Crest everyday. The thing that stands out the most about Nala is her big smile. It sums up her personality with one glance. ****** By: CORTLYNN ALYSSE CLARK-SPENCER (1/28/09)
Footnote: Nala is now 50 Pounds! My baby is a "Dog" now!
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Click Here for the HUMANE SOCIETY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY NC
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