Hey dudes. Sorry I've been absent for such a long time here. I've been going through quite a bit...
As many of you may already know, my Dad had a heart attack on May 20th at age 56. With no prior heart health issues, and no family heart health history, this came as a massive shock. Upon arriving to St. Joe's here in town, they knew what was happening, and shipped him immediately down to Froedtert. He was taken into surgery upon arrival. Fortunately, he was able to receive all treatment through the cath lab.
His attack occurred in a small off-shoot of the right coronary artery. The surgeon who performed his procedure told us that if you are going to have a heart attack, this is where you want to have it (minimal damage, etc.). However, the vessel was 99% blocked. If he would have waited another hour or so for treatment, this attack would have been fatal. They cleared out as much of the plaque as they could, and inserted a stent to create blood flow. He remained in ICU for a few days, then was moved to the cardiac wing for a few days after.
He has been at home now since May 24th, and is doing very well! He's adapting well to his new diet and lifestyle changes and to his medications. Now, it's just a matter of making sure myself, my partner, my Mom and my sisters keep on him to take it easy! If you know my father, he does not sit down for any amount of time exceeding five minutes. LOL!!
Work has also been extremely busy for both myself and my partner. Usually, this is our busiest time of the year. But with all of the curve balls that have been thrown at us, due to my Dad's health, we've been even more busy filling his shoes. And let me tell you that we've all developed a new sense of appreciation for my father, as we've been picking up his slack these last few weeks.
We've also been able to see more of my partner's daughter these past few weeks and spend time with her. It has truly been incredible. We got to see her become confirmed in the Christian faith, and we got to see her graduate the 8th grade!! We are so very proud of her, and were so glad to be a part of such big moments in her young life. We even got to see her on her 14th birthday, and even took her on a shopping and lunch trip! I've never seen my partner happier. We are so blessed to have been able to receive these precious and rare opportunities to be part of her life in a more normal fashion, and I pray that this is a sign of things to come in our relationship with her - especially for her sake.
My baby sister has been in England and Ireland the past few weeks. She finally returned home, safe and sound, last nite! She was gone during my Dad's health scare, which was really hard for all of us. So, it feels good to have her home. She had a great time!!
Our schedule doesn't look to slow down for the next few months either! Between work, graduations, weddings, birthdays, babies, trips, Summerfest, etc., I'll be shocked to make it out of Summer 2013 in one piece!! LOL! But I'm excited for lots of fun, new, exciting adventures with the people I love most. Hopefully this summer is the best yet!
Now that I've been able to catch you up a bit, I must say goodbye. I will post updates as often as I can. I pray you all have a fun, safe and blessed summer!!
Until next time...
#meow
#filthyneversleeps
#stayclassy
Monday, June 3, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
4.15.13
I will only comment briefly on this subject, because I'm still in complete shock and disgust over the entire situation. To my buddies in Boston; to Nycole and her husband (who were there running the marathon); to the rest of the marathon participants, and the friends and families of the wounded and deceased; to the City and people of Boston in general: My prayers are with you. My thoughts are with you. You have set an extraordinary example to the world, Boston. You have shown the world in these past days what being an American is all about. Boston was not built to break. The people of Boston are some of the toughest and hardest working around. Clearly, whomever was responsible for this was absolutely delusional. I think Colbert said it best. Please watch the video below...
"...As the president said, 'We don't know who did this, but they will be found and they will be brought to justice'. But whoever did this obviously did not know shit about the people of Boston, because nothing these terrorists do is going to shake them. For Pete's sake, Boston was founded by the Pilgrims - a people so tough they had to buckle their God damn hats on! It is the cradle of the American Revolution; a city that withstood an 86 year losing streak; a city that made it through 'The Big Dig' - a construction project that backed up traffic for 16 years! There are commuters just getting home now! Even their bands are tough. It's the hometown of Aerosmith, who, in their 5th decade, are still going strong. Even Steven Tyler looks fantastic, for a 73 year old woman. But here's what these cowards really don't get: they attacked the Boston Marathon - an event celebrating people who run 26 miles on their day off until their nipples are raw, for fun. And they've been holding it in Boston since 1897. And do you know how tough you have to be to run in a whale-boned corset? And when those bombs went off, there were runners, who, after finishing a marathon, kept running another 2 miles to the hospital to donate blood. So, here's what I know: these maniacs may have tried to make life bad for the people of Boston, but all they can ever do is show just how good those people are."
God bless Boston. God bless America. God bless all of you.
#oneboston
"...As the president said, 'We don't know who did this, but they will be found and they will be brought to justice'. But whoever did this obviously did not know shit about the people of Boston, because nothing these terrorists do is going to shake them. For Pete's sake, Boston was founded by the Pilgrims - a people so tough they had to buckle their God damn hats on! It is the cradle of the American Revolution; a city that withstood an 86 year losing streak; a city that made it through 'The Big Dig' - a construction project that backed up traffic for 16 years! There are commuters just getting home now! Even their bands are tough. It's the hometown of Aerosmith, who, in their 5th decade, are still going strong. Even Steven Tyler looks fantastic, for a 73 year old woman. But here's what these cowards really don't get: they attacked the Boston Marathon - an event celebrating people who run 26 miles on their day off until their nipples are raw, for fun. And they've been holding it in Boston since 1897. And do you know how tough you have to be to run in a whale-boned corset? And when those bombs went off, there were runners, who, after finishing a marathon, kept running another 2 miles to the hospital to donate blood. So, here's what I know: these maniacs may have tried to make life bad for the people of Boston, but all they can ever do is show just how good those people are."
God bless Boston. God bless America. God bless all of you.
#oneboston
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Absentee.
WELL...I suppose it's been a minute since I've last graced you with my presence; almost 3 months to be exact! YIKES! Sorry. Lots of happenings happening in my life lately. I've been quite the busy bee. But that is a good thing. It keeps me honest and keeps me out of trouble. LOL!
Winter is always a difficult time for me, emotionally and psychologically. While I have been seasonal affective since I can remember, winter time happens to be when everything horrible in my life (aside from my divorce) has happened. No kidding. Seven years ago in February, I lost my Papa (grandfather) to sarcoma cancer. Every time I've landed in treatment for my eating disorder, it has been in winter. On January 20th, we remembered my Auntie Jennifer and the 5 year anniversary of her sudden, tragic, seemingly unnecessary death. And then six days later on January 26th, we had to celebrate her 49th birthday without her, which, coincidentally, was the 5 year anniversary of laying her to rest. Needless to say, every time that week comes, it's quite the hum-dinger. I miss her every single day. Her passing changed everything for me; it changed everything for our family quite literally speaking. I never want a reason to be angry with God. But, even now, I do really hope He knows what He did and why, because we sure as hell don't! With that said, I do know that her passing did change me for the better. It truly did. Sadly, she was not here on earth to see those changes. But if she has been watching from heaven, I hope she'd be proud. She was quite the incredible woman. She was so full of life, light, love and laughter. She would light up even the darkest room just by being in it. Any family party or gathering or even just dinner would just get that much better if she was there. Words simply cannot explain it. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still picture her sitting in a chair, laughing her obnoxious, loud, infectious laugh, propping her toes up and jumping in her seat just a bit. She did it every time. It probably doesn't make any sense to any of you reading that. But to any of you that had the privilege to know her, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. She was an incredible mother and wife. She was a caring, talented, dedicated, wonderful teacher and principal. Her former students and colleagues, to this day, just rave about the person she was and how she truly changed each of their lives. She was a loyal, loving and devoted friend. You could tell just by how many friends she had! More important, however, even if you had just had a brief 5 minute encounter with her, she made you feel like you had been friends for years! That's just the kind of person she was. She always believed in the silver lining; to always look for the good in others and bleak circumstances. She believed in paying it forward. She promoted positivity no matter what life throws at you. She believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt. She was always honest and straight forward, while remaining loyal and supportive. She simply loved to live and it showed. I'm not going to carry on with this because I really need to stop my crying so I can get through the rest of my day. But I do miss her every day. That will never change. I will always love her - my aunt, my Godmother, my friend.
On top of all of that, it's cold. I can't handle the cold like I used to. It takes me hours just to warm up now. So, anytime that Spring would like to show up, that would be fabulous.
Other than that, just work, work and more work. My family bought a small apartment complex to flip and rent recently, in addition to renovating the main location of their company - so there's been lots of work related stuff these last few months. My partner's mother and sister have been going through some health related issues - so that has been a bit worrisome and stressful. But, we're just taking things day by day and making the best out of our current circumstances; living life according to The Serenity Prayer.
We had a pretty low-key New Years. We went to Bennihana for dinner, did some late nite/early morning drinks with a friend and then got a nice room in Downtown Milwaukee to get some sleep and have some alone time. Valentine's Day and St. Paddy's were low-key too. We just stayed in and made dinner and stayed sober. LOL! I can't handle the crowds like I used to. It's a blast from time to time, don't get me wrong. But I just cannot hang like I used to. I'm getting old, which is pretty depressing. However, I'm becoming more responsible, which is good for me and everyone I keep close.
Next up is my birthday. I officially enter the "late 20's/early 30's" demographic in a couple weeks. UGH. I'm not diggin' it. Not even a little bit. So, to combat the premature aging and slowing metabolism and all that fun stuff, I've begun returning to my reduced calorie diet and Herbalife/Visalus smoothies, taking a supplement regimen and I be up in the gym just workin' on my fitness (sung like Fergie). I've also cut out soda again, which feels incredible. I'm also quitting smoking! YAY!! I'm down to just 2-3 smokes a day!! I'm really proud of myself. I've also been eliminating junk food and focusing on whole food snacks and increasing my water intake. Overall, I'm feeling pretty okay! I'm sure once I've been more consistent and been at it again for a longer stretch, I'll feel even more impeccable. I'll keep y'all updated.
Well, I think that about sums up these last few months. It seems more entertaining in writing than it has been in real life. Hahaha! It has truly flown by. I promise not to be so few and far between again in my blogs.
Until next time, kittens...
Do well; be well.
#stayclassy#filthyneversleeps
#meow
Winter is always a difficult time for me, emotionally and psychologically. While I have been seasonal affective since I can remember, winter time happens to be when everything horrible in my life (aside from my divorce) has happened. No kidding. Seven years ago in February, I lost my Papa (grandfather) to sarcoma cancer. Every time I've landed in treatment for my eating disorder, it has been in winter. On January 20th, we remembered my Auntie Jennifer and the 5 year anniversary of her sudden, tragic, seemingly unnecessary death. And then six days later on January 26th, we had to celebrate her 49th birthday without her, which, coincidentally, was the 5 year anniversary of laying her to rest. Needless to say, every time that week comes, it's quite the hum-dinger. I miss her every single day. Her passing changed everything for me; it changed everything for our family quite literally speaking. I never want a reason to be angry with God. But, even now, I do really hope He knows what He did and why, because we sure as hell don't! With that said, I do know that her passing did change me for the better. It truly did. Sadly, she was not here on earth to see those changes. But if she has been watching from heaven, I hope she'd be proud. She was quite the incredible woman. She was so full of life, light, love and laughter. She would light up even the darkest room just by being in it. Any family party or gathering or even just dinner would just get that much better if she was there. Words simply cannot explain it. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still picture her sitting in a chair, laughing her obnoxious, loud, infectious laugh, propping her toes up and jumping in her seat just a bit. She did it every time. It probably doesn't make any sense to any of you reading that. But to any of you that had the privilege to know her, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. She was an incredible mother and wife. She was a caring, talented, dedicated, wonderful teacher and principal. Her former students and colleagues, to this day, just rave about the person she was and how she truly changed each of their lives. She was a loyal, loving and devoted friend. You could tell just by how many friends she had! More important, however, even if you had just had a brief 5 minute encounter with her, she made you feel like you had been friends for years! That's just the kind of person she was. She always believed in the silver lining; to always look for the good in others and bleak circumstances. She believed in paying it forward. She promoted positivity no matter what life throws at you. She believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt. She was always honest and straight forward, while remaining loyal and supportive. She simply loved to live and it showed. I'm not going to carry on with this because I really need to stop my crying so I can get through the rest of my day. But I do miss her every day. That will never change. I will always love her - my aunt, my Godmother, my friend.
On top of all of that, it's cold. I can't handle the cold like I used to. It takes me hours just to warm up now. So, anytime that Spring would like to show up, that would be fabulous.
Other than that, just work, work and more work. My family bought a small apartment complex to flip and rent recently, in addition to renovating the main location of their company - so there's been lots of work related stuff these last few months. My partner's mother and sister have been going through some health related issues - so that has been a bit worrisome and stressful. But, we're just taking things day by day and making the best out of our current circumstances; living life according to The Serenity Prayer.
We had a pretty low-key New Years. We went to Bennihana for dinner, did some late nite/early morning drinks with a friend and then got a nice room in Downtown Milwaukee to get some sleep and have some alone time. Valentine's Day and St. Paddy's were low-key too. We just stayed in and made dinner and stayed sober. LOL! I can't handle the crowds like I used to. It's a blast from time to time, don't get me wrong. But I just cannot hang like I used to. I'm getting old, which is pretty depressing. However, I'm becoming more responsible, which is good for me and everyone I keep close.
Next up is my birthday. I officially enter the "late 20's/early 30's" demographic in a couple weeks. UGH. I'm not diggin' it. Not even a little bit. So, to combat the premature aging and slowing metabolism and all that fun stuff, I've begun returning to my reduced calorie diet and Herbalife/Visalus smoothies, taking a supplement regimen and I be up in the gym just workin' on my fitness (sung like Fergie). I've also cut out soda again, which feels incredible. I'm also quitting smoking! YAY!! I'm down to just 2-3 smokes a day!! I'm really proud of myself. I've also been eliminating junk food and focusing on whole food snacks and increasing my water intake. Overall, I'm feeling pretty okay! I'm sure once I've been more consistent and been at it again for a longer stretch, I'll feel even more impeccable. I'll keep y'all updated.
Well, I think that about sums up these last few months. It seems more entertaining in writing than it has been in real life. Hahaha! It has truly flown by. I promise not to be so few and far between again in my blogs.
Until next time, kittens...
Do well; be well.
#stayclassy#filthyneversleeps
#meow
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