Category: A Bit Of Randomness

This category is full of randomness that really doesn’t fit nicely into any of the categories having to do with my road to walking.

#MyGirlL: A Champion

My Mom told me a story about Leia on their walk this morning. So, because the weather has been so warm, her second annual track has melted and what is in its place is a muddy mess so that’s why my Mom takes out for walks now. When she came back, she was helping me out of bed and she told me the story that reminded me of a video I recently saw.

I would share this video if I knew where I saw it but I will just to give you the gist. Apparently, Leia was listening as I was watching because she utilized this technique. The interview was about someone interviewing multiple Olympic athletes before their event. They asked about their nerves and how they feel about the event they’re just going to be in. then, they would interview them AFTER their event and specifically, they interviewed the winners.

Thry asked them if nerves were a factor and what they did that made them successful in their event. Each athlete who had just won their event have a simple answer. It was the same for all of them. “Do it scared,” I guess that Leia Heard that and utilized it because my Mom told me that and their walk, (I was still sleeping) FaceTime across what looked like a melted snowman. It was just a small pail surrounded by grass because of the melting snow. My Mom said it was about Leila’s size. She immediately stopped and crouch down and my Mom talked to her soothingly and told her that they were going to investigate it.

My Mom said that Leia was sniffing everywhere as they walked closer. Leia hesitated a bit but she walked closer, so close that she put her front paws on the melted snowman and as she did, the hair on her back was standing straight out! #MyGirlL is a TRUE champion! She faced her fears and did it scared! Go on ahead with your bad self! I love that dog!!!

… “I thought I Would be a Different Woman

So again, I am late to the party but in my defense, my son is 20 years old! The days of me going to see a new animated film opening weekend are long since past.

I enjoyed this one throughly! I laughed and I cried as well and I’m not even embarrassed about it. I can’t control my emotions anyway! I liked the Abuela‘s song though because for different reasons, I too, “I thought I would be a different woman.”

Scars

I had seriously forgotten about this song until it showed up in my Apple Music shuffle. This song was a song that came out when I was still teaching! I shared it on one of my Faves in my “Tunes” tab.

I do have visible, physical scars though. If I’m thinking about the order that I received the scars: Chicken pox cars when I was 13, ACL reconstruction on my right knee when I was 17, C-section scar when I was 19, meniscus repair on my right knee again when I was 35.

I remember showing my ACL reconstruction scar to a colleague just after he came back to work after he had his ACL reconstructed. He had two little dots on his knee and I told him to close the teachers lounge door and to never discuss how white my legs were but I showed him my ACL reconstruction scar and I told him that’s what ACL construction is supposed to look like! It’s about a 4 inch scar down the center of my knee. They have come along way with knee surgeries and they didn’t need to cut him open like they cut me open.

The most noticeable scars that I often forget that I have are my Chicken pox scars. I have two pocks on my forehead and a less noticeable mark on my nose. The pocks came when I rubbed my face on my pillow while I was sleeping and my eyes shot open when I realized that I had just pulled off two of the scabs on my forehead. I remember telling my students that I licked my finger put it on my forehead and put the scab back into place (LIKE THAT WOULD WORK?!)

I think I told that story pretty close to the end of me teaching because it was already in the spring time when a student commented on it and wondered how I got it so I told them the story and I was surprised that I hadn’t already told them that.

… Since ‘09

Well, my man did it!!! I always KNEW that he could ALL ALONG!!! I cried yesterday when they won but I woke up to this information which I liked to hear so much!:

And the halftime show. Seriously?! I loved it! I loved that so many of my Facebook friends loved it as well! Ranging from former colleagues, to grade school classmates, to high school classmates, to adult friends I now have. I ABSOLUTELY loved it!!!

There are so many GREAT stories from this team’s win but I am going to stay in my lane and just stick with Matthew Stafford being my story!

I just want to say that Eminem sounds completely normal to me!!!


But this one, was one of my faves!!!:


That and this picture which will be my new picture for a while on Facebook and Twitter:

I have loved him since 2009 and I love that he finally has his ring!!! 😍😍😍

#MyGirlL: Intent


I have a routine, almost ritualistic. It takes me a LONG time to wake up in the morning so I sit in my chair kind of in a stupor for a while. I drink my water and take my vitamins each morning as well during this time as I try to wake up.

At this point in my disease, I have the first two levels of dysarthria and I see a Speech Pathologist regarding that. Often times, now, I will choke on water, anything I’m eating, for most times I choke on nothing. That’s what I did this morning! Actually, I had just taken a vitamin and the little bit of water I used to swallow it kind of made me choke.

My Mom and Sean know that this happens and they will just let me cough it out and wait for my instructions for what they should do next. So this morning, I tried adjusting my chair because I was kind of reclined and I kept moving my chair as I was coughing and I was not getting a clear breath in. I started to get a little nervous.

I beeped the horn on my chair and my Mom came to the living room and I put my hands out because I needed her to pull me forward so my lungs would open so I could get air. My Mom came to me and I put my hands out in front of me as I was still pitifully coughing and she pulled my arms at the same time that Leia put her front paws on my left arm rest.

She always comes to my aid when I’m having a problem even though she cannot do anything, it’s her intent that makes me smile. Today was no different and once my throat was clear, I petted her right side and underneath her chin as she leaned her head on my wheelchair armrest so I was able to hug to her. My sweet girl!

STILL Noticing New Things…

I watched the halftime show and the end of the game AGAIN today! I think it’s crazy that the sixth time watching this game And the seventh time that I have watched the halftime show that I am STILL noticing new things! At the end of the game, just before the defense takes the field for the final time, I heard this song as I watched Matthew Stafford sitting on the bench:

#RandomPeeWeeFootballMemories

I had a crystal clear memory as I was drinking my lunch pro Tien shake today. I was instantly reminded of sitting in the stands at Dearborn high school and hearing this song and seeing my son and all of his friends dancing to it in the end zone after they had scored:

I also remember hearing the opening with guitar of this song and then it was interrupted with the announcer. I told my brother that I knew what song it was and I told him it was U2 and once the announcer stops talking, the song continued and I was correct!

You have to love random peewee football memories!

28-year-old Jen

I have always loved having a routine. I remember growing up that both my Mom and my brother thought it was strange that I was okay being alone. My brother asked me once, “What are do you do all the time in your room?” My answer was simple. “Read.” But now that I have had MS for 21+ years, unfortunately, reading is NOT that easy anymore.

I always think about that horrible doctor who told me that I had MS and the fact that she told me that like this`, “Look, you have MS, you are going to go blind, and then you are going to die” before spinning her on her heel and leaving. I HATE that this is 100% true. My eyes ARE failing but I am not blind… yet. It is really crazy how much I have to modify or discontinue doing things that I used to enjoy. I loved to, “puzzle!” But now, my hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination do not allow me to do that. Now enter technology. I CAN “Puzzle” with my Puzzling app:

I need to, “Puzzle” on my phone because I usually, “Puzzle” after I have taken my contacts out for the evening and my Mom is taking a nap. This particular puzzle took two days to complete! That’s a long time for me! But, it is complete now.

I heard this song as I was, “Puzzling” two days ago. But after a while, I realize that I need to concentrate a lot while completing this puzzle so I finally completed it yesterday in silence. When I heard it, it’s one of my jams and it was from back when I was still teaching. This came out in 2010 and that’s when I got my masters degree so I was the Reading Specialist. I remember liking it because I liked the band but that seriously, it’s insane to do! I was well past thinking that a drunk guy professing his love for me what’s something good. Even back when I was 28: