Here Comes the Sun.

Springtime.  A time for new beginnings.  When all the flowers and birds and butterflies come out of hiding.  And the sunshine warms the coldness we felt throughout the winter.  Especially this winter.

What perfect way to enjoy an April 1st then having such a great spring day.  Yes, I was inside at work all day, but I still was able to feel the wonderful spring time before the rain came pouring down to water those May flowers.  

I am so looking forward to the possibilities of a new season changing.  Winter was a trying time for our family and myself.  Health problems and all.  But like I said, I often feel the best during the summertime.  I am going into this month, this season, the rest of this year, with such a positive attitude and nothing but great energy.  Because we all deserve a bit of luck every once in a while and I think it's about time for my family to get some luck.

To A Healthier New Me

I'm very proud of all that I accomplished today.  The list of activities was long; health things for work, cruise things, packing, cleaning my room.

While that list may not seem extensive, I often get side tracked and leave half of said list "to do tomorrow".  And we all know how that story goes; tomorrow the items never get accomplished either.

Anyway, upon taking a "Wellness Review" to see how healthy I am, the computer generated that I am 54 points out of 100.  Thank you machine that calculates my well being after some simple questions that either require a "yes" or "no" or pick between 1 and 5.  

I'm going to try and be more positive though with this health thing.  First, I don't have the pressure of $500 charge because I didn't get something accomplished.  Instead I got it done months in advance.  Second, after the cruise, I'm going gluten free.  I'm lucky enough not to have an allergy like many people I know who have to go gluten free.  Instead I'm doing it for my health and fingers crossed, it'll make the inflammation go down.  Also after the cruise, I plan on working out more.  I may not join a gym, but I don't think it's really necessary to join a gym to be healthier and work out more.  First, spring is almost here and I'm going to try to get back into running.  And I really want to try Yoga....I think the whole stretching your body and learning to breathe correctly is a wonderful way to destress.

So this is my promise to myself, to become healthier starting mid-March when I return from my trip.  It's my body, why don't I try to start taking the best care of it possible?

Love Letters

For the past few months, I have become a fan of love letters.

It's simple really.  I write letters to my friends whenever they are going through a rough patch, or when they accomplish something that I think they should be proud of.  I write them hand written letters to know that someone cares enough to take a moment of their day to send well wishes there way.

If I could, I would write to every single person who has read this blog, or has sent a prayer or well wish throughout this whole journey to my family and I.

As I sit here thinking about the history of love letters, I long for the days where a guy would send a letter to his girl back at home to let her know how much he cared.  I wish for the day that you sent your girlfriends letters filled with adventures of those summer days that you met the guy of your dreams, or you were able to let your hair down and have fun.  Or the notes that were passed in secret during classes in middle school to your friends to pass the boring days.

Love letters.  They can really change a person's whole day.  Dare you to try it and not get a response that it brightened someone's day.

Life Lessons at 26

Two years ago; a snapshot of a wonderful accomplishment

Since today is my 26th birthday, I decided that I should write some lessons that life has taught me.  Enjoy.

1. Nothing is better then receiving a hand written letter in the mailbox from a friend.  I not only love sending them, but getting them makes my whole day.

2. You can judge how good a restaurant is by their nachos.  If you don't agree with me, then you obviously have never tested this.

3.  Hospital visits can be stressful, but it's always important to try and be kind to those who are taking care of you.  Health care providers aren't going to be so nice to you if you are being an asshole.

4. Capture as many of life moments with a camera.  Being able to look back on all those amazing memories is something I truly love more then words.

5. Travel.  I have been to many states throughout the country and it's been such a wonderful experience every where I have gone.  The getting their part may be hectic (hello getting stuck in airports...) but the fun times I have had during those trips are priceless.

6.  On-line shopping is one of the greatest inventions of all time, but it can also be the devil.  There have been so many times that I have bought new clothes without having to deal with rude people at malls or stores.

7. Music makes my world go round and song lyrics can truly speak to the soul.  If you don't believe that a great song can change your whole mood, then you haven't been exposed to great music.

8.  Enjoy food.  If my stomach problems have taught me anything, it's always enjoy every aspect of a meal.  Even though I know I may be in pain a hour after eating my meal, if it's a good dish, then I will enjoy it. No matter what.

9.  It's completely okay to spend the day in sweat pants, snuggled with blankets, on the couch reading a good book.  I do this on a regular basis and I'm totally okay with being a bum.

10.  I'm also okay with reading my favorite books on a regular basis.  If I absolutely love a book, then I'm excited to go back and see my favorite characters.  In fact, 90% of the books on my book case I have read more then once, and I'm not ashamed of that.

11.  Life seems to be better in the summer time, as well as by the beach.  I think the warm weather wards off the bad energy that winter sometimes provides.  Case in point, I have never had stomach problems during the summer.  And whenever I'm over thinking a problem, if I go to the beach, then I feel completely renewed.

12.  Life will set you up with many obstacles, including many different medical problems.  As long as you try to keep your head up, and surround yourself with a good support system, then you will be able to overcome anything.  Also, even if you think you can't give blood, it's possible.  It's also possible for the girl who used to cry during any sort of shot can look at blood being taken and also give herself her own shots.

13.  It's also possible that as you grow up, you also become more emotional.  It's also possible that those emotions come out more often when you don't feel well.  Also possible to want to cry at the drop of the hat whenever someone is nice to you.  It's fine to be emotional.  Embrace it.

14. Singing on the top of your lungs to your favorite song is acceptable.  While dancing around your room, and having the music blaring.  This dancing/singing combination will let your worries slide away from you.  Dare you to try it.

15. Never be afraid to tell people how much you care about them.  Give them hugs.  High fives when they achieve something good.  Smile at strangers who did something nice to you. Say I love you.  People want to be cared about.  And smiles and hugs can change the world.

These life lessons may be general ideas to some people, or not very profound, but the fact remains they are a few of the things I truly believe in.  I always knew I was lucky to have such amazing people in my life, but you really know how many people are in your corner when some obstacles come your way.  I want to thank everyone who reads this, who has believed in me, who has given me a hug or words of encouragement, not only in the past 2 years but especially the past 26 years of my life. It means more to me then I think you will ever understand to have you all in my corner.

Happy birthday to me! Here's to many more to come.

It's Time to Begin.

I really enjoy this song so I hope you all would give it a chance as you read this lovely little update.

I'm trying my best to get back to my ordinary life, but sometimes my stupid stomach and leg hold me back.  This weekend I was able to go out with my friends, some of my favorite people in the world.  Shannon and I got spent the whole weekend together along with Tom and his friends.  I have known those guys for a few years now and they always put a huge smile on my face just because they are guys guys who enjoy hanging out with one another, drinking beers and talking about sports.

This weekend was exactly what I needed to get my mind off the fact that my stomach is taking longer to get better then I expected.  Last time I ended up in the hospital with a flare, I was already back to eating regular food, especially with the amount of steroids I'm on.  And now I just feel like my stomach is taking five years to bounce back and I don't have the patience to wait for it to be better.

That's not to say I haven't been able to enjoy my food.  Unfortunately, sometimes, my stomach just hurts a lot after I eat.  Whatever, I make sure to enjoy eating and just deal with whatever pain may come after the fact.  I mean when one goes up to the casino, how does one simply ignore Margaritaville nachos.  Spoiler alert: They don't.

Today is a stay in bed type of day because my leg has been hurting me a little bit.  Natasha and Boris are mad at me from all the fun I have been having.  The leg hasn't swollen at all, but the pain which had all but disappeared is there a bit right now.  As I am typing, I have my legs elevating on a folded over pillow.  

Story of my life.  

And sometimes, I wouldn't have it any other way.

If I Fall For You, I'll Never Be the Same

Love is said to make the world go round.  And recently, at least in my world, love letters have become the cool thing to make.  Or maybe, it's just that love letters have been flooding my Facebook feed because one girl from town is changing the world by writing love letters to strangers.

I haven't written to a stranger, but I have written them to some people in my life.  Back in high school, I would write notes to my friends gossiping.  Last summer at work, Tom, Holly and Tara all got various love letters from me.  I still receive love letters from Holly, even if they say how much she hates me after a busy day.  When you get that note in your hands and read what your friend wished to share with you at that moment, there is nothing better. Letters can be so personal even if they are a simple, "You make my life better by being in it," type of message.

Anyway, I wrote my share of letters to people because I know that they always make me smile when I get them and I want to make the people I love smile.  I think I'm going to start sending them to my friends.  I've become inspired by Hannah, the girl from my town who is going to change the world one letter at a time.

From what I understand, Hannah started out writing letters the exact reason why I like to write them.  To make others feel special.  But her people were strangers in the city and they were left throughout the city for complete strangers to find and feel seen for the time it takes to read a letter about how special they are.  Can you imagine how your whole week can be made by a letter from a stranger?  I wish I could find one of those special things.  From there, Hannah made a blog and began what started a movement.....and I have to say, she has inspired me to write more love letters to my friends. Because sometimes it's nice to have that physical evidence that someone loves you enough to write to you in a world that is obsessed with technology.

Friends, or whom ever still reads this wonderful little blog that could, be on the look out for a letter.  Yes, I will need addresses from my friends who are far away.  But to those who are close by, be on the look out for letters to be popping up in purses, or houses or cars.  Because I feel like it's important to make the people who have carried me the past few years to realize how much I really do love them.

And if you want to peep Hannah's blog click here: Her Blog
And an inspiring video that flooded my Facebook a few weeks ago: More Love Letters 

Let's get back to the basics.  Love letters.  They have never been more important if you ask me...

 

Time Flies....

Here's a fun fact for you all.

It has been a year since I returned home from my week long "vacation" at Yale New Haven.

I knew the anniversary was coming up, but I didn't know exact dates.  I went back in this blog and saw I went home on the 21st.  Which means that yesterday was the wonderful day that I gained my freedom back.

A lot has changed since I went into the hospital that early early Monday morning.  For starters, I know exactly what I have and why my stomach had been acting up.  I'm still the stubborn girl who got pissed off she had to stay at the hospital, but I'm trying not to close up when things don't go my way (my parents may disagree how well I'm doing on this one....).  While I had all these hopes when I got out that I would be magically cured, I know now that a cure isn't possible and that I may have flair ups the rest of my life, but with rest and guidance from my doctor, I can get through it.

I learned other things.  That I'm stronger then I was when I first went into the hospital, and even when I first got out.  Also, I'm more open to what is going on with my health which was not the case before going in.  I hid how bad it really was, because I had written it away that the problem would go away without doctor's help.  Now, I tell my parents everything, even when I have random bruising on my legs (which is really annoying by the way but I'm hoping the summer will make it not as noticeable).

I can remember how weak I felt when I got out that Friday afternoon, but how extremely excited I was to be out, to have McDonalds, to go in and see people from work.  I remember being excited to go to a Bluefish game, and to the Seas after the game, making jokes with Blair about the world ending and him using that as a pick up line.  I remember how the world just felt so new because I had spent the week, hooked up to various machines, in a bed, not able to do anything on my own.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to that excitement of a brand new world and other times I realize I wouldn't want to.  I enjoy my life.  While there are tears, they have been mostly of joy as of late which a year ago they were mostly of frustration and sadness. And my world is exciting, just not in the getting out of the hospital and things are going back to normal kind of way....