Yes this post is after the Finally

I know, the order of these weekly post is not in order, but deal with it.  I have to do two more responses to my readings so here they are.
In Heaven is For Real, Colton is now getting better after a hard fight with appendicitis.  His parents and nurses are still constantly squeezing out toxins from his body, but he is regaining the life that he was so near to loose.  After a few days, the doctor comes into the room with great news; Colton and his parents were being checked out of a seemingly prison-like hospital.  Super excited, Colton and his parents get their dirty laundry along with somehow finding the energy to get up and pack up.  With all their bags and celebrations balloon on the house, they head towards the elevator.  Once packed into the elevator, the doctor comes rushing to catch them saying that Colton's CT scans showed even more toxins in his body and they have to operate on him again.  With Colton's parents about to faint, they reluctantly return to the care of the hospital.

Finally

Before this class, I never read any book on my own.  I was one of those kids who didn't care for reading and if a didn't have to read a book, I didn't.  The only things I read ranged from only the subtitles on a TV screen to the words in a novel in class.  Nothing in between.  I never read on my own because I didn't have time and I wasn't interested.  If I could pick something to read on my own, the themes would be sports, zombies, and comedies.  I despise those brainwashing love stories.  This semester I read weekly for this class to get my grade.  It was not easy to find books that were interesting to me.  World War Z was the only easy pick because it was entirely about zombies.  Yet, I didn't even stick with that book; I moved on to a sports short stories book and then to a book that my best friend gave me called Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo.  I've been trying to stick to this book because my friend wanted me to read it and I owe many a things to her.  At first I did have trouble meeting the reading quota but after awhile a got a routine in place where it was easier.  I read by myself and I never talked about it to my friends and families because there's not enough time in the day.  I still have trouble finding books to read, but I'm staying on the same themes to help me narrow the choices down.  Who knows what I will read next or if I will even read.  We'll just have to wait and see. 

Deuces.

Currently: Week 3 Qtr. 2

Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo: 50 pages

World War Z by Max Brooks: 115 pages

3 Favorite Sentences of the Week:

- "I was desperate for prayer, desperate that other believers would bang on the gates of heaven and beg for the life of our son."

•  This kind of reminds of how the movie "Insidious" where the evil spirits are trying to consume the little boys body so they can live again.  This is how a took this sentence; like other spirits are trying to obtaining Colton's physical body to live again.

- "Time dragged, the minutes moving at the speed of glaciers."

• Well put analogy comparing the minutes to the slow, seemingly forever-like movement of glaciers.

- "The tone of her voice, and the fact that it was a nurse and not Dr. O'Holleran, sent a surge of hope through my body."

• The parents were relieved that the nurse was coming to talk to them instead of the doctor, because if the doctor had come to talk, that means that something went wrong or they found a diagnosis that was worse than the previous.

Update: Heaven is For Real Pt. 2

Colton receives successful surgery and is screaming and yelling as soon as he comes out of the anesthesia.  The nurse runs into the waiting area where his parents so nervously waiting.  Todd Burpo is relieved to the fact that the nurse came to talk to them instead of the doctor.  If the doctor would have come to talk to them, there would have been a problem with Colton's surgery or something came up with new results.  The nurse explained to Mr. Burpo that Colton was dying to see him and that they should go back there immediately.  Relieved to know their son was ok, they rushed back to answer Colton's calling.  Once in Colton's sight, a vibe of happiness was radiating from all three family members like they just won the lottery.  Colton's doctor explained to his parents that they had to keep the incision open so they could keep draining the extra pus and toxins still circulating throughout his body.  A pump was attached to the opening with gauze around it to keep the blood from coming out.  The pump was used to suck out the extra poison twice everyday.  Since Colton was off the anesthesia, he could feel the pump sucking his organs dry of nasty toxins; which as you can imagine is pretty excruciating.  In the end of the chapter, Burpo leaves us with Colton on a bed that is three times too big for him with his parents comfort during his hospital visit.  This kid has gone through so much over five days and its going to take longer than that to alleviate the pain of the pollutants contaminating his body.  At least they are close to home where the area was very familiar and supplies were easily accessible.  Colton is one tough kid and is going to be one strong man.

Update: Heaven is For Real

Just read that the son has been in Imperial hospital with no concluding diagnosis.  The parents are fed up with the hospital and transfer him to a hospital more familiar one closer to their home.  There the doctor prescribes a CT scan for further testing.  It took at least an hour of Colton fussing and screaming about not drinking the thick red liquid, required for better results on the CT scan, before the nurse decided that they'll try to run the test without him forcing down something his body will not retain.  Colton is known for refusing IVs and other things that entail needles.  It takes three to four people just to hold him still for one needle. When the results came back, the doctor diagnosed Colton with a ruptured appendix and that poisons have been spilled into his body for about 5 week now.  Colton needed to have surgery right away to clean out the pus and toxins in order to survive.  The doctors agreed to put him under the anesthesia before giving him the IV so they didn’t waste time trying to keep him still while the poisons continue to run rampant throughout his organs.  Almost right away, the surgeon and his team were ready to cut open this young man and save his life.  What will happen next? That is for the next post.

Close Reading Bingo

http://jimmehftw.blogspot.com/
Weakness 6: "...the author uses phrases like..."

http://star-bellysneetch.blogspot.com/
Weakness 5: "Needly are of shine," "adding long glassy highlights," and " Towering volumes of marble and glass."
     - "Full quotations" can't sit all by themselves like a quote island.

http://skullandglossbones3.blogspot.com/
Weakness 9: This gives the impression of a fancy an intimidating lobby.

http://bookworm-days.blogspot.com/
Weakness 2: In statements such as “split my heart down the seam” and “felt the longing build in my chest,” Kidd’s diction expresses the emotion that swelling within Lily.

Best Overall Response: http://twilightlover2.blogspot.com/
- Very smooth
- Nice flow
- Couldn't find any weaknesses
- Good use of adjectives

Practice Diction Analysis

In the excerpt from Catcher in the Rye, the straightforward diction portrays the condescending personality of the narrator and his or her vague life.  The narrator describes his childhood as “lousy” and giving background on his or her life “bores [him/her].”  The narrator refuses to talk about his parents because “They’re quite touchy” about anything personal “especially [the] father.”  This depiction of the narrator’s life illustrates an unfriendly personality and the rough childhood this narrator has gone through.  This narrator can relate to many people making this story an interesting read.