Nathan Lawrenson's Twitter

[lilwriter85]

It looks like Nate was having issues with his insurance company. He doesn't specify what type of insurance company he was having issues with. But I immediately wondered if it was about health insurance and Tricia.

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

My insurance company are a bunch of crooks...took an inquiry from the Department of Insurance to get them to pay up. NO INTEGRITY.

Also Nate is still on a whine fest about Ray Lewis and the Ravens. I'm a 49ers fan and I'm still pissed about the loss. But Nate's whining about Ray and the Ravens irritates me quite a bit.

[lilwriter85]

Nate tweets about the Grammys.

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

If Psy makes any kind of appearance tonight, I will never watch #Grammys again...

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

as a pasty white man of 31 with a lumberjack beard, I'm not certain what swagger is, but I'm pretty sure Justin Timberlake has it.

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

two reasons "rihanna as we've never seen her before." 1) she's fully clothed, 2) she is singing. #Grammys

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

Bruno Mars and his band are highly entertaining...don't like him or most of his lyrics, but he's fun to watch. #Grammys

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NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

What's the deal with all the gypsies on the #Grammys this year?

NathanLawrenson ‏@NathanLawrenson

Go easy on Frank Ocean...like you can run and sing on key at the same time...

Most of tweets are pretty whiny. I'm watching the Grammys now and I don't like every single performer, but I don't let drg it down for me. Nate tries to poke fun at himself when comparing himself to Justin Timberlake. I bet Nate is jealous because Justin is the same age as him but looks younger. I don't know what Nate meant about gypsies because the show hasn't ended where I live. But knowing him he would have an asshole attitude against anyone who isn't Christian.

[So Says I]

God, he's just like my Grandpa who did nothing but constantly bitch about everyone and everything he didn't like, which was quite a broad spectrum of things. He was perpetually irritable. OTOH, at least Grandpa didn't care about birth control or abortions.

[michelle_notduggar]

What's the point of watching shows like this, knowing you are likely going to be offended and upset? You may be a fundie, but you haven't been living under a rock, you know what the Grammys, Superbowl, etc. are like. They just complain for the sake of complaining.

[lilwriter85]

What's the point of watching shows like this, knowing you are likely going to be offended and upset? You may be a fundie, but you haven't been living under a rock, you know what the Grammys, Superbowl, etc. are like. They just complain for the sake of complaining.

Nate definitely complains for the sake of complaining. I bet his friends and relatives get annoyed with him. Nate's whining about the Grammys was annoying because it seemed like he didn't like most of the performers or he envies them because they made that far. Nate had to have known beforehand because it was announced many times who would be performing and presenting. I wonder if Nate will watch the Oscars lol.

[Annette]

What the hell did he mean by "gypsies"?

[lilwriter85]

What the hell did he mean by "gypsies"?

My guesses are he was referring to how some of the women were dressed or he might have been referring to the people around Mumford&Sons. This might sound crazy, but when he mentioned gypsies, I immeadiately thought of Stephen King's book Thinner lol. One of these day will piss off with some comments like that.

[flyawaystray]

WHAT! He's 31? Yikes.

I'm three years younger than him and nobody ever believes me when I say I'm 28. I don't know why he looks a lot older than he is. I would have guessed that he was 37-38.

[lilwriter85]

WHAT! He's 31? Yikes.

I'm three years younger than him and nobody ever believes me when I say I'm 28. I don't know why he looks a lot older than he is. I would have guessed that he was 37-38.

I agree he does look older than 31. When I first started reading his blog, I came across an entry where he mentioned his birth year or something. I wasn't too shocked. I have seen a lot of people who look older than their ages. Some of the other fundies we talk about here look older than their ages. It is crazy because I know a few guys the same age as Nate that look several years younger.

[flyawaystray]

I think it's funny that he has a photography site. He's not even good, he uses mostly filters/processing programs to get his pictures to come out okay. Now, I know that most photographers do use Photoshop and other programs, BUT he seems to only use one PS action, which is high key, and it does not look good most of the time. I doubt he knows anything about f-stops/apertures, etc.

I'm not saying this because he's a fundie, or annoying. I say this because it's the truth.

[lilwriter85]

I think it's funny that he has a photography site. He's not even good, he uses mostly filters/processing programs to get his pictures to come out okay. Now, I know that most photographers do use Photoshop and other programs, BUT he seems to only use one PS action, which is high key, and it does not look good most of the time. I doubt he knows anything about f-stops/apertures, etc.

I'm not saying this because he's a fundie, or annoying. I say this because it's the truth.

I have to admit that I don't know a whole lot about photography. I have learned a bit from some of the FJers here. I do get the feeling that Nate doesn't get a lot of photography business. In other Nate related news, Tricia had another doctor's appointment today and Nate hasn't posted any follow up. My guess is that her doctors didn't reactivate her for new lungs.

[flyawaystray]

Did he ever say what the reason was for her not going back on the list? Is it her weight? I've said this before and I'll say it again: I am very, very surprised she has lasted this long off the transplant list.

[lilwriter85]

Did he ever say what the reason was for her not going back on the list? Is it her weight? I've said this before and I'll say it again: I am very, very surprised she has lasted this long off the transplant list.

I remember it was something having to do with her weight and something about her feeding tube not working.

[chaotic life]

Duke has refused to relist Tricia. It's in the CF community today, but I guess not being publicized otherwise. They say they have done everything Duke has asked of her but they have flat out stated they will not relist her.

I think Nate sees reality the way he wants to see it. My guess is that Duke doesn't want to relist a patient who was so non-compliant that she nearly killed herself AND that the stress of having to mother a micro-preemie after her non-compliance directly impacted her health and the set of lungs they did give her. I'm also guessing from his tweets about his insurance company being crooks that they are refusing to pay for a second set of lungs. So, he's asking Duke to not only relist a severely non-compliant patient but possibly list her as an indigent case. Good luck with that.

Getting deliberately pregnant AS she was getting listed (because intentionally forgoing birth control and 'leaving it up to God' was exactly that) was one of the most non-compliant things Tricia could have choosen to do. Nate and Tricia can feel God rewarded them for their disobedience and disregard of those doctors, but those doctors aren't going to reward her in the same fashion.

[Emme]

Duke has refused to relist Tricia. It's in the CF community today, but I guess not being publicized otherwise. They say they have done everything Duke has asked of her but they have flat out stated they will not relist her.

I think Nate sees reality the way he wants to see it. My guess is that Duke doesn't want to relist a patient who was so non-compliant that she nearly killed herself AND that the stress of having to mother a micro-preemie after her non-compliance directly impacted her health and the set of lungs they did give her. I'm also guessing from his tweets about his insurance company being crooks that they are refusing to pay for a second set of lungs. So, he's asking Duke to not only relist a severely non-compliant patient but possibly list her as an indigent case. Good luck with that.

Getting deliberately pregnant AS she was getting listed (because intentionally forgoing birth control and 'leaving it up to God' was exactly that) was one of the most non-compliant things Tricia could have choosen to do. Nate and Tricia can feel God rewarded them for their disobedience and disregard of those doctors, but those doctors aren't going to reward her in the same fashion.

That's a very articulate and well stated explanation. Thanks CL! Makes a lot of sense.

[lilwriter85]

I agree CL's post was very good. I also agree with CL on what could be possibly happening with insurance company. I'm not trying to be cruel, but I do think another person deserve to get a first transplanted set of lungs instead of Tricia getting a second set. It is heartbreaking that she has a very young daughter, but I can understand why Duke and the doctors might have made their decisions.

[flyawaystray]

I don't know. Eva Markvoort sure as hell deserved another pair of lungs. It wasn't her fault her lungs rejected. Tricia might be a different story with the pregnancy and everything.

I was just asking because the way Nate talks, it seems like she had a good chance of getting reactivated once her feeding tube was fixed. It seems like everything has come to bite him in the butt.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Duke has refused to relist Tricia. It's in the CF community today, but I guess not being publicized otherwise. They say they have done everything Duke has asked of her but they have flat out stated they will not relist her.

I think Nate sees reality the way he wants to see it. My guess is that Duke doesn't want to relist a patient who was so non-compliant that she nearly killed herself AND that the stress of having to mother a micro-preemie after her non-compliance directly impacted her health and the set of lungs they did give her. I'm also guessing from his tweets about his insurance company being crooks that they are refusing to pay for a second set of lungs. So, he's asking Duke to not only relist a severely non-compliant patient but possibly list her as an indigent case. Good luck with that.

Getting deliberately pregnant AS she was getting listed (because intentionally forgoing birth control and 'leaving it up to God' was exactly that) was one of the most non-compliant things Tricia could have choosen to do. Nate and Tricia can feel God rewarded them for their disobedience and disregard of those doctors, but those doctors aren't going to reward her in the same fashion.

Did she actually forgo birth control though? That wasn't the sense that I got from the blog. Is there more info in the CF community about this?

[lilwriter85]

Did she actually forgo birth control though? That wasn't the sense that I got from the blog. Is there more info in the CF community about this?

I don't know she did forgo birth control. I had been reading the blog for a week or two before Nate pulled it down. There was probably a lot of stuff that I missed.

[flyawaystray]

The site is back up, but it hasn't been updated. I wonder why that is. I know Nate said it wouldn't be updated until Tricia has been reactivated, but I don't know, he had a blog all this time and now he doesn't want to update it anymore? it seems kinda weird to me.

From what I remember on the site, they were trying to have a baby and kinda gave up, but then found out Trish was pregnant. Then she went downhill rapidly, needed to be listed, got her transplant, and had her baby.

Edit, from the blog:

In May of 2007, after a few unsuccessful years of trying to become pregnant, Tricia’s disease had progressed to the point at which her doctors strongly advised that we stop our efforts to conceive and consider undergoing the evaluation process for the double lung transplant that could save Tricia’s life.

In July of 2007, Tricia went through the week long evaluation process at Duke University Medical Center to determine if she was a candidate for a transplant. She was a candidate, and we began making plans to temporarily move to Durham, NC to be close to Duke.

In early September, the day before Tricia was to begin the physical therapy that would prepare her to be placed on the transplant list, we found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant. Against the advice of many of our doctors, we chose to keep the pregnancy, having been told that both Tricia and the baby had less than a 50% chance of surviving.

[2xx1xy1JD]

The archives are still down, so I can't pull up what he blogged back as it was happening. From what I remember, they were actively trying to conceive for a while, with the doctors' blessings. At some point, she deteriorated to the point that they were advised not to get pregnant. At that point, they stopped trying, and I had the sense that they were using some sort of birth control. As far as Nathan was concerned, it really did seem to come as a shock that Trish was pregnant and they realized that it was a life-threatening situation. Of course, it's possible that there could have been some subconscious or deliberate sabotage of birth control by Trish if her "secret wish" to have a baby was that strong, but that's pure speculation on my part and I don't ever recall reading anything that said that they were deliberately not using any form of birth control.

I also recall that Nathan made it crystal-clear that Trish would never become pregnant again, as there was no safe way to either go off anti-rejection drugs or to take those drugs while pregnant. I didn't get the sense from the blog itself that he was opposed to all forms of BC.

[chaotic life]

They stopped actively trying. Tricia has specifically stated in interviews that meant they stopped actively trying. They did NOT start using birth control. Tricia has stated that she was still hoping for God to work a miracle as it was her last chance to have a baby. They were NOT using birth control, they just weren't charting and planning and TRYING. They can see that different all they want. However, it is NOT different. I know FAR too many CFers who rely upon at least 3-4 birth control methods and NOT the "CFers tend to be infertile so it shoudn't be an issue" when it is their health and their transplant at stake.

Tricia did NOT do that. She WANTED God to send her a baby in spite of everything that was going on with her health. She sees Gwen as God's answer to her prayers. She didn't use birth control and told God he had one last chance to bless her with her heart's desire and he did exactly that.

I've followed Nate and Tricia since Tricia was first listed. They can reframe that past into more pc slants all they want, and since the blog is on lock down because Nate is under a book contract, it's easy to slant it and not show evidence to prove otherwise. Tricia did not use birth control and her doctors were NOT okay with that, especially when exactly what they warned her would happen did happen. Abortion was NEVER an option for them. It's completely disingenious to suggest it was even ON the table when Tricia wasn't using birth control and they were praying for a pregnancy despite what her doctors told her to do.

As I said, Nate and Tricia can see that pregnancy, Gwen and those lungs as God's reward for their choices, but her doctors have never agreed with that. Proven non-compliant CFers have a HARD time getting relisted. They'll refuse to relist you for using pot and alcohol after transplant too. Getting a second set of lungs is MUCH harder than getting a first, and it's not easy to get a first set. Being non-compliant will NOT win you favors. If Nate and Tricia want to circumvent the medical team that dealt with their non-compliance the first time, then they need to seek out another program. I know CFers who fly across the entire country because they opted for transplant programs so far from where they reside. You are NOT required to list with the program geographically closest to you. If Duke won't list Tricia, why aren't Nate and Tricia seeking other programs? That's a telling decision. It could easily be that they advertised her non-compliance way too far and wide for that reputation to NOT preceed them to any other program and their best bet is to beg forgiveness from the program whose instructions they violated in the first place.

[2xx1xy1JD]

They stopped actively trying. Tricia has specifically stated in interviews that meant they stopped actively trying. They did NOT start using birth control. Tricia has stated that she was still hoping for God to work a miracle as it was her last chance to have a baby. They were NOT using birth control, they just weren't charting and planning and TRYING. They can see that different all they want. However, it is NOT different. I know FAR too many CFers who rely upon at least 3-4 birth control methods and NOT the "CFers tend to be infertile so it shoudn't be an issue" when it is their health and their transplant at stake.

Tricia did NOT do that. She WANTED God to send her a baby in spite of everything that was going on with her health. She sees Gwen as God's answer to her prayers. She didn't use birth control and told God he had one last chance to bless her with her heart's desire and he did exactly that.

I've followed Nate and Tricia since Tricia was first listed. They can reframe that past into more pc slants all they want, and since the blog is on lock down because Nate is under a book contract, it's easy to slant it and not show evidence to prove otherwise. Tricia did not use birth control and her doctors were NOT okay with that, especially when exactly what they warned her would happen did happen. Abortion was NEVER an option for them. It's completely disingenious to suggest it was even ON the table when Tricia wasn't using birth control and they were praying for a pregnancy despite what her doctors told her to do.

As I said, Nate and Tricia can see that pregnancy, Gwen and those lungs as God's reward for their choices, but her doctors have never agreed with that. Proven non-compliant CFers have a HARD time getting relisted. They'll refuse to relist you for using pot and alcohol after transplant too. Getting a second set of lungs is MUCH harder than getting a first, and it's not easy to get a first set. Being non-compliant will NOT win you favors. If Nate and Tricia want to circumvent the medical team that dealt with their non-compliance the first time, then they need to seek out another program. I know CFers who fly across the entire country because they opted for transplant programs so far from where they reside. You are NOT required to list with the program geographically closest to you. If Duke won't list Tricia, why aren't Nate and Tricia seeking other programs? That's a telling decision. It could easily be that they advertised her non-compliance way too far and wide for that reputation to NOT preceed them to any other program and their best bet is to beg forgiveness from the program whose instructions they violated in the first place.

Thanks for the additional info.

I agree that there's a difference between a real oops and "well, I wasn't actually thinking about getting pregnant although I was having sex and not doing anything to prevent that from happening". Silly me, thought it was just common sense that if a doctor tells you to stop trying, you use birth control.

As an aside, I'm wondering just how much of the blog will be scrubbed and reworded. One thing that I did appreciate about the blog was that it was being written in real time, reflecting real struggles and without knowing what the outcome would be.

[flyawaystray]

My friend has had her pft's drop 20% since she had her baby three months ago, but she at least admits she was playing baby roulette.

There are some things worth more in this life than having a biological kid. In Trish's case, it may have meant getting re-listed. And I don't get how the state is still allowing a foster child. Trish and Nate spend all of the time at appointments it seems, and Gwen doesn't even live with them.

I can totally understand Duke's position. A lot of people need organs, and Trish is not the only one on the list. Nor did she listen to medical advice. She went against it and she's paying for it.

[lilwriter85]

My friend has had her pft's drop 20% since she had her baby three months ago, but she at least admits she was playing baby roulette.

There are some things worth more in this life than having a biological kid. In Trish's case, it may have meant getting re-listed. And I don't get how the state is still allowing a foster child. Trish and Nate spend all of the time at appointments it seems, and Gwen doesn't even live with them.

I can totally understand Duke's position. A lot of people need organs, and Trish is not the only one on the list. Nor did she listen to medical advice. She went against it and she's paying for it.

I have wondered about that quite a bit. I think the child should be removed from Nate months ago. There are some North Carolina posters here who might know something about the foster system there. I also wonder if Nate's parents or relatives get fed up with having to take care of his foster child.