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Womb To Tomb
This was my Womb to Tomb perspective of not only realistic but also some imaginative details. Each of these events are plausible but some of them are unlikely. I did not want to have a life full of rainbows and sunshine, so I put in some imaginative but realistic approaches to some problems I may face in life. -
Conception
I am not 100% on the exact date but I am guessing it was around this time considering I was due on July 4th of 1993. -
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First trimester in my mother's womb
Starting from a single celled zygote, my cells divided rapidly so I could grow large enough to implant on my mothers uterus, after that my cells started to move to general locations and at this point they had a specific outcome, Amrs, legs, eyes, and nose start to develop, followed closely by all vital organs and sexual organs after that. -
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Second Trimester
My heartbeat got stronger along with the development of my excretory and digestive system. teeth, nails, and hair start forming. My brain got 6x larger, This growth in brain size allowed my body more control from my brain which increased my chance for survival. -
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Third Trimester
At this time my brain grew so complex that it had to develop folds to hold it all, sensory functions became evident, and lung muscles start to work using fluid as a substitue to air. I also grew about 6 lbs within 3 months -
Birthday
After being recognized as a breach baby my mother opted to get a cecerean section and I was delivered as a 6 lb 13 oz. boy at around 9:45 pm. However, becausre I was a cecerean, the Dr had difficulties getting me to breathe properly for the first 20 minutes which caused me to be on a ventilator for 2.5 weeks. -
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Zero to Four Months
I have doubled in body weight, and I sleep almost fifteen to eighteen hours of the day. The other six to nine hours I am eating, eating, and more eating. I quickly recognize my parents and brothers and become secure to their stimulus. As an infant I was a very sociable baby and would love if anybody held me. -
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Zero to Four Months Part 2
At this point I was still very much dependent on every one around me to care for my needs, and I recognized that if I cried that sooner or later someone would come and help me. I was also in pain because I was teething, and I found comfort when I stuck a cold teething ring or a pacifier in my mouth. -
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Four to Eight Months
fI have started to crawl on my hands and knees, I recognize that my name is Nathan, and I have started to babble. I can also eat baby food and I have three teeth. Cheerios are sometimes in my diet along with juice, and other liquids via sippy cup. I am still unable to speak but I know how to play and listen. I loved sitting in front of the television behind my dad’s legs while he was sleeping. -
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4-8 months part 2
I can stand occasionally but I have not taken any steps yet and I get really excited when my mother put in the movie 101 Dalmatians because it was my favorite. I also have discovered that I love animals and I always love eating. Food was possibly my biggest comforter when I cried and because of that I became a very fat. -
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Eight Months to One Year
At this time I learned to walk, so I would push my stroller instead of sitting in it. I could recognize songs, shows, stories, and many other things, and I constantly wanted food, especially bread. I still sought food for comfort but also a hand me down teddy bear with a missing ear. Also the only way my mother could put me to sleep was if I was bundled tightly in a blanket. -
First Birthday
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One to Two years Part 2
I also understood that even though I couldn’t see an object I still realized it existed. My teddy bear was still my source of comfort, and the food even more so. I was a very chubby baby and food was my best friend. It was also during this time that my parents realized that I loved the water, and playing alone. I developed a shy, reserved personality in which I could tolerate people, but I did not prefer their company. -
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One Year to Two Years
During this time I was a horrible and violent baby. Due to my boyish type of play I enjoyed kicking and hitting, but I learned within this time period bad things might happen if I did. I was able to say words and express ideas with two to four words at a time. This is also when I discovered a fear for bugs (especially spiders), the dark, and stairs. The fear of stairs came from a fall down them and hurting myself. -
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Two Years to Four Years
These years were full of selfishness, and annoying tantrums. It was also the time in which spankings were common due to misbehavior. I chose to keep acting up due to stubbornness, and I also got more spankings. I started to learn how to read and potty train, which very stressful and confusing for me. During time I also learned how to swim. This made me very confident and happy that I could do something well. -
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Two to Four Year Part 2
During the summer my mom couldn’t get me out of the pool without her being soaked with tears. At this time I had three friends other than my immediate family and I always wanted to be around them. Even being around my friends I still preferred to play alone but in the proximity of them so I didn’t feel left out. Once again I recognized food as a comforting factor. -
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Four to Five Years
During this year I was forced to go to the doctor’s office (which became my newest fear) for vaccinations so I could go to kindergarten. My mother just sat and watched while a stranger to me stuck a needle in my arm. (Of course this person gave me earlier vaccinations, but this is something that is actually from my memory instead of my parent’s memory.) I was so excited to start kindergarten. I felt as if I would be free and more independent than ever. -
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Four to Five Years Part 2
Kindergarten was so much fun, I went to school for half a day and then came home and watched cartoons, but I wanted to be like my brothers and go to big school. This was also the year that I got the chicken pox and my papa got lung cancer and I didn’t understand why it was happening to us. -
Fifth Birthday
This was about the time when my memories I have now are at my earliest. -
First day of Kindergarten
I was so excited and nervous to start kindergarten. -
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First Grade
After realizing that I did not like school, I realized that kindergarten was much better and I wanted to go back but found it upsetting that I couldn’t. I was always relatively a smart child but I never fully appreciated the idea of homework. I only had one friend from school other than my other three friends. I was never a very social child, but I would interact when I had to. -
Death of my Grandpa
during this time my grandfather was in stage four lung, liver, and heart cancer. I remember going to the hospital every day with my parents to see him and spend time with him before he went home on hospice. At the age of six I did not fully understand death, and I was under the impression that he would wake up and come back to life just like they always did in the Looney Toons. -
Death of Grandpa part 2
My father set my mindset straight, but I was still too young to fully understand that and I showed only confusion to why everybody was crying. It wasn’t until two weeks later when I realized that I wouldn’t see him ever again and then I understood why death was so sad. -
Bacame A Christian
Growing up in church I always heard of a man named Jesus who lived a long time ago and was the person that everybody seemed to love. I never understood why until a preacher talked about a place called Hell, which was full of fire, torment, and pain that last forever for every person that has ever done something wrong in their life. -
Became A Christian Part 2
. He explained how Jesus can save me from that fire if I believed in him. That day I proclaimed Jesus as my savior and became a Christian, which undoubtedly changed my whole perspective and outlook on the way I lived. -
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Knocked Down
After people realized my faith I was bullied, and picked on from the second grade all the way up to the end of eighth grade. This caused me to be anti social and constantly seeking the approval of my peers. No matter how much I tried to be part of the “in” crowd I was still considered the weird kid. -
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Knocked Down Part 2
This was a huge blow to my self esteem and confidence. Unfortunately the other kids also hated me even more because I was a good student and also a teacher’s pet. The way I figured if my teachers liked me, then I wouldn’t have to have the other kids like me. -
First Day of Middle School
After going through elementary I was nervous about Middle school, but I was also hopeful that I could cahnge things around for me. I was still wrong -
13th birthday
I trned thirteen today and became a teenager. I felt so proud and accomplished. -
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High School
After growing up a loser I joined football and wrestling and became one of the most respected and feared person in my school. I remained to be a reserved kid with the ability to be tough. In high school I refused to be a jerk and I chose the “gentleman” approach that my parents raised me to be. Although I did fight a few times, those fights were actually protecting those that couldn’t defend themselves. -
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High School Part 2
. I’ve been there before and it doesn’t feel good. I became an enforcer against bullies and thugs and that is how I got respect. My hormones went crazy through high school, in which I grew taller, got more muscle and had three things constantly on my mind. Those things are girls, sports, and more girls. Even though I tried many times to get a girlfriend through four years of high school, I only managed to get some first dates and a girlfriend for less than three months. -
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High School Part 3
The girlfriend I had committed suicide between my junior and senior year. This destroyed my life my senior year for nine months until I sought counseling from my youth pastor. I left all regret and remorse behind and tried to move forward from that day. During this time I also received my driver’s license and an old ford pickup truck. It wasn’t until then that my self-esteem actually went up, and I actually felt independent. -
First Day of High School
I lost weight through football, and got tougher over the summer. First day of high school I got reespect from many people and compliments about how much weight I was losing. I was no longer picked on and my self esteem was able to grow. -
Big ONE SIX
I turned sixteen today and got my drivers license shortly after. I felt as if I had more independance and I wanted to do wahtever I wanted, because I also had my own vehicle as well. -
Suicide of A Friend
My girlfriend at the time committed suicide after many years of being humiliated and emotionally destroyed by people who bullied and abused her. It took me nine months to recover after that incident. -
Graduation Day
I was so proud that I graduated high school and I was getting ready for college. -
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Real Life Begins
After graduation I found a job as a waiter at a family diner. I turned eighteen and thought everything in my life was going to change, especially the way my mom kept trying to treat me like a child. I was most certainly wrong. The waiter position was a great job, but I found an even better job working at a group home for people with traumatic brain injuries. -
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Real Life Began Part 2
I actually got the job because the manager of the house came into the restaurant and offered me a job. I felt extremely lucky especially because I was able to afford a new car and get paid a really good amount of money doing something that I was planning on doing my whole life. -
18th Birthday
I thought I was a man at this point and I was determined not to let my mom treat me like a child anymore and that I would run my own life. I wish -
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College Years Part 2
I was paying for my bills, had a great job, and a promising future. In our senior year Katie moved in with me, but we were still waiting until graduation to get married. After four long years of college, we graduated with degrees in Nursing and also passed our Nurse licensing exam. I’ve never been so proud before in my life. -
First Day of College
Today I started college for my Nursing degree, and I also met Katie Pinkey (who later become my wife). College is extremely different from high school and it is a lot more difficult. -
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College Years
After hating school for twelve years I decided to go to college for a nursing degree. This is where I met my fiancé; Katie, and continued to hold a 3.4 GPA at the university of Detroit Mercy. I moved out of my parent’s house in my junior year and I finally felt as if I was a man. -
Engaged To Katie
Today I asked katie to marry me and she said yes!!!! I have never been so excited or happy in my life -
Careers
This month Katie and I started our careers as Nurses. She went to the maternity ward, and I got a job as an E.R. nurse at The Henry Ford Medical Center in Wyandotte. We both were extremely excited, because we had the same shift and at the same hospital. -
Wedding
After 4 years of being together, Katie and I finally got married and got to enjoy each other fully. This will be both our first time experiencing sex, due to a promise and commitment we made to remain virgins until the night of our wedding. Although it was very difficult considering we started to live together, we were able to make it through. It was the best gift we have ever given each other and I was so proud to have her as my own. -
Expecting
I have discovered that Katie is pregnant and I was going to be a father. I was so excited, yet fearful to think that I was going to have to raise a child. I helped raise both of my brother’s kids, but having one of my own scared me half to death. She was two months into her pregnancy and all I can remember was a wave emotion that was mixed with panic, excitement, overjoy, nervousness, nausea, and pride that I helped create a life. -
Twins continued
The first we named Mia Anne, and the second Rosa Marie. I felt like the luckiest man on the planet because I had the privilege to live with the three most beautiful girls I had ever seen in my life. I was so proud and excited. -
Twins !
That day I became a father, twice. Scared was an understatement when the doctor said “Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh, twin girls!” My world was turned upside down twice, and I felt as if I was the luckiest man on the planet. I also was in complete shock that I had twins. We decided that the gender of our baby was going to be a surprise but the real surprise was the two bundles of joy we got when we were only expecting to have one. They were identical twins born six minutes apart. -
Katie' Father Died
: During this time Katie’s father died of a heart attack. Katie was an only child and her mother had no other family, so she came to live with us. I haven’t lost my parents at that point but I could only imagine how hard that had to be for her. Her mother was never the same, and depression came over her and never went away. I felt grieved for their loss, and there was nothing I could do to comfort them. The twins seemed to relieve her mother of the grief she felt. -
Pregnant Again
This time we didn’t want any surprises so when the ultrasound came in we discovered that our child was going to be a single girl. At least we had the twin’s baby clothes to use again. Once again the feelings I felt overwhelmed me. This time I knew the gender and felt outnumbered and in a really scary situation. Five girls against one guy hardly seemed fair at all. It was about this time that I bought two .45 caliber magnum rifles to protect my house. -
Another Girl
This was the birth of our daughter Emily Faye. Now I was a proud father of three adorable little girls, and the husband to a very beautiful woman. Life seemed like it couldn’t get any better but the diapers, little dresses, and toys did not come cheap. -
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Big Year
This year had many twists and turns to it. Mia and Rosa started preschool, Katie got pregnant again, and we moved into a larger house due to a promotion I got at work. The preschool was very hard for the girls at first but then they started to love it. I remember thinking that they wouldn’t be so little anymore and then I’d have to put the fear of God into some girl crazy teenage boy that tried to ask those girls out one day. -
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Big Year Continued Part 2
I ended up buying two handguns and a shotgun because I knew exactly what guys think about and I was not going to let that happen. The guns were just to put some fear into the future boys, and I didn’t plan to hurt anybody too bad. Katie’s third pregnancy was a complete surprise to me and I was praying so hard for a boy. I was already outnumbered by girls and I did not need any more. -
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Big Year Part 3
This was also the year that I got fixed so I couldn’t have any more children running around. It’s not that I wasn’t excited for another kid, I was more nervous than anything. It seemed like Katie spent more time being pregnant than not and at the rate we were going we would have had six or seven more very quickly. That is way too many kids and I could not handle that kind of chaos. -
Five to Two
Under my roof I had Katie, Mia, Rosa, Emily, and Laura (Katie’s mother) living with me until the birth of our son Caleb. Yah that’s right I got a son and other than marrying Katie and the birth of my three girls, this was the happiest and proudest day of my life. I just remember thinking that I had to toughen him up to protect his family, but that could wait. At this moment I was on top of the world and nothing was gonna knock me off. -
Ten and Life to go
This was our tenth wedding anniversary and we were enjoying every second of it. I wondered how she was able to put up with me for fourteen years. I am naturally immature, and uncontrollably goofy. I guess she liked the fact that I was also a big guy and could protect her. We will see how the rest of this life sentence plays out. That life sentence is amazing and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. -
My Father Dies
This day the strongest man I have ever known lost his life from a heart attack. I was distraught and only wished I could have talked to him one more time. I was hopeful though because of my faith that I would see him soon and we would be reunited in paradise. Though grief and sorrow still hit me hard. -
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Scary Year for a Man
During this year all three of my girls hit puberty. Being raised with brothers I never had to experience when girls hit puberty so I was definitely scared and awkward about it. This continued for years and I was never sure of how to react. They were so emotionally unbalanced, that if I did not have Katie, I would have never made it through those years with my sanity. -
Over the Hill
I have just turned forty years old and I am having my midlife crisis. My children are growing up fast, and I cannot do anything about it. I am happy to have made it this far but I am leery about the other half of my life. . -
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Girls in High School and Dating
My girls have started dating and meeting guys and honestly I am scared out of my mind. I only ask my daughters that I meet any boy that wants to date them. I do and there are plenty of boys that I do not approve of, but I trusted my daughters to make the right choice and keep their dignity and purity. Although this is a hard time for me I do not show it and I stay strong as ever (on the outside at least). -
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Girls In High School and Dating Part 2
It turns out that my guns put the fear of God into those boys and they definitely thought twice before they tried anything with my girls. Score one for the .45 magnum rifles. -
Twins Graduate
I am extremely proud of my girls for graduating, but I am sad that they are going to college. I start remembering when they were just babies and I feel old. As much as I tried to fight it, time still happened and there was nothing I could do to slow it down. I know that they have a great future, but all I want is for my children to stay young forever. I miss those days and I would love to have them back. -
Car Accident
Our daughter Emily graduated this day and wanted to party with her friends. We let her and later that night we got a call saying that Emily was killed in a drunken car accident. She was the designated driver for her friends, but the driver of another vehicle was drunk and ran a stop light. Seven of the nine people were killed in that collision. The driver of the other vehicle and one of the girls that my daughter was driving survived. -
Car Accident part 2
The autopsy confirmed Emily did not have any alcohol in her system when she was killed. I was enraged, depressed and I questioned why my daughter had to die. My family was distraught. We were all weakened and emotionally dead inside. It took us a long time to recover and I still think that we were never fully could. There was now a hole in our lives that would never be filled again. We eventually forgave the driver for her actions and it seemed like her life in prison got happier because of it -
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Alzheimer's
This year we had to place Laura into a nursing home, because she developed Alzheimer’s. She could not remember who we were and she constantly wandered places she shouldn’t have been. She got very aggressive and even emotionally unstable. We had no choice but to put her in a home. Katie was emotionally distressed but I was able to show her that there was no other way. Neither of us liked the idea but it was best for Laura in the condition she was in. -
Twenty Fifth Aniiversary Part 2
We kept that promise and never let divorce become an option. On our 25th anniversary we renewed those vows and continued our lives together. -
Twenty Fifth Anniversary
: Katie and I have been married for 25 years and we are still as happy as ever. We have been through many hard times in our life, but we managed to get through them together. When Emily was killed I blamed her for letting her go to that party and she wanted to leave. Somehow we made it through because we remembered our covenant we made on July 23, 2015. “For better or worse. Till death do us part.” -
Mia Mrried Part 2
I was really feeling old at this time but I never let her see how I really felt that she was married now. I put on a happy face but when I got home that night I cried like a baby. -
Mia Married
That day I gave my first born away to her new husband Jim and I felt a mixture of pride and sadness. This was my little girl and I was being replaced by another man. There is no other feeling that could have been inside me. I was proud of Mia because she found the man that her mother and I have prayed for ever since she was born. -
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Semper Fi and a Wedding
This year Rosa got married to a man named Brian. He was also a good man and the emotions I felt for her wedding were the same as Mia’s. This year Caleb graduated high school and joined the Marines. I was so proud of his decision. There is nothing greater than a man that serves this great nation of ours. -
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Semper Fi and a Wedding Part 2
. I was scared for him but at this time there was peace so I was not too worried. I felt extremely depressed, because all of my children were gone and out of the house and it was extremely lonely, even with Katie by my side. This only brought us closer and more intimate, and I could never complain about that. Hoorah. -
Rosa's Wedding
My emotions felt very similar to Mia's wedding -
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War and Grandchild
At this time two major things happened in my life. The first was the birth of my grandson Gabriel. I was so proud, and I felt amazing. When my children were born, I felt the love and overwhelming joy, but seeing my grandchild seemed to be too good to be true. However there was also a very traumatic thing that happened to our country. Mexico attacked Americans and demanded our nation to lower the resistance on the shared borders. -
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War and Grandchild Part 2
They said any immigrant that wanted to go the States should be able to get fair and reasonable wages. Over 12,000 people were killed in the four bordering states when an extremist Mexican army called “Lanza Alienado (alienated spear)” invaded the U.S. with over 100,000 armed men. This started war between our two countries and my son Caleb was deployed to Pheonix, Arizona. I was scared for his safety and the thought of him being K.I.A. was too much to think about. -
Grandson's birth
This was the birth of my grandson Gabriel from my daughter Mia. I thought that being a parent was a great thing, but being a grandparent was even better. Now I would be able to spoil that little boy just like my grandparents did for us, and my parents did for my kids. -
Lanza Alienato invasion and Caleb deployed
Today the extremist Mexican army invaded California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Over 12,000 American were killed in the invasion. My son Caleb was deployed to Pheonix, Arizona, soon after. I feared for our country and the safety of my son. I did not want to think of what could have happened. -
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American / Mexican war on Immigration
The war lasted four years. Americans lost 20,000 civilians, and over 12,000 soldiers with over 16,000 wounded. Mexico lost the war, 60% of their land which decreased their sharing border size by 35%. The Mexican casualties were 46,000 civilians, 22,000 soldiers and more than 26,000 wounded. All illegal immigrants were sent to what remained of mexico, and those that fought in Lanza Alienado were imprisoned as permanent prisoners of war. -
Laura Died of Alzheimer's
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Both Mother's Deaths
This year was especially tough because both mine and Katie’s mothers passed away. Katie’s mother Laura died on January 18 from effects of her Alzheimer’s. My mother had a stroke on April 14 and died the next morning. Sorrow, anger, fear, and depression filled my soul quickly and I could not shake those awful feelings. -
My Mother Dies Fom a Stroke
I was overwhelmed with stress, sorrow, and pain of losing loved ones. Katie and I went through a state of depression and anger. We fought more in these few months than we did for most of our marriage. We eventually realized that instead of nipping at eachothers throats, that we should be thankful for eachother and all that we still had. -
Thirty Years of Marriage
Katie and I have been pushed to the max with stress, but we never gave up on eachother or our faith. If it was not for our common belief and effort, our marriage may not have made it this far. I was proud that we were able to make it this far and I still believed she was the most beautiful woman, and I was lucky to have her. -
K.I.A.
Caleb was killed on this date in Tucson, Arizona. We were told that his platoon was being pinned down under heavy fire when Caleb and another soldier manned a pair of .50 Caliber machine guns and were able to hold off the enemy long enough for the platoon to retreat to the evacuation helicopters. When it was time for their retreat to the evac site, the other soldier was hit by a Sniper’s bullet and was carried by Caleb less than 15 meters before they were surrounded and gunned down. -
K.I.A. Part 2
The rest of the platoon had to retreat or else they would have been killed as well. We were solemn, angry, remorseful, and even proud of our son. Katie and I were given a folded American flag, a Purple Heart, The Distinguished Service Cross, and The Congressional Medal of Honor for Caleb’s sacrifice and outstanding bravery for our country. -
War Over
Only 36 days after Caleb was killed, the war was over with Americans as the victors. As the country celebrated, our family only felt angered at what happened to Caleb. He was so close to the end and still had to die. I am still immensely proud of my son, but I wish our forces could have won faster. As a result Mexico was forced to give up 60% of their land to the United States. All people that fought against the United States were imprisoned. -
War Over Part 2
those that lived in the new territory were forced out of that region and on the other side of the border. All illegal immigrants were rounded up and also shipped back to what remained of Mexico. The border was much smaller than before which allowed the National Guard to monitor that area more thoroughly and efficiently. -
War Over Part 3
I was proud of our country for the victory, and the fact that they were able to regulate our borders. I felt bad for those that were forced out of the land we acquired but it was great for our country and at the end of the day that’s what mattered to me. -
Cancer Part 2
I wanted to live like I had never lived before, and love like I had never loved before. Katie and my girls broke down and cried but I was not going to let them see me broken. I was going to be strong. I had to be. The doctor predicted I would have less than a year to live, and I was determined to prove him wrong. -
Cancer
This month I was diagnosed with stage three liver cancer. Due to my health I was forced to retire, although I would have liked to continue working. I felt as if I had to be strong for my wife and girls, even though I felt like my spirit just crashed to the ground. I vowed that I would not let this cancer run the days of my life that I still had. I always believed that each day was a precious gift, but not as much as I felt during these moments. -
Stage Four
After three years of my diagnosis, the cancer spread to my pancreas, heart, and colon. I was rapidly losing bodyweight, and my strength. My health was detrimental, and my family was taking care of me, but they insisted that I was not a burden. I felt as if I was and I did everything in my power to stay independent. -
Stage four Part 2
They had to put me on hospice because they knew that it was almost time for me to go. I made sure I always told my family that I loved them and that they were my greatest accomplishments I could ever have. I was weak, broken, and ready to call it quits, but I was clinging to the life I still had because I did not want to leave my family. -
Last Birthday
Today i turned 61 years old with Stage four cancer. I am grateful for every day I was given and all the opportunities and blessing I recieved during those years. -
Thirty Ninth Anniversary Till Death Do Us Part
Knowing this was possibly the last anniversary we would have together, it made it the most special for me. I looked back on the life we shared and decided that I wouldnt have changed a thing.We both knew that our time was limited and we made the most of every second we shared together. I was married to the most beautiful woman in my oppinion and only death was going to seperate us now. -
Death Part 2
These were not tears of sorrow or self pity, but they were tears of joy and remembrance. I believed I would be in heaven with my loved ones and my God. I was determined to avoid death for as long as I could, but in that final moment I welcomed death like an old friend and he carried my soul to my Lord, as my body was able to rest while holding the hands of my wife and two remaining daughters. -
Death
After fighting this cancer, I finally broke. I told Katie, Mia, and Rosa that I did not want to leave them. They were sad, but they told me it was time to go. They assured me that I would see them again and I promised I would be waiting for them. I was very proud of the life I had lived and the loved ones I was leaving behind. My family was faithful to the lord, and they were going to be fine. I said goodbye and cried as I held each of them one last time.