I am so very thankful for the Wesley Chapel Tri Team. I have accomplished so many goals and gained so many new friends from this group. But even more importantly, they kick my butt if I don't show up. I love that about them.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The ATM Ate my Card
I rushed through a Bank of America ATM yesterday as I realized Morgan didn't have $20 for the carnival she was going to. Instead of crossing the street and going to my bank, I took the "easy" way and used the Bank of America that was right there. About 2 hours later, I look for my Debit card and it is gone. I retrace my steps through Publix and think it must be somewhere. Then, with that feeling in the pit of my stomach I realize that I left it in the Bank of America machine.
So, Wachovia figured this out years ago and gave you your card back BEFORE it gave you money and a receipt. I guess Bank of America hasn't figured this out. I am so used to getting the receipt and moving on, that I didn't even think about this different machine. Shame on me.
Thankfully, some nice person called it in as lost immediately so it was all ok. Whew. Score one for the good guys.
So, Wachovia figured this out years ago and gave you your card back BEFORE it gave you money and a receipt. I guess Bank of America hasn't figured this out. I am so used to getting the receipt and moving on, that I didn't even think about this different machine. Shame on me.
Thankfully, some nice person called it in as lost immediately so it was all ok. Whew. Score one for the good guys.
Day 5 of Thankfulness
As I continue the month of thankfulness...
I am thankful to have always had a job that paid the bills - sometimes barely! But I have always made it. I have gotten to do some amazing things in my career, and I feel lucky and blessed to have gotten to know so many amazing people and to do some many things to help people.
I am thankful to have always had a job that paid the bills - sometimes barely! But I have always made it. I have gotten to do some amazing things in my career, and I feel lucky and blessed to have gotten to know so many amazing people and to do some many things to help people.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Day 4 of Thankfulness!
Day four of thankfulness
4. I am thankful to have some very special friends. You know, the kind who are there for you when you are your best and who celebrate that but also the kind that are there when you are your worst and who pick you up and kick you in the butt to get you back on track. I don't know how I would have survived the last year of my life without my great friends (and family of course!).
4. I am thankful to have some very special friends. You know, the kind who are there for you when you are your best and who celebrate that but also the kind that are there when you are your worst and who pick you up and kick you in the butt to get you back on track. I don't know how I would have survived the last year of my life without my great friends (and family of course!).
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thanksgiving Thankfulness
I have seen people posting every day about things they are thankful for. I am a bit behind, but it sounds like a good thing to do.
So...I guess I have three to catch up on...
1. I am so very thankful for my incredible family. I have such a fantastic family in my parents and brothers who have been fantastic to me as I have grown up. I have a fantastic family now with my wonderful husband Mike and all four amazing kids. I have a great new family of "in-laws" who gave Morgan cousins - lots of them! I am so very thankful for ALL of them.
2. I am so thankful for having the chance to be a mom and a step-mom. I didn't think I would be able to have a child myself, and Morgan has been my miracle child all the way through and then some. We have been through good and bad times, but I am so thankful to have her! On the other hand, being a step-mom has also been an amazing experience with three amazing kids. It is amazing the different relationships you have with different kids, and it is so very fun and amazing to watch them grow.
3. I am very thankful for my husband Mike! He has been such an amazing friend to me and has been so supportive of me and of Morgan. He is a great dad to all the kids, and I know he loves them all very much. I am sure these crazy career changes have been hard on him, especially when the travel tables reversed and I was traveling more than him! I am so lucky that we met at good ol Medic back in the day. :)
Ok, those were probably the easy ones! :) Whew...only 27 more to go!
So...I guess I have three to catch up on...
1. I am so very thankful for my incredible family. I have such a fantastic family in my parents and brothers who have been fantastic to me as I have grown up. I have a fantastic family now with my wonderful husband Mike and all four amazing kids. I have a great new family of "in-laws" who gave Morgan cousins - lots of them! I am so very thankful for ALL of them.
2. I am so thankful for having the chance to be a mom and a step-mom. I didn't think I would be able to have a child myself, and Morgan has been my miracle child all the way through and then some. We have been through good and bad times, but I am so thankful to have her! On the other hand, being a step-mom has also been an amazing experience with three amazing kids. It is amazing the different relationships you have with different kids, and it is so very fun and amazing to watch them grow.
3. I am very thankful for my husband Mike! He has been such an amazing friend to me and has been so supportive of me and of Morgan. He is a great dad to all the kids, and I know he loves them all very much. I am sure these crazy career changes have been hard on him, especially when the travel tables reversed and I was traveling more than him! I am so lucky that we met at good ol Medic back in the day. :)
Ok, those were probably the easy ones! :) Whew...only 27 more to go!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
New Beginnings
I had forgotten how refreshing change can be. I tend to agonize over big decisions carefully weighing all the options and making excessive lists of positives and negatives of each option. In the end though, I think I always end up going with my gut. Sometimes, that works. Sometimes, not so much. I hope this one is right because it certainly feels right!!!! The buzz I have felt today (no I haven't been drinking this time) has been electric. Something is amazing about creating new things from scratch. I truly love it!
What a whirlwind of a few years with three aquisitions within a 3 year period...a bit too many. I have thought of writing a book on what I learned through all these acquisitions. I certainly learned some things that work well and some things that SHOULD NOT BE DONE - EVER! :) It is funny what acquisitions do to people. The first two were SO close to me that it was difficult to see everything happening at the time. The second one I felt much more prepared for, but still looking back it wasn't so clear. However, the third one was a little farther removed, and it was so very interesting to watch how people handle it. Sometimes, I saw others make the same mistakes I had made in the past, and I thought, "wow I won't ever do that again." Other times, I got to share experiences with others and help them figure out ways to deal with situations in a positive way and that felt really good.
It had been such a hard fall last year when the product that was my baby was not going forward. It had such amazing potential, and I felt much like I do with my kids when they don't get a shot at something or something doesn't go their way. But, it could do such great things! But, don't you see this amazing thing? Seriously, you don't get this? I understood the business decision and why, but it still hurt. Then, I had new teams and we really came together. I really felt great progress being made, and I enjoyed them all. We had fun, and we worked hard. So, this made it hard to make a decision. I find over and over in my life and career that the people are really what make all the difference. Part of my challenge with the software issue wasn't the software, but it was having to tell the team that it wasn't going forward. Worrying about the team and not wanting to lose the great team we had. I also didn't want to let me newer teams down.
In the end though, we have to do what we think is best for us. I really enjoyed my time at all of these companies - weird that with them all combined I had actually worked for the same company since 1997 even though I left in 2005 and ended up back through the acquisitions. A ton of great people there, and I have so many friends there. But, when an opportunity of a lifetime comes around and has the opportunity to make a huge difference on the lives of your child and other people like her, you just have to go for it. Otherwise, you might always wonder....what if. So, new beginnings, new challenges...here I come!!!
And, I actually have ZERO business travel booked at this time which is really, really nice. Ahhh...bed....I missed you. :)
What a whirlwind of a few years with three aquisitions within a 3 year period...a bit too many. I have thought of writing a book on what I learned through all these acquisitions. I certainly learned some things that work well and some things that SHOULD NOT BE DONE - EVER! :) It is funny what acquisitions do to people. The first two were SO close to me that it was difficult to see everything happening at the time. The second one I felt much more prepared for, but still looking back it wasn't so clear. However, the third one was a little farther removed, and it was so very interesting to watch how people handle it. Sometimes, I saw others make the same mistakes I had made in the past, and I thought, "wow I won't ever do that again." Other times, I got to share experiences with others and help them figure out ways to deal with situations in a positive way and that felt really good.
It had been such a hard fall last year when the product that was my baby was not going forward. It had such amazing potential, and I felt much like I do with my kids when they don't get a shot at something or something doesn't go their way. But, it could do such great things! But, don't you see this amazing thing? Seriously, you don't get this? I understood the business decision and why, but it still hurt. Then, I had new teams and we really came together. I really felt great progress being made, and I enjoyed them all. We had fun, and we worked hard. So, this made it hard to make a decision. I find over and over in my life and career that the people are really what make all the difference. Part of my challenge with the software issue wasn't the software, but it was having to tell the team that it wasn't going forward. Worrying about the team and not wanting to lose the great team we had. I also didn't want to let me newer teams down.
In the end though, we have to do what we think is best for us. I really enjoyed my time at all of these companies - weird that with them all combined I had actually worked for the same company since 1997 even though I left in 2005 and ended up back through the acquisitions. A ton of great people there, and I have so many friends there. But, when an opportunity of a lifetime comes around and has the opportunity to make a huge difference on the lives of your child and other people like her, you just have to go for it. Otherwise, you might always wonder....what if. So, new beginnings, new challenges...here I come!!!
And, I actually have ZERO business travel booked at this time which is really, really nice. Ahhh...bed....I missed you. :)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
One Year Later - Pepsi Refresh Grant
Hard to believe it has been a year. I was in Orlando for a conference and ran around the Gaylord Palms hotel begging people to text in a vote. I found a dialysis company who was having a large meeting there, and they had me on stage telling everyone to text. Then, they were texting their coworkers and friends to tell them to text. Probably getting the drunk people in the bars to text as the funniest! Many just handed me their phone and let me do it. It was a long month of begging, pleading, and hoping, and WE DID IT! CURE JM WON!!!!!
Since then, we have gotten a lot more experience with JM and Cure JM. I hate JM - it is an awful disease that is life changing. It changes your family, friends, your schedule, the activities you do, your financial situation, your hopes, your dreams, your goals, and your emotional well being. I am so sorry that these kids have to go through this dreadful disease. Some days, I just ask, "Why Morgan?" It is so hard to watch someone you love suffer so much.
The one good thing that has come of it is Cure JM. I hate that everyone is struggling with it, but Cure JM is an INCREDIBLE organization run by INCREDIBLE people. They have inspired me and helped me more than I can count. I proudly wear my bracelet every day and wear my shirts as often as possible I tell anyone who will listen about JM and about Cure JM. I am so very proud to be associated with it.
If you have a friend or family member dealing with something like JM, I have some tips/thoughts to share from our experience and from talking to other moms of kids with JM..
1. No question is stupid. Ask your friend/family member how it is going. Most likely, it is always on their mind or close to it.
2. Invite the sick kid and/or the family to activities. Many times, you feel all alone or different than others. You and your family are now different and left out of things. Invite them to activities. Even if you think they can't do it physically or won't be able to go, ask anyway. They will appreciate the invite regardless.
3. Listen. Many times they just need someone to vent to. It is frustrating, scary, and aggravating.
4. If you have the ability, ask how you can help. There are so many things to remember and to do from doctors appts, to refill pickups, to tests, to tracking information. Many families really struggle to meet all of these needs.
5. Don't assume everything is good if the person is looking OK. Many times the pain and issues are not as noticeable. I think it is actually easier when people can SEE something wrong as they get it. This is a big one that I hear often from other moms.
My perspective on life has changed incredibly. I am really trying to focus on what matters and to let everything else go. I am not great at it yet, but I am getting better. On a sillier note, I am not a completely switched Diet Pepsi drinker as I still love my Diet Coke, but I do drink Diet Pepsi more than half the time now. I also make sure to tell people about what a great thing Pepsi does with the refresh grant project. GO PEPSI!!!!!!! Way to make the world a better place.
As for Morgan, she is more stable than this time last year, but she has had incredible pain with her joints. She still gets her two infusions and month and still takes 16 pills a day. Here's to hoping for a better year this year. I still can't believe she is 13!!!
For those of you who are interested, here are some of the advances made in JM research - thanks to everyone who has supported Morgan, our family, and Cure JM over the last year.
To read some of the latest advances made in JM research - thanks to you! - click on links following:
Dr. Rider - "Genetic & Environmental Studies" - http://www.curejm.com/research/genes_environ_research.pdf
Drs. Katz, Rider, etal. - "Parents' perception of self-advocacy of children with myositis: an anonymous online survey" - http://www.ped-rheum.com/content/9/1/10
Drs. Niewold, Pachman et al - "Familial Aggregation of Autoimmune Disease in Juvenile Dermatomyositis" - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/5/e1239.abstract
To read about what is currently being researched at Dr. Pachman's lab in Chicago - http://www.childrensmrc.org/pachman/ - You get a GOLD STAR if you understand it all!! ;-)
Here is my post from last year so that you can relive the excitement! :)
I am thrilled to report that Cure JM finished the voting in the Pepsi Refresh challenge!!!
This is the first time I have relied on social networking for something important, and today I am amazed by two things.
1. Pepsi- I am amazed that they do this. It takes not only the investment but the resources to create and maintain the voting site. I have always been a Diet Coke lover, but I am officially a Diet Pepsi drinker now. :)
2. The power of networking, especially social networking. It is incredible that tweets, texts, emails, facebook, and phone calls got enough votes to win. Remembering that only about 5,000 kids have this in the US, there was not a huge group of parents to push this. It is amazing that the passion of these parents did it. We are all definitely stronger as part of a community that has a network. Simply amazing...I am a BELIEVER!
Thanks to all my friends and family who helped vote and who listened to me ramble on and on about this. $250,000 is a Huge step in the right direction. Thanks also to Pepsi!!!
One day, we will find a CURE for Juvenile Dermatomyositis!!!!!
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