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An invincible summer

Posted in At the Doctor's, Birthdays, Blessings, Boston, Change, Chronically cool, Coming together, Family, Friends, Home sweet home, Hospital life, Immune Deficiency, Invincible Summer, Kiddos, Life Line, Love and loss, mito, On the road, Party Time, Sick and Tired, Sleep, Smiles, Stealing words, Sunshine, Symposium, The Cans, The storm, Tutoring, umdf, Vampires on 8 September 2011| 6 Comments »

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus

Sometimes those of us with chronic illness get so caught up in the can’ts. The shouldn’ts. The mustn’ts. I decided to focus this summer on the things I can do. From embracing the lives of loved ones lost to adventures in lands (not-so-)faraway. So we celebrated, joined, conquered, ventured, traveled, laughed, cried, and smiled. And we experienced life. It didn’t matter that I did most of it hooked up to at least 3-4 tubes at a time. It mattered that I did it.

Now that the summer comes to a close (thank you, labor day), I thought I’d go through the tradition of writing the back-to-school essay “What I did this summer.” Then I rethought. And decided I’d show you.

What I did this summer:

{And wished her Happy Birthday}

{At the 2011 UMDF Symposium in Chicago}

{With my Great Aunt Arden at the Sears Willis Tower}

{Lab safety is a must while tutoring}

{Sisters Day Out – Southwick Zoo}

{First time at Niagara Falls – Maid of the Mist}

{Seneca Falls, NY – With two of my most influential people – On the bridge from one of my favorite movies, It’s a Wonderful Life}

{For the first time since my license was revoked for seizure activity}

{TPN bag, enteral tubes, and all!}

{White Mountains in NH with my favorite in-laws}

{Haven’t attempted this since I was a gymnast – take that mito!}

{At the 2011 Mighty Matthew Benefit in Plattsburgh, NY}

{We love you, Princess Eithene!}

{So blessed to live in Boston, the Medical Mecca of the World!}

{With 4 adults, 2 kiddos, 2 dogs, and a partridge in a pear tree}

{Disappointing from the weather standpoint, but fun nonetheless}

{With a grand closing to a grand summer!}

And no one can say I didn’t do. Because I did. I really did.

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On a Jet Plane

Posted in California, Coming together, In Motion, mito, On the road, Raising Awareness, reality, Symposium, umdf on 16 June 2011| 2 Comments »

Wednesday morning we set off for our first big adventure in nearly a year. The destination? Chicago for the 2011 UMDF Symposium. The goal is to learn more about mitochondrial disease (you know, that pesky neurometabolic disorder that we can’t seem to shake) and the current treatments and research as well as meet up with members of the mito community from across the country. We’re pretty stoked to say the least.

But it certainly wasn’t easy to get here. First, we had to apply to a bunch of grants to pay for the trip. You see, Keith’s still a grad student and my work hours are few and variable; we just don’t have the kind of money necessary for this kind of trip – or any kind of trip for that matter. Luckily, we were able to get a good chunk of it covered.

After that, we had to coordinate all the medical mess. Because I have numerous medical interventions intended to keep me healthy and happy, nothing is ever exactly “easy.” For one, I’m on 24/7 intravenous infusions to provide nutrition, keep my autonomic nervous system content, and my blood glucose stable. The infusion bags are heavy, bulky, and many. And they have to be refrigerated or the contents will become denatured and useless. Bummer.

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I’d like to use a life line, Regis

Posted in At the Doctor's, Boston, Friends, Home sweet home, Hospital life, Immune Deficiency, Keith, Life Line, mito, music, Raising Awareness, Show of Hope, Sick and Tired, The storm, Tummy troubles, umdf on 25 May 2011| 4 Comments »

I’ve been home for nearly two weeks now. Recovery has been slow and has sapped me of most of my excess energy so many apologies. Because there’s so much to cover – and I’m having difficulties organizing my thoughts – we’re going to go about this bullet-style.

  • I’m home. I was discharged with a four-week course of IV Vancomycin (a very powerful antibiotic) at a very high dose. Because we never got those sensitivities back (i.e. what bug we’re fighting and what antibiotic is best to fight it) and my reaction to the infection scared them (though I assure you, it did not scare nor surprise me or Keith), the doctors are playing it safe. I guess that’s what they do best. I was also on Cipro (another antibiotic), but I have finished that course.

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