Some great news!!

I just wanted to pop in and share some great BIG news!! I've been checking the mail all week because I knew that there was a slight chance that I would get a letter telling me that I was accepted into the Rad Tech Clinical program for the fall. It seemed like every day this week I got a letter from the college--mostly advertisements about registering for summer classes or other activities going on.

Just an FYI, I've kicked my own butt to maintain a 4.0 GPA with hopes of jumping ahead of the two year wait list. I was so scared that I wouldn't get in and would have to find day care and a job in the fall. So basically I'd just be working to pay for the day care. It was stressing me out a bit.

Anywho-today Dominic & I went to play at the Metroparks, I checked the mail before we went and the mailman hadn't come yet (doesn't he know that I'm waiting on the mail!?). When we returned I had a nervous feeling in my belly and decided to check the mail again-I almost puked when I saw a letter from the college and could see through the envelope-"Admission Notification". I tore it open, screamed and clapped which caused Dominic to laugh & clap!

I GOT IN!!!! I will start my 22 month straight clinical program in the fall and Dominic will be able to go the college's daycare (SUPER CHEAP!). This also means that I FINALLY have a graduation time frame--Spring (May) of 2012! :) With everything that has been falling apart health wise right now, this was just what I needed! I'm so excited!!!! I actually miss school & studying! <---I'm sure I'll regret saying that next semester while chasing Dominic around and trying to study!

So I hear it's good for you..

Lately I've been trying a few new "healthy" things after doing some research online and in books. For the past month I have been drinking a cup of green tea every afternoon at 3 pm. This is usually the time that I am most in need of a second wind as Dominic has usually worn.me.out! I honestly can say that I can tell the difference. I used to drink a Diet Coke or grab a cup of coffee if I needed a pick me up but the Green tea is delicious, light, and just feels so much cleaner. I get the boost of energy I need to get through the last couple hours before Lou gets home and also have noticed that I've gotten a lot more out of my evening workout. Besides the awesome antioxidants, there are a bajillion positive attributes to drinking Green tea. Lou is a big time "pop" drinker and gave it up for Lent so I am trying to nudge him more towards drinking a bit more green tea and a little less pop.

Another new thing that I've tried in past few days is Yoga. I signed up to get a free DVD geared towards individuals with MS and received it last week. I did that program once and have been trying different ones through "On Demand" the last few days. And I am in love! I never tried it before because it was hard for me to understand how it was much of a workout. I was wrong. First, I loooove the stretch I feel. I had been cramping during my evening runs and since I've been doing Yoga, I've felt loose and strong. Second, I love the strength conditioning it involves-holding the positions really does work muscles that you can't work any other way. I've been waking up a bit earlier each morning to try and fit in an hour before Dominic wakes up. The one downside to yoga is there really isn't a 10 minute Yoga program. I saw that Jillian Michaels from The Biggest Loser has come out with a Yoga DVD and I can't wait to try that! I would love to hear of any other suggestions from you all!!

In no way did I purposely decide to take both these up at the same time and I'm not in any hurry to rush out and buy a Yoga mat & special pants. lol I'm just trying to do everything I can to be the best Brooke I can be!! :)

MS Walk Monday

Holy Moly!! I was so pumped last week that we had raised beyond our goal of $1000 and collected $1050....this week I am just flabbergasted! Our AMAZING team have raised...wait for it....$2,735!!!!!!!!!!! We still have a little more than a month to go and per request of the NMSS, raised our team goal to $3000. We are actually in 3rd place for the highest amount raised-I don't think we are going to catch up to first place who already has $8000, but this is honestly amazing. Nine people have been working to make such a difference and I am also so very touched by the generosity of others!!

As I injected Copaxone into my right thigh (the most ouchy of all places for me)tonight, Lou said to me "This is why we are doing this, so one day you won't have to do this." Although true, we are doing this for so much more than that. The ultimate goal of course is to find a cure for this MonSter of a disease, but other than that it is to help all those that we can. I will once again post this little tidbit to think about:

$25-provides a reacher from someone w/MS
$60-provides a shower chair with a back for one individual
$150-provides a cooling vest kit for an individual
$240-provides a day of respite care for a family affected by MS
$500-provides a manual wheelchair for one individual w/MS
$750-provides a portable ramp for one individual

Our little team of 9 can provide someone with any of these with our donations! But with a month to go-we aren't done yet! You can help us make a difference!! If you'd like to donate (any amount is appreciated) please click here:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/OHAWalkEvents?team_id=173779&pg=team&fr_id=12300

Once again, thank you thank you thank you!! :)

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

I forgot to post and explain "my 3 words" from a while back! Dominic won the silly picture portion of the Morning Journal's Cutest Kid contest!!! We were so excited! This week our prizes arrived in the mail. Dominic won all of us:

*A two day, one night stay at Kalahari in a family suite with included admission into the water park! (There is also a spa, restaurants, animals, etc etc there!) Yay!

*A "spa package"<--I put this in quotes because I'm not sure a $17 haircut and blow dry count as a spa package. Luckily I have gift certificates to the same spa and they don't know what they are in for! haha!

*A Professional Photography session with Oliver Photography. We have to call the phone number to schedule and find out exactly what this entails. We are kinda thinking that the actual session fee will be waived but we are going to have to pay for a bunch of other stuff? I hope not, this was the prize I was most excited about!

I'm so proud of my little spaghetti Dominic!!

Random Iphone pictures!

Here are a few pictures that I've taken on my Iphone lately..enjoy! :)

Getting into trouble!

"Uh oh, what do I do now?!"
Standing on top of his play table-doing the polar opposite of what it should be used for!

Can you tell how enthused he was when I told him we were snowed in for the day?!

Our cutie patutie!! :)
TJ & Sadie snuggled all up!

I came in to check on Dominic and he had crawled up on the couch using his shape sorter as a step stool! Smarty pants!!

MS Walk Monday & Copaxone

I am so excited to say that with still more than a month to go, we have already exceeded our team goal and raised $1050!! Lou had some amazingly generous donations last week that put us over the top! We are currently in 4th place for money raised!! Thank you to everyone who has donated! If you'd like to donate or join our team you can go here:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/OHAWalkEvents?team_id=173779&pg=team&fr_id=12300

Last Wednesday I began my daily Copaxone injections. A nurse came to our house and showed me how to inject manually and with the Autoject I was given. She also watched me inject for the first time-and it really didn't hurt at all! The injection itself isn't bad at all but there is some burning after for a few minutes. Feels like a bee sting is the best way I can describe it. So far I've injected in the backs of both arms, both hips, stomach and right thigh. I have to rotate sites daily and also try to not inject myself twice in the same spots. To help keep track I have a journal to mark where I inject daily.

Here is my little set up. Syringes, AutoInjector and my very own Sharps container for needles. The Copaxone actually stays in the refrigerator but I take them out in 5 day increments to get to room temperature.

Also, March 8-14th is MS Awareness Week! One step closer to a cure!

Stir Crazy Solutions

It's winter in Ohio and that means snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures. That also means that we have been stuck indoors for most of this winter. I'm afraid to drive on ice or snow and I just can't justify taking the risk with Dominic in the car. But when the roads are driveable (did I just make up a word?) I've found a few places to take Dominic and cure our cabin fever!

*The Mall! We are official Mall walkers! haha It's perfect to go into the mall before the store opens and let Dominic just roam around. Sad, but great for us-our nearby mall is like a ghost town and even when the mall is open, there are very little people. Our mall also has a kids play area where he can play. Although, Dominic prefers to just walk/run throughout the mall clapping his hands! He's a big fan of the mall walkers!

*Lorain County Metroparks-we are SO lucky to have awesome metroparks scattered throughout the county. Most of them have an indoor kids play area that Dominic loves!

*Playground World-this is actually a "Step 2" store that opens it's doors **FOR FREE** every so often so that the kids can play on EVERYTHING! Trampolines, playground equipment, slides, play houses-so so much!

*Libraries-this one is touch and go with Dominic. They do have baby/child story time but if you have advice on how to pry a bell out of a 15 month old's hands after 2 minutes-let me know! lol

What do you do to get out and about? It's tough with a toddler-but spring is right around the corner!