Looking back: Goals 2009

One of the great things about having this blog is getting to look back at previous posts. I looked up our "Grasso Goals 2009" post to see how many we acheived. We'll set new goals in the coming days so stay posted! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL New Year!

Brooke's Goals:
1. Retake the Math class she withdrew from 9 months pregnant and get at least a "B" (I really want an "A" but c'mon--Math + Brooke = do not mix! DONE: I got an A!! Also took 3 classes in the fall and earned A's in all 3--keeping my 4.0! :)
2. Become more organized DONE: still working on it!
3. Knit one item other than a scarf--Have my Oma teach me! FAIL: Although I did knit another scarf!
4. Take LOTS of pictures of Dominic--he's growing so fast that I truly want to remember EVERY moment! DONE: I think we can all agree on this one! Especially if you're on facebook
5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by working out & eating well! We both want to be at our very best for Dominic! DONE: And with my new diagnosis of MS, this is more important than ever before!
6. Keep in better touch with family & friends. It's so tough with a "newborn" (can he still be considered this?) but I want to make more of an effort! IN PROGRESS: I'll always strive to be a better friend and family member
Lou's Goals:
1. Lose 25 more pounds and maintain that weight for an entire year IN PROGRESS: maintained weight from last year and working on 20 for this year
2. Run at least a 5K (maybe a 10k) FAIL: Was on pace to run one but never signed up for a race
3. Study and sit for at least 2 parts of the CPA exam IN PROGRESS: first year as a parent takes up a lot of time!
4. Spend as much time as possible with my family and be there for every moment I can as Dominic gets older. DONE: I make time for my family as it comes first
5. Send a birthday card to my nieces & nephews on their birthday DONE: I'm very proud of accomplishing this goal because I know it meant a lot to my neices and nephews.
6. Have at least one "date night" each month with my wife. (hint hint..we'll need 12 babysitters!)FAIL: Time goes by way too fast but we did manage to get out alone together thanks to our family!

Dominic: 2009

My, what a difference a year makes!!

January

February
March

April
May
June

July

August

September

October
November

December

An answer..8 years later!

Once again, I apologize for the lack of posts. The holidays have kept us very busy and I've been going through some medical issues that have kinda kept me from posting until I knew what "it" was.

In December of 2002 I woke up and couldn't move my wrists. I went to the ER where they told me I had tendinitis and sent me home with a referral to a orthopedic physician. A week later I woke up and couldn't move my ankle. I followed up there and they referred me to a rhumatologist. I had elevated ANA's and he began treating me for Lupus. I've went years taking up to 8 pills a day, getting cortisone shots and waking up many, many days in intense pain. The joint pain (and I do mean PAIN) jumped from joint to joint-I've limped to classes and winced in pain, but over the years I learned to manage the pain and eventually went off all medication. Once I got pregnant with Dominic I had seemed to go into remission and have had very few "flare up's" since.

December 2009: I started to feel that something was just not right. I was having trouble swallowing, had swollen glands and felt a weird "fluttering" behind my eyes. I just had a feeling that I HAD to get to a doctor and get a piece of mind. I went in and met with our new family physician and went over my symptoms. He ordered lots of blood work, a thyroid ultrasound and because of my family history with immune deficiency and the concerns I had with fluttering-ordered a brain MRI. I had the blood work done and scheduled my ultrasound and MRI.

A week later I went in for the Thyroid ultrasound first. 10 minutes later I was finished. I was then whisked in for the brain MRI. I had a cold at the time so she gave me a peppermint to suck on during the scan, but wasn't allowed to move my mouth--can I tell you how BADLY a mint stuck in one spot burns!?! LOL. About halfway through the scan the tech stopped it and told me she saw "something" and she needed to inject me with a special dye. I asked what she saw and she said she couldn't tell me. (Hello!! Insert panic!). It was at this moment I began to have a feeling that I knew what she had seen. We finished the scan and she told me that they'd have the results at the end of the week.

4 days later: I received a call from the doctor's office telling me that my results were in and I tested positive for Strep throat. *explains the swollen glands* She also told me that the doctor wanted to see me immediately. I thought that was strange-it's just strep? So I made the appointment to go in that afternoon. I knew something was up just by the way the doctor was fumbling his words. He looked nervous. First he told me I had strep and wrote a prescription for an antibiotic, then that the thyroid ultrasound revealed a small cyst that was really nothing of concern but we'd keep an eye on. Then he got to my brain MRI. He explained that the radiologist had seen many lesions on my right parietal lobe of my brain and that "given my age and family history" is indicative of Multiple Sclerosis. My mother has MS so I did know a bit about the disease. He told me he'd work with me to schedule an appointment at the Mellen Center, a part of the Cleveland Clinic that specializes in Multiple Sclerosis.

Today: Lou & I made our way at 9 am through the snow to Cleveland. Walking into the Mellen center was a bit scary. I saw people with many ranges of the disease-some in wheel chairs, many walking very wobbly and others who looked completely normal. I got a little panicked but Lou and I joked around and laughed a lot about funny apps we found on our Iphones. I got called in to see/meet my new neurologist and he did a bunch of tests and talked with us. He took a few minutes to look over my MRI and then came back in. He told me the same-that I had MS-the chance of me inheriting it being 3-5%, but he thinks we caught it early and it may be very mild. He also explained that he saw paleness on the nerves in the back of my eyes. Thanks to my brother, the med student, I learned that this is often one of the first symptoms of someone with MS. He ordered more blood work and a weird eye exam that I will have done in 2 weeks. I will then meet back with him on February 2nd, 2010 to discuss treatment options. The neurologist told me I will most likely be doing the same treatment as my mom-daily injections of a drug. It has worked well for her and I am hopeful that it will stop/slow the progression. So that's that.

So now to how I am feeling-knowing all this. I have to say, I feel relieved in some way. I wasn't crazy to know something was wrong. My intuition was correct. I finally have an answer after all these years-an explanation for everything I've gone through. I most likely do not/never had Lupus at all. It's been multiple sclerosis the entire time and now I can be correctly treated. I'm relieved and hopeful that we caught this early. I'm grateful for a great Family Physician who was proactive and took my concerns seriously! I'm thankful to have a supportive husband and a mother who will be able to help and understand me like no one else on this planet can because she's going through the same thing.

Lou, Dominic & I will be walking the MS Walk again this year as the team "Daly Miracles" but this year, we'll be walking for my mom and for me. I'll have updates soon once I register our team.

I...

I am: a wife,mother, daughter, sister, friend, housekeeper, cook, teacher, student

I think: positively

I know: that I would have never imagined my life to turn out the way it has, SOO happy and grateful to have everything I've wanted and MORE!

I have: an amazing husband & son, wonderful family and two cute doggies

I wish: that I could win the lottery-I mean, c'mon-who doesn't!?

I hate: to be late for anything!!

I miss: many of my friends from college!

I fear: things out of my control-which includes tsunamis! lol Yes in Ohio!

I hear: the sounds of my husband wrapping my Christmas gifts! Yay!

I smell: the aftermath of the 3rd and 4th loaves of bread I baked today! mmmm

I crave: sweet hugs and kisses from Dominic!

I search: for missing socks, toys, etc on a daily basis

I wonder: what people ever did without the technology we have now

I regret: nothing, everything has led me to where I am today :)

I love: my life. My husband, Dominic, family, friends etc etc

I ache: On a daily basis.

I am not: always as organized as I should be-but working on it.

I try: to see every day as a gift

I believe: in God, fate and the good in people

I dance: with no rhythm! lol

I sing: to only Dominic because I have a horrible singing voice!

I cry: when Dominic does something new, or his face lights up with happiness.

I fight: to remain strong and positive no matter what obstacles are in my way!

I lose: my chap stick every.single.day

I never: go to sleep without telling my boys how much I love them!

I always: HAVE to have my morning coffee!

I confuse: the exact title of Lou's profession

I listen: to the sounds of daily life..giggles, cries, barks (from the dogs)

I can usually be found: Chasing Dominic around the house, on Facebook, or just busy being Mommy!

I need: Coffee in the morning! <--it's seriously essential!

I am happy: period.

I imagine: having a home with enough space for us all. A yard big enough for the dogs to run in, for Lou & Dominic to play "catch" in and one that I can plant flowers and just enjoy! :)

Play along, won't you?

Been MIA!

I know there has been a major lack of posts lately but we have been so busy getting things together for Christmas and chasing around a true to life toddler now. Dominic keeps me on my toes during the day and when I do try and sit down at the computer he climbs all over me and bangs whatever toy (usually a truck) against my laptop. Once I get a moment I promise to update more often!

CONGRATULATIONS to Shannon & Dan on the birth of their beautiful twin babies, Emma & Joshua! :)

Wednesdays with Lou

Patience

Last weekend I was talking with a friend who has a 1 month old about the frustrations of a crying child. After being a parent for a full year now I realized probably the most important attribute a parent needs to have is patience. You need to exude patience when he doesn't want to eat or when he finally does open his mouth he decides to spit the food out. You need patience to handle the melt downs and crying fits when you have no idea what he needs. Patience of course doesn't take a break because those 2 am wake up calls need patience too. When the only thing that calms him down in the middle of the night is holding him or rubbing his back for near hours you need patience. I've mastered the art of "count to 10," "deep breathes," and the mantra of "relax, stay calm." I'm sure my patience will continue to be put to the test but in talking with my friend I could sense his frustrations with exercising patience during the crying fits. It's not easy at all but if you want to survive as a parent it's the only way, be patient and life will seem easier. As I write this Dominic just started crying after he's been asleep for about 45 minutes. Does it stress me out? Sure, but oh well, that's life. I'll give him about 5 minutes to see if he can relax himself back to sleep then I'll go up and save the day...crisis averted, he fell back asleep on his own.

T-minus 9 Days

Christmas is quickly approaching and we haven't had our first big snow fall of the Winter season yet. Christmas just doesn't feel the same without a bunch of snow on the ground. Makes me wonder how people in warmer climates celebrate Christmas. If the weather never changes how would it feel like Christmas. It wouldn't be Christmas here without snow or the sting of the cold air. Having snow on Christmas is one reason I like living in a four season region.

I'm really looking forward to these next two weeks to take some time off work and be with my Family. I'm not looking forward to our regular shows not being new so hopefully Santa brings Brooke and I something fun to do in the evenings together since our shows won't be on.

I'll try to come up with a good Christmas blog for next week. Stay tuned...but don't get your hopes up. Here are some pics of Dominic to get your fix in.

Best Cookies ever. Thanks Brooke

Dominic playing at Aunt Anna's store

Hey! When did Dominic get my Xbox controller?

Proud of himself after playing with my Controller. He has next.

Sitting in his big boy chair

Memo to Mommy

Today I was sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office and of course, they were running behind so I decided to pick up an edition of Parent's Magazine. I flipped to a page and found a few quotes of what a baby would say to their mommy. It was entitled "Memo to Mommy". I thought it was cute so I snapped a picture with my Iphone (I wouldn't dare rip the page out!) and decided to share some of them with you!!

"Stop freaking out about the mess!" There's always time to clean--but how often do we get to make mud pies!?"

"Love me, even when I'm naughty. I'll only be this age once"

"Be patient. I do everything for a reason, but I don't know enough words yet to give you an explanation"

"Let me do it. I know that you can do it faster and better but sometimes experience is the best teacher."

"I want to do what you ask and make you happy, but I'm still little."

"Don't try reasoning with me when I'm having a tantrum. Trust me--I cant hear you over my own screaming."

"Keep your promises. It's all about trust. When I'm a teenager, you'll understand why it's so important."

"Don't let me think that you're perfect. I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes."

"Set limits. I can't actually eat a whole box of cookies--I just want to see if I can get away with it!"

It was just nice to see that with as much as we try to teach our children--there are a couple things we could learn & understand as well!! :)