Cheers to 2012!

Well the time has come - a new year, which to me also means a new beginning.  This year I have a few new resolutions for myself.  First, I am going on a new food diet.  I always say "I'm going to lose 10 lbs" blah blah blah but really all I ever do is go to the gym. I hate how my weight always fluctuates. After I broke up with my ex I lost 30 lbs. He must've stressed me out cause I always tend to gain when I'm stressed lol  I just lost it by increasing my gym motivation and cutting back in the food department. This year, I am going to begin this diet program that Jason's brother has gone on and he lost 45 lbs! I only want to lose 15 lbs but this diet consists of eating more fruits and vegetables, incorporating turkey and special K into my diet and the key is to eating every 3 hours to keep the metabolism up. Soooo as of January 1st, I am going to begin this and wish me luck!!!!!!!

I also have a new year's resolution of becoming more organized. I hate being disorganized so I have recently made files for a bunch of stuff and  this week I did a major "winter cleaning" hehe instead of "spring cleaning" where I practically turned the apartment upside down with all the cleaning and organizing I did. Right now I am feeling very accomplished and I hope it continues throughout the new year.

This year can only bring more success, accomplishments and happiness... I do have to say the year of 2011 brought with it lots of ups and downs - all of which I have bounced back from but this year defintiely had it's roller coaster moments. From my mom going through chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in September, 2010 and seeing her at her worst moments to seeing her at her best moments took a toll on me -  to my brother-in-law recently being hospitalized for suffering a cardiac arrest this month in December - to my uncle always having to go to Boston for appointments with his melonama - and lastly to myself being brought to the ER back in March for violently throwing up including throwing up blood which scared the hell out of me. Luckily and thankfully, everyone is doing well and have been progressing through everything. Mine was just a fluke thing that I fought off after they gave me a prescription for a nausea medication.  In addition to these, I also took a major blow when I had to quit my recent job at IICAPS to do internship. I love my internship and this pay cut is worth it but giving up that income was soo hard for me to deal with for the longest time leading up to quitting the job (despite my unhappiness with being in IICAPS anymore) lol I seriously had some depression issues goin on with having to take the pay cut as bad as that sounds. Not to mention, bein worried about my mom at the time. Jason helped me through that a lot and took on a lot financially to help me through the year. I couldn't have a better partner in crime.
Despite all those hard times, 2011 brought a lot of good times as well. I was able to start an internship at a school to gain some experience as a school counselor. I'm loving the experience, staff and actually look forward to going to work every morning. That is truly telling! Also, I have gained some more customers for Avon and I also was able to find some families (and some of them found me) looking for nannies to do either a routine type of schedule after school hours as well as some occasional weekend hours. So despite me taking a blow with having to quit my job, I was able to find some work and the flexibility is nice.  It's not something I want to do forever, just for the year or until I find an actual school counseling job. Also my cousin is turning 21 TOMORROW - well technically tonight at MIDNIGHT! Sooo needless to say, we are gonna start getting ready to head up to Troy and help her celebrate her fabulous 21st birthday. She can have a drink at midnight! So exciting :-)

Anyways - cheers to 2012. After 2011, this upcoming year can only bring bigger and better things!!!! :-)

F*&% them Colts!

Well, today was an amazing day! As far as I've heard from good 'ol Indie, Herb is back! He is off the respirator and Evan, the oldest son who turned 11 today, got his birthday wish - to hear his dad talk! This was the first time in 12 days... and an amazing sight it must've been. Herb also called my sister "babe" and told his boys everything is going to be alright and that he loves them all. He doesn't know about the long term acute facility yet as the nurses' have told her one thing of information at a time. He wants to get out of bed and my sister is trying to gather all the strnegth she can to help him understand the need for further treatment afterwards. He also doesn't know how long he's been out of it and all the details but all that matters right now is he's bouncing back.  As the Colts didn't win one game this season until this past weekend, they all informed him that they finally won a game. Herb's response? "F*&% them Colts!" Herb's back :-D

A Blog within a Blog

Hi all - My brother-in-law continues to make progress but naturally is experiencing discomfort and pain (most likely the result of the number of compressions done on him December 10th when the episode occurred).  Follow my sister's blog on the updates of him. That way, it's one source of information and what better source to get the information from than his partner in crime and the frontliner by his side through this all - his wife and my sister! Here's the link for her Blog on his updates https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/herbshears/createorsignin All you have to do is enter your email and you can view her updates... Please continue to join us in sending the positive thoughts and prayers out to Indiana. Herb is being called the St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana's miracle patient! Obviously all the thoughts and prayers have been working!!! :-)

Preparing my best and here's to hoping it pays off!

Well, I have over 5 months left of internship and I am already preparing my best to find a job for the upcoming school year in September, 2012.  I am feeling very anxious and nervous about the possibility of finding a job though due to the low number of jobs out there and the huge number of applicants looking for school counseling jobs.  I went to a job fair at the beginning of December and made a contact there from Post University who gave me her card and told me to keep in touch with her because she is always in the schools to recruit students and always hears of open positions. She also gave me information regarding NY school recruiters which I contacted several agencies and one got back to me asking for my application, resume, cover letter, etc.  This agency is the Fairfield Teachers' Agency and they can keep me in the loop of school positions opening as well.  I've also become members of CTreap.net which is the CT school job website and olasjobs.org which is the NY school job website.  I try not to panic but that's me and I can't help it. The unknown of the future frightens me and always has. Any advice as to anything else I could do or if I've done enough and just need to relax, take a xanax (haha j/k) and hope for the best. Only time will tell!!!!

Too far for comfort

Well this sucks... I don't know why it's been bothering me more lately than usual but living so far from my sister and the boys has really been on my mind lately.  And this was before the whole episode with Herb began this past Saturday. I'm not sure if it's the holidays coming up or what but it's been on my mind a lot more lately.  I have lived in several different spots from growing up in Troy to moving to Buffalo for two years, then to Connecticut for four years and then back to NY outside of Poughkeepsie. I loved everything about all the places and I miss all my friends from Buffalo and CT (although I do still get to see my friends from CT now and then) but moving back to NY in August, 2011 made me happier. Not only was I moving in with my boyfriend, but I was closer to my family who live in Troy. I just am missing my family in Indiana and hate the fact that as we are all growing up and getting our own lives, we are moving up and away. As we are leaving Indiana tomorrow, it's bothering me more and I want to try to get on out here more throughout the year.  This whole seeing each other twice a year is not enough! I am looking forward to getting back home to see Jason and Dakota but will miss my sister and the boys horribly. Until next time, see you soon Indiana!

Home Tomorrow

So tomorrow's the day we are heading home. Due to Herb's stabilization level and my sister appearing to be doing better, we are heading home after being out here for almost a week. I am so relieved Herb made a turn around and so grateful for all the hard work and dedication the doctors have given him since he went into the hospital Saturday night. I appreciate all the generosity and positive thoughts everyone has sent out this way. It has helped and Herb has turned around my view and now I believe that miracles truly can happen. I will continue to keep everyone updated about his progress as well as how my sister is doing. See everyone when I get home and again thanks for all the support and generosity you have sent this way!

Taking it day by day...

Okay so here we sit in the waiting room again... This has been a big roller coaster of emotions since Saturday night when my brother-in-law was taken to the hospital due to suffering from a heart attack. Saturday night he coded, which means basically his heart beat stopped, 6 times. Once Herb made it through that first night, doctors along with everyone else was AMAZED he was still hanging in there.  Doctors have called him a miracle and I am beginning to truly believe in miracles after seeing this course of events transpire. According to doctors, his heart has continued to get stronger, his kidney function is starting to increase as it was poor when he first got here and his blood pressure is being stabilized through meds. His oxygen level has decreased as he is requiring less oxygen and they have decreased his meds as well.

After we have received all good news, last night (Tuesday) came and I received a call about an hour after we went back to the house from the hospital and it was Melissa, Kristen's best friend. She called saying "Kelly, Herb just coded again. You guys need to get back here right away". So up and at em we all got. Our jackets on, grabbed our purses, anxiety in the air and I feel I've never been on such a quiet car ride before with 5 people in the car. You could feel the nervousness, anxiety and thoughts running through everyone's head.

Upon arrival to the hospital, we found out that the nurse called a "code" to his room to get the doctor to respond immediately.  What had occurred was his heart rate had sped up resulting in his blood pressure lowering rather rapidly and she knew a doctor would respond right away if he had coded. So all in all, he didn't actually code and she wanted to be on the safe side with his health so she got a doctor.

Shortly after this occurred, Kristen wasn't feeling well, almost passed out twice within a few minutes and the nurse tried to get her blood pressure which she wasn't able to read after taking it twice.  They brought her down to the ER to receive an IV of fluids due to dehydration since she hasn't been eating and drinking anything normally.  She was given directions to go home for the night to rest fully since she hadn't been home since Saturday night and to eat small meals throughout the day to keep up her energy.

She did go home and as expected and understandably so, it was extremely difficult for her to leave Herb for the night but she was able to with the support of us being back at the house with her too.

This is very hard having to see the boys go through this and seeing the effects it is having on my sister. Having to see Herb hooked up to all these machines is devastating to see but he looks so much better each day. He isn't as bloated, his color is coming back and he is able to respond to people around him such as squeezing fingers, trying to focus on someone to make eye contact.     Like I mentioned before, I am unsure if I believed in miracles before but after this, I am really starting to reconsider, believing that miracles truly can happen. I am praying and hoping each and every day that Herb continues to get stronger. Love that guy and from the moment we met him, you could tell he and Kristen were the perfect match. :-)