No News is Good News???

It's me again, I know I'm not very good at the whole blogging thing and for that I am sorry.  This week has been an interesting one.  But first, let me tell you what I have been up to.  I am in my second to last semester of college.  I am taking 14 credit hours this semester just so I can graduate in December.

Now the not so good news… About a month ago, I woke up and was unable to feel my right arm and leg.  After a while I had feeling back in my arm and leg but my foot has never felt the same.  Some days I wake up and am completely numb again and can’t move my extremities.  I went to both the cardiologist and the neurosurgeon.  The cardiologist said my EKG and Echo look pretty much the same as they both did last May.  

Now for the neurosurgeon, he had already scheduled a CT scan for me to have before he saw me. Basically, he determined that the ventricles that hold fluid in my head have gotten bigger so although my shunt is working, I am still holding extra fluid.  I suffer from what is called Basilar invagination – in layman’s terms the brain stem presses into the spinal cord and this extra fluid that I am holding is causing it to press down more.  This is not a good thing.  He manually drained off a lot of fluid and is starting me on a new medicine this week.  I am scheduled for an MRI next week and then another appointment with the neurosurgeon on the 24^th to see where we are in this unknown journey I call life.  As I continue this journey,  my family and I would appreciate your prayers for comfort, peace, and direction as we try and figure out what the next step is.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!  I hope you all had a fabulous New Year's Eve ringing in the new year with your family and friends!  Our tradition is to go bowling and to IHOP with my mom's side of the family on New Year's Eve.

This year I've decided not to make any New Year's resolutions because in the end, you don't follow through with them.  For instance, last New Year's Eve I said that I would post to my blog at least once a month, and we all know how that went...

However, some things I am looking forward to in the coming year is to graduate college at the end of this year, get better at my crocheting (on loom only), and maybe starting my own online selling business.

So whatever you decide to do in the coming year, I wish you the best!!!

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Conference 2014

Once again I have missed a month!  Not much happened during the month of July other than going on vacation for 2 weeks.  We traveled down to Naples, Florida where we spent a week and a half. We also traveled down to Key West.  Our last destination was to Daytona for two nights.  Overall, it was nice to get away and I would love to just pick-up and move.

At the beginning of this month I had the opportunity to attend the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Conference at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, IN.  Osteogenesis Imperfecta is the condition I have.  I have not been to a conference since I was 6 years old which was in Orlando, Florida.  It was sad to see just how many people OI effects.  I caught myself saying just this past week "you don't realize how many people actually have OI until you attend a conference or they start showing up on a list of "people you may know.""  A lot of people consider these conferences to be a family reunion because it's the only time they can get together.

While a lot of the seminars are for parents with younger children who are just learning about OI, they also had seminars for Young Adults on a variety of topics. These included Transitioning Yourself to Adult Care, Becoming Your Own Self Advocate, and Self Esteem.  While some of these things are kind of a no-brainer, it's sometimes a good idea to have a refresher course. 

One thing I did notice while at the conference was that if you don't go to each National Conference every two years you're kind of an outsider--not  because you're different, but because everyone has their group of friends.  This is not to say that I didn't enjoy my time at the conference because I DID, but I look forward to the next one which is in Orlando, Florida where my conference journey began! 

Feeling 22...

Well I know I said I would try to post at least once a month and I'll admit I've been slacking!  I was nicely reminded of that this past week when someone asked me when I would post again so here it is...

In the last two months since my last post I've been finishing up the spring semester of my junior year.

Although I got too overwhelmed and burnt out by taking 12 credit hours online I have to say I'm kinda bored without the work.  Nonetheless, I've decided to take the summer off from course work.  This will hopefully help me to find some new interests such as reading.  I've never been much of a reader but there's always time to try something new.

Another thing that happened just at the end of last month was that I turned 22! To some that sounds so young and they would love to be 22 but when I look at people who I remember being babies who are or have turned 9, 6, and even 3 it makes me feel so old!!  So with another birthday comes another year.  Just what will year 22 hold?  Who knows!  Your guess is as good as mine!  Until next month!

The Number 50

There are a lot of big numbers in the world.  But the most important number is how long you've been with someone. 

The number 50 can be found on a dollar bill or it can represent an anniversary.  This month my grandparents will have been married for 50 years.  Despite the lows and highs they've managed to stick together!

It's sad to see the statistics now days of how long people stay together.  To still see them together after all these years shows that people still live by their vows "for better or for worse, for rich or for poorer" meaning no matter the struggle we will always stay together. 

Hopefully one day I'll have the same kind of marriage.

February - The Month of Awareness

Well, a new month and a new post!  It’s been about a month since I moved home, and it’s been a good decision all around!  School is going well and life is all around less stressful.

Many of you just celebrated another holiday...Valentine's Day.  Valentine's Day is by far my least favorite holiday.  Those that don't like it along with me refer to it as a Hallmark holiday.  It's seen as a Hallmark holiday just so Hallmark can make money on all the cards.  If you think about it, several more chains make money off of it as well, such as jewelry stores, other department stores, and candy stores.  I see Valentine's Day as something that should be celebrated every day not just one day a year.  I am fortunate I see my parent’s so in love every day.

Valentine’s Day is also known as Single's Awareness Day.  This is mainly because all the hysteria over it is made for "couples" and those who do not have a significant other get left out in the cold.  Where the alternate name came from I do not know but I have always referred to Valentine's Day as Single's Awareness Day.

Well stay tuned next month for another post to see what’s new and exciting in my life.  Maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a significant other to report! HAHA

Big Decisions

                Well I know I said I would try and post once a month, and it's already the end of January.  It’s been a hectic month…between wrapping up the holidays, starting school again, and the Polar Vortex which we are starting to experience again, I'm behind.

                I've made some big decisions this month....they have been very hard decisions to make, but I feel they are "right" decisions.  Due to many different issues I have been facing, my parents and I feel that it is in my best interest to switch to our school's online program. The reasons are due to stress, my health, and unreliable care needs.  This was not an easy decision to make, and I know I will be missing out on a lot of different things.  I will also miss a lot of people, but my health, care needs, and happiness are more important and home is a safe place.  To some of you this may be a surprise that this year, as well as last has been challenging, while to others, you may have sensed my struggles.

                I may try and become a commuter in the Fall, but right now this seems to be the best decision for me.  I love what the Woods has to offer and stands for.  Lately the quote that I have come up with is “You can take the girl out of the Woods, but you can’t take the Woods out of the girl!”  I still plan to graduate from SMWC, it just may not be how or when I thought I would,  and that’s okay!  I’m doing what is best for me at this current time.  As I make this transition, I would appreciate your prayers.