Vagal Response 2 July 16, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Life.3 comments
Yesterday was weird. I went to lunch with a friend. He had had some medical problems recently so I was asking him about what had happened and how he was. As he was describing all the blood he lost and all the blood he had received I began to not feel so good.
Last thing I remember, I leaned forward on the table and asked him to stop talking about it. Next I was having a dream about doing something important and nothing was making sense. I opened my eyes to see my friend standing over me. At first I didn’t know what he was doing there. After a few moments I began to reorient myself and realize what had happened. The paramedics and Carey showed up at about the same time.
I had had my second vasovagal syncope episode. The first one happened 13 years ago in a movie theater on a date with Carey before we were married. Here’s a short definition:
“Vasovagal syncope occurs when your body reacts in an exaggerated way to such triggers as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. The trigger results in a sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure, which reduces blood flow to your brain and causes you to briefly lose consciousness.”
Seeing, talking, or thinking about blood, needles and/or medical procedures is a trigger for me. The only way to avoid an episode once it starts is to lie down. So if you ever see me lie down in a weird place, don’t think anything of it. I’ve had to do it on a couple of occasions like visiting a friend in the hospital and the birth of a couple of my children.
The good news is that I’m completely fine – except that I think I strained some muscles in my chest when I fell back. Hopefully it will be another 13 years or more before this happens again because it really scares the people that are with me.
I’m glad that’s done July 15, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Oklahoma City.add a comment
We are moved in! Well at least our furniture is. Didn’t really get around to unpacking boxes yet. We chose one of the hottest days of the year with a heat advisory in effect, but we got it done.
We couldn’t have done it without help though. Both my dad and Carey’s dad helped us all day. Shout out to John, Jackson and Josh for helping us yesterday morning in Duncan. Much love to Ben, Mike, Mindy, and Kathleen for helping us unload yesterday afternoon in OKC.
We’re going to take a break for a couple of days to recover from heat exhaustion 
Some of our very best friends from KC are driving down to spend the week and weekend with us. Looking forward to hanging out with them and not moving boxes for the next few days.
The Big Day July 13, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Church Planting, Oklahoma City.1 comment so far
Tomorrow we move! 3 years ago we started talking about church planting. It’s hard to believe that it’s becoming a reality. We were in OKC yesterday to sign a lease agreement and to attend the Crosstown Bible Study. We had 17 adults and 8 kids present. We’re studying the book of Titus right now – which incidentally was written to a church planter and has a lot to say about starting a new church.
After the Bible Study we took some friends on a tour of our new home – which is half a block away from Ben and Mindy’s. Next week we’ll be hosting the Bible Study in our new living room! After everyone else had left, we spent sometime with Ben and Mindy dreaming, scheming and talking about the challenges we face.
Tomorrow morning we pick up the U-haul and start filling it!
It won’t be long now July 8, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Church Planting, Oklahoma City.3 comments
That’s what the monkey said when he got his tail caught under the lawn mower You’re welcome.
We have secured a house to live in near downtown OKC. It is in Mesta Park – which is right where we wanted to be and only 10 blocks from the elementary school. Here is a link to see the front of the house – it’s the one with red brick.
There’s nothing fancy about it – upstairs there are 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small study (which will of course be someone’s bedroom). The main floor is a perfect meeting space for Crosstown and will also give us plenty of room for having people to our home for dinner. There is a large living room, a dining room, kitchen and a half bath downstairs.
The other great thing about this home is that it is just around the corner from Ben and Mindy’s home. Move-in is only 11 days away! We are crazy excited about moving to the city and crazy thankful to God for providing this house and this chance to be apart of Crosstown Church.
Bricktown Canal July 7, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Oklahoma City.1 comment so far
I got to celebrate Father’s Day yesterday with my hunny (yes I realize we’re a couple of weeks late). We were in OKC for the Crosstown core group meeting on Sunday night. We stayed with Carey’s cousin and her husband that night.
Monday we checked out a couple more rent homes (one of which we’re honing in on) in the Mesta Park area. After eating lunch with the church planting staff from the BGCO, we went down to Bricktown. This was my first visit since college. When we were in college we spent a good deal of time in OKC. At that time Bricktown was a small strip, a couple of blocks long ,with only a couple of places to eat. Nothing impressive about it at all.
I was amazed at the transformation. The canal is really cool. Carey and I found a place to sit in the shade on a grassy knoll. We sat and talked for over an hour – enjoying the shade, the breeze, and the view of the riverwalk as seen in the picture. At the end of the canal there are some giant bronze statues depicting the Oklahoma land rush. Definitely worth the walk down there to see them. When you’re walking along the canal- it’s hard to believe you’re in Oklahoma. A place like this would be the pride of just about any city in the US.
I think the canal will definitely become a regular spot for our dates once we move to the city.
LOST – my theory July 2, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Beets.4 comments
For years we’ve had people telling us that we needed to watch the TV series LOST. With this fall being the final season – we decided to start watching the old episodes this summer and be in a position to finish out the series with the rest of the world.
Sat down to watch the first episode and I was done. The two things I can’t stand in entertainment are 1) blood and 2) tense situations. The first episode was nothing but those two things.
Even though I backed out, Carey and Debby have continued to watch and are now to Season 3. They talk about it regularly and because I was curious I decided to read all of the episode summaries. That way I knew what was going on without the tension and the blood. Here’s my theory as to what is going on.
It is indeed a social experiment – however not for the people on the island, rather for all of the people in front of their TV’s each week. What the producers of this show want to find out is “How many random, off-the-wall elements can we introduce into this story line and still have people trying to figure out how all of the pieces connect?”
It reminds me of the way I tell stories to my kids. I’ll make up a story where they get a new chapter each night. Sometimes these story arcs last for 3 days, sometimes they go on for weeks. I don’t ever have an ending in mind when I begin. I just talk about whatever pops into my head. But I always fit it into the universe or the character’s past as if I planned it that way from the beginning.
I challenge you to look at all of the random elements in the LOST series. “Oh-no! We killed a character we still need.” No problem, he didn’t really die. “Oh-no! We’ve backed ourselves into a corner with the story line”. No problem, just introduce time travel – that will fix everything. And so on.
As my friend Tommy would say “I guess that’s your theory”.
Where the magic happens July 1, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Beets.add a comment
Is there anything more magical than a freezer?
There is a place in town that makes mini fried fruit pies. They are okay – nothing I crave though. However, stick an apricot pie in the freezer and come back the next day – sweet magical goodness.
And it’s not just fried pies, the freezer makes so many things so much better. Frozen bananas are like eating ice cream. Frozen grapes are like iced gumballs. Have a piece of cheesecake? Stick it in the freezer and eat it tomorrow for a winter-wonder treat. Plus where do you keep ice cream? The most magical place in the kitchen.
Now I should give a disclaimer – I’m pretty sure these magical transformations only apply to fruit and sweets. Don’t go blaming me for your frozen meatloaf disaster or a chipped tooth due to an arctic carrot.
Renting June 27, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Church Planting, Life.2 comments
So here’s the scoop – at least as much of the scoop that I’m aware of. Things are progressing with our potential move to Oklahoma City. Carey and I had a great meeting with the Crosstown board 2 weeks ago. All 3 guys affirmed God’s hand on us to this point and were very encouraged with the prospect of us joining Ben and Mindy in this church plant.
Last Friday we looked at houses for rent close to downtown/midtown. Renting will be a whole new ball game for us. We haven’t rented anything since our first apartment together in college, right after we were married.
We looked at a 3 bedroom and a 5 bedroom house last week. Neither of them had been taken care of by previous tenants. That’s just something I don’t understand – why wouldn’t you take care of and take pride in the place that you live? We need to look at more properties, but we were intrigued by the 5 bedroom. It’s an older house with a lot of space – which is what we need since the church will be gathering in our house on a regular basis.
Carey and I are driving to OKC on Monday afternoon to look at the house closer. For some reason I didn’t get to look closely – well maybe there were 4 reasons We’re going to make a list of things that need to be done to make it liveable for our family and then talk with the owner about them. It will be an interesting day.
Alli-isms June 24, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Family.add a comment
Alliyah has said a couple of priceless things this week.
The day after I got back from California, she crawled up in my lap with her lower lip sticking out. I said “Alli what’s wrong?”
“I’m sad.”
“Why are you sad baby?”
“You made me sad when you were gone.”
Of course my heart breaks at that moment and I realize that she really does have me wrapped around her finger. Second conversation from this weekend while we were in Ft. Worth at my parent’s house.
“Hey Alli. Do you know where I can get some sugars?”
She says “Maybe I could go buy some.”
She turns around and walks into the kitchen. 30 seconds later she returns with her hand held out in front of her. When she gets to me, she acts like she takes something out of her hand and puts it on her mouth. Then she reaches up and gives me a kiss.
I said “Those were some great sugars! Do you have anymore?”
“I don’t have more money.”
Constant entertainment.
I Don’t Drink Beer June 22, 2009
Posted by clintcarter in Humor.1 comment so far
If you’ve heard the song “I Will Be Here” a hundred times at weddings like I have, then this version is really refreshing.
