tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32332826769599605522024-03-13T03:04:00.983-07:00Sarah, Plain and Simple.Snippets of everyday life from a Canadian teen who is simply named Sarah.Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-44931239375004648302013-06-16T16:04:00.001-07:002013-06-16T16:05:11.700-07:00Happy Father's Day, Dad!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dear Dad:<br />
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Happy Father's Day! I may not always "show" that I love you as much as Emma always has with tons of cuddles and kisses, but hopefully you still know how much I love you since I <b><i>did</i></b> get that part of my personality from you. ;)<br />
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Thank-you for always taking me to the park to play catch with me and then raving to mum when we got home about how well I did.<br />
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Thank-you for always showing up (and usually actively watching) my games.<br />
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Thank-you for how hard and long you work to provide for our family.<br />
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Thank-you for all the work you did to organize the fundraiser at Roo's.<br />
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Thank-you for wrestling with Emma and I all the time.<br />
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Thank-you for all the random and fun video projects you created with me.<br />
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Thank-you for encouraging my creativity and "inventer" dreams by building huge creations with me using lego and mechano.<br />
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Thank-you for keeping up your end of our deal even though my room is currently messy again...<br />
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speaking of which, I've got to go clean it now.<br />
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Love,<br />
<br />
Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-7305814660851035622013-06-15T21:02:00.000-07:002013-06-15T21:02:43.723-07:00Happy 5 Year Bloggerversary To Me!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, everyone!<br />
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I can't believe it's been this long, but it really has.<br />
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On this day, June 15th, five years ago... I started this blog.<br />
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FIVE. YEARS.<br />
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Even though there were years when I hardly blogged whatsoever (like 2012 when I only posted three times...), I have an emotional attachment to this blog. It sounds silly, but it's always been here. I can choose to write as much or as little as I want, whenever I want, about whatever I want. I like that. I need that.<br />
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I'm too tired to really do much though, so... here's one post from each year I've had this blog. I'd like to say the best from each year, but a few of the years sucked so much that I don't think there is a good one. It's kind of cool to see my writing improve, though (even if slightly).<br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2008/06/meet-sarah.html" target="_blank">2008</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2009/03/hate.html" target="_blank">2009</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2010/06/done-well-kind-of-ish.html" target="_blank">2010</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2011/10/go-to-bed-earlier-sarah-you-do-dumb.html" target="_blank">2011</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2012/03/who-needs-sun.html" target="_blank">2012</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2013/05/one-month-one-month-until-i-gain-bad.html" target="_blank">2013</a><br />
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Anyways, I worked today (mascot handling job) for 5 hours in the sun not including travel time by bus/skytrain, and yesterday was a busy day and late night (AMAZING pub night fundraiser), so I'm just going to go try to relax now!<br />
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6 DAYS TIL WE FLY, 10 DAYS TIL SURGERY!!!!<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-10299716698832840772013-06-12T22:50:00.001-07:002013-06-15T21:03:43.224-07:00Wordless Wednesday: Mary Ann's bday party (and band reunion)!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-76755040694802592832013-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:002013-06-10T15:33:34.705-07:00Musing Monday: Happy Birthday, Mary Ann!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is a special day. On this day, 50 years ago, a pretty awesome woman was born.</div>
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Happy birthday, Mary Ann!!</div>
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Thank-you so much for welcoming me into your family; trusting me to love and care for and be loved and cared for by Peter, even though certain aspects of me are less than ideal.</div>
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Thank-you for the way you raised Peter; teaching him by example what a good relationship looks like, building his self-confidence, encouraging him to make good choices but still giving him lots of freedom...</div>
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Thank-you for teaching me to find my voice (okay, okay, I'm still working on it).</div>
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Thank-you for encouraging me to pursue my photography.</div>
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Thank-you for having me over every Sunday to watch Game of Thrones.</div>
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Thank-you for being patient with me through all my anxieties, awkwardness, and self-doubting.</div>
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Thank-you for not judging me.</div>
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Thank-you for all the bad-ass things you've done for me, directly or indirectly - getting me side stage for City and Colour and Mother Mother, helping my story get noticed for it to end up on CTV, fundraising for my surgery through your own freaking birthday party, basically co-managing my campaign, helping me find jobs here and there...</div>
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Thank-you for being strong enough for both of us when Peter was in the hospital. Enough said.</div>
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I hope to know you for a long time - I've still got a lot to learn from you.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Sarah</div>
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-46619395941557333332013-06-06T16:46:00.000-07:002013-06-06T16:48:24.198-07:00Throw-Back Thursday: Cool Kids Rollerblade... Even Inside the House (and how I got my black eye)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sooo... this picture is extremely embarrassing.<br />
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But way too awesome to not share.<br />
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I believe it was my 6th birthday, and all I wanted was rollerblades. Imagine my excitement when that's exactly what I received!! And of course, complete with the knee pads, wrist guards, helmet, water bottle, backpack... yeah, I'd say that I was pretty well protected.<br />
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I might have been a bit too excited, though. I hardly ever took those things off. And when my parents finally told me that I couldn't rollerblade indoors, I still wore some of the pads around the house. I was a dork.<br />
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Interestingly enough, I remember that the pads I most often wore were the wrist guards - I remember liking the secure feeling they gave me.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I obviously was already showing signs of EDS even at that age! (Which we now know that yes, I was born with it, since it's a genetic condition.)<br />
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My Grandma Edna would let me rollerblade in her kitchen (she's my mum's mum who has always lived in our basement suite), so many of the hours that I already spent with her were filled with gliding (more like shuffling with those plastic wheels) back and forth, back and forth, doing my best not to knock things over.<br />
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It was AWESOME.<br />
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Also, yes, that's a black eye I'm sporting in the picture. Surprisingly, not from rollerblading, though - it was almost healed there. I might as well tell the story now, since it <i>is</i> Throw-Back Thursday...<br />
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When I was in grade 1 (age 5 or 6), I was wandering around the school yard, looking for my buddy (we were all paired up with a grade 5 - and mine was named Sarah, too!). I couldn't find her anywhere, but I did hear some noise coming from the out-of-bounds forrest area near the edge of the property. I was normally a goodie-two-shoes, but I was much too curious to not investigate...<br />
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When I went through the trees/shrubs into a little clearing, I saw Sarah. She was with a bunch of the other grade 5s, and they seemed to be playing a game - they were throwing things back and forth. I yelled her name in excitement and started running towards her. I remember her seeing me and looking scared and yelling at me to stop, but I was too excited/hyper to listen. Just as I reached her and gave her a big hug, I heard a boy yell something along the lines of "WATCH OUT," so I automatically turned to look.<br />
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BAM. A rock hit me right on the bone on the outside of my right eye. They had been having a freaking rock fight.<br />
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It gets a bit fuzzy after this, but I remember screaming and grabbing my eye as I fell backwards. All the grade 5s started freaking out, some of them crying, and one of them (Sarah, I think?) picked me up bride-style and ran out of the woods screaming for a supervisor. Everyone was hysterical as she passed me over to the supervisor who carried me into the school to the office.<br />
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Once inside, all the staff were really nice to me, and obviously really concerned. They gave me a big bag of ice to hold on my eye, and periodically asked me to take it off for them to have a look. I could tell by their expressions that it wasn't looking good. It was totally numb from the ice, but it started feeling really weird... really... big. Puffy. Yep, it was swelling. A LOT.<br />
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Eventually, it swelled shut, and turned beautiful shades of black and blue. I assured them that I would be okay though, and they sent me to wait in the classroom until lunch was over and the other kids came back in. I remember sitting in the dark classroom, and my classmates starting and waving at me through the window as they started lining up. They wanted to know why I was inside already, so I pointed to my eye. They were far away though, and couldn't properly see it. When my teacher finally came into the classroom, I startled her. I explained what happened, and if I remember correctly, she sent me back to the office once she saw it (it must have gotten worse since they sent me to the classroom).<br />
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The rest of my class went to the library and got to watch a movie, so I was really bummed out. I remember watching part of it, but then someone came into the library and asked me to come to the office again. The boy was there, and he looked really upset and sorry. They made him apologize to me, and then let him leave. I don't really remember anything else from here, but I'm assuming that they called my mum and sent me home.<br />
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I also remember being told by a doctor that if the rock had hit me directly in my eye (through the eyelid or not) - only maybe a couple centimetres to the left - I would have had serious damage to my eyeball to the point of possibly losing it (judging by the amount of damage it did to my face). YIKES!<br />
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So, there you have it! The story of how I got my black eye, as best as I can remember it.<br />
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Stay tuned for the story of how I got stitches in my back... also in grade 1...<br />
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-Sarah<br />
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P.S. - I'm heading to the island until tomorrow night to watch my cousin Nick on set - he snagged the main roll in an upcoming kid's TV series!! I don't think I can say too much more, but GOOO NICK!! Super proud of this kid. And SUPER excited to get to watch for a day!!</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-69989224295824859782013-06-05T09:00:00.000-07:002013-06-06T16:48:52.818-07:00Wordy Wednesday: Extreme Anxiety and Social Awkwardness, Both Online AND Off (Pt. 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Might I just start off by saying that my anxiety is sky-high just from writing this post?<br />
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Okay... trying to figure out how to even properly start this. I've wanted to write something like this for a while, but especially lately, it's becoming more and more relevant.<br />
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As much as I'm <b>totally completely utterly extremely</b> grateful for all the support I've been getting (both emotionally/mentally and financially), I've gotten to the breaking point where I'm so overwhelmed with it all that all I can do is curl up in a ball and either stare at the wall, stare at the TV but not know what show I'm watching, or attempt to sleep (sometimes I sleep WAY too much, and sometimes I can't sleep at all). I think this is from a mix of my normal physical (and emotional/mental) exhaustion of living with EDS+ and the additional pressures of replying to many many messages/comments/emails either wishing me well or asking me for advice and help.<br />
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And I feel like an utterly horrible person for often doing anything possible to not have to respond (at least for a good while).<br />
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These people have either taken time to send me beautiful messages of encouragement and/or message me because they think highly enough of me to seek advice and help with their own fight with EDS+. The very LEAST I can do is reach out and thank and/or help them.<br />
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And honestly, I usually do. And I LOVE doing it. But there's many times when it takes me FOREVER to do, if I do so at all.<br />
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What kind of terrible person AM I?!?!?!?<br />
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Anyways...<br />
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Many people who "know" me/know of me would likely describe me as an extrovert. But that is not me at all. I've thought about this very question for numerous years; what am I? Sure, I have my seemingly extroverted moments; occasionally chatting with strangers on the bus (when they start it generally), singing in front of large audiences, creating videos for YouTube, writing this very blog...<br />
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But I've come to the conclusion that I'm not an extrovert. I'm an <b>extroverted introvert</b>. By my own definition, an extroverted introvert is someone who is an introvert at their core, but for whatever reason, they have learned to "fake it" under certain circumstances.<br />
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For me, I think I have more than one reason to "fake it." As far as performing (singing, acting, piano...) in front of (many) people, I think my reason is simply that I LOVE singing (and acting, and piano...) and it makes me feel good to share it with people (unless they tell me I suck and totally rip my performance apart... then not so much). But as much as I'm often told that I don't look it, I always get EXTREMELY nervous. Like, to the point of throwing up before I go on stage. And then shaking so badly after that it looks like I'm going into shock. But, I still love it!<br />
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And as far as my online persona... I suppose it's because I sometimes really do want to be an extrovert, but lack the ability to do so with ease. So, when I create this online outgoing version of myself, I have full control over what I put up and when. For example, with the videos I've made in the past (such as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N7xUC2dClo" target="_blank">my video about EDS</a>), I'm able to take as much time as I need to record and record, edit the bad parts out, and put it together SLOWLY with LOTS of thought and self-criticism. This is SO different from, say, talking spontaneously in front of a lot of people. Because I can't edit what I say in real life, so it creates extreme anxiety for me. I either talk wayyyy too much or I hardly talk at all. That doesn't seem to make any sense, but it does when you know the reasons behind it.<br />
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Yeah... those reasons. I basically alternate between the two extremes, which probably really confuses people. Sorry, people. It confuses me, too.</div>
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But even online I can be extremely awkward. </div>
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For example, any online social interaction that doesn't give me an opportunity to take as much time as I need to think out what I'm going to type. </div>
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And that's pretty much what happens when I get a message on Facebook now, because with this <i>lovely</i> new feature, people can see when I've read their messages. So then I feel rushed, and like I need to reply as soon as I've read it. But I often can't reply as soon as I've read it (and/or I want to take time to think about my reply), so now I'm at the point where I take forever it even OPEN and read someone's message. Which means I often forget about the message and I never actually see it.</div>
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It's terrible. I know. But I'm just being honest.</div>
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Even Facebook friends etiquette (that I probably just made up in my head) kills me. For a long time (I think I've had Facebook since 2008?), I tried to limit my Facebook friends to only good friends. Then I got more lenient, especially when I would get home from summer camp and want to swap pictures and stay in touch with people. Now, I have over 900 Facebook "friends." </div>
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I know that's a lot, but I don't know how to delete people. I mean, I know how to physically do it, but every time I go to do it, I have second thoughts.<br />
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What if I see them again in real life? What if I end up reconnecting? What if they need someone to talk to? What if I really hurt their feelings? Blah blah blah blah...</div>
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So I usually chicken out.</div>
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And whenever I receive a friend request, I go crazy with anxiety. And lately, with all my EDS advocacy and such, I get a LOT of friend requests. If I know (and like) the person, great! "Confirm" with no second thoughts. </div>
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<br /></div>
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But if I don't know the person in real life...</div>
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WHAT DO I DO?!? Do I know them from an EDS (or other) Facebook support group? If yes, have I actually talked to them a lot? Should I accept it? Or should I message them and at least try to get to know them a bit first? Is it wrong to accept friend requests from some people I know only from online groups but not others? Is is sexist to feel more comfortable accepting an "iffy" friend request (someone I don't know from real life) if they're a female?</div>
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So I often just leave it hanging. I don't click "confirm" or "delete request." Because, what if I realize later that I DO know them? Then it would be awkward to add them after I deleted their friend request. Or what if I get to know them? Same dilemma. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z86ndt1s-Nc/Ua6364c1BdI/AAAAAAAAFzU/ncENDTNFzIY/s1600/FR1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z86ndt1s-Nc/Ua6364c1BdI/AAAAAAAAFzU/ncENDTNFzIY/s640/FR1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
And that's why my requests page looks like this. YES, that is 91 friend requests, and no, that isn't all of them (I do occasionally delete/accept requests).<br />
<br />
Anyways...<br />
<br />
I guess the point of this post is if you send me a message (through Facebook or even email or text) and I don't reply for a long time (or ever... gulp), I'm SO sorry. Please be patient and try to picture just how much I'm probably freaking out at that moment. If it's really important especially, please send me another message just to remind me that you'd like a reply. But please be gentle and kind, because that second message reminding me to respond is probably creating even more anxiety (even if it IS necessary sometimes).<br />
<br />
I WILL do my very best to reply though. I know it's important, and I really DO want to.<br />
<br />
I just suck at it. BIG TIME.<br />
<br />
Tip: if possible, please make your message as short as possible. For whatever reason, the shorter the message, the more likely I am to respond. Then, when I respond, you can respond with more information. Etc, etc. I think breaking it down like that just makes it more manageable for me.<br />
<br />
Consider this post part 2 of my "why I suck at social situations" mini-series. <a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/2013/06/musing-monday-what-do-you-think-about.html" target="_blank">Post 1 is here</a>.<br />
<br />
If you actually read this whole thing... WOW. Thank-you.<br />
<br />
I feel a lot better after getting some of this out, even if no one reads it. But I may just direct people here when I'm having a particularly hard time responding to a message...<br />
<br />
Hopefully this post is decently coherent. I'm literally bouncing in my chair with adrenaline and too exhausted to read it for the 3285629586th time (though 3285629586 times really SHOULD be enough read-throughs... but not for me).<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-43880865317931173552013-06-04T16:54:00.001-07:002013-06-04T17:24:26.528-07:00Tremendous Tuesday: Zach Sobiech<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don't even know what to say, other than PLEASE watch this. I've always tried to live as if I was dying (which is helpful since although I'm not terminally ill, my quality of life kind of is in a way), but this kid does that to the MAX.<br />
<br />
I've never personally lost anyone this young to cancer, but I did lose my Auntie Sandy to cancer (not a biological aunt, but she was best friends with my mum from highschool until her young death a few years back). And of course, too many "friends of friends," and such.<br />
<br />
Whether you've lost anybody at all or not, this is SO inspiring.<br />
<br />
Tremendously inspiring.<br />
<br />
I dare you to not cry (on the outside OR inside).<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-81185026225993964002013-06-03T23:59:00.000-07:002013-06-04T21:02:37.596-07:00Musing Monday: What Do You Think About ____? Actually wait, please don't tell me. (Pt. 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hearing the opinions of other people is a good thing, right?<br />
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<br /></div>
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I always say that I handle other people's opinions well. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I've duped myself. Not sure if I fooled anyone else, though.</div>
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<br />
I can't take criticism. I just can't.<br />
<br />
I mean, if you consider nodding and smiling and promising to change and do better and conform to what the other person is saying, then sure, I take criticism amazingly!<br />
<br />
But really, if I even get a hint of somebody not agreeing with me, I go into panic mode and automatically assume that it means they hate me as a person and that I did something wrong and then I start a whole self-loathing episode and my brain reminds me of every single stupid thing I've ever done in my entire life.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-20kbXIAu5mM/Uah3cNMVBhI/AAAAAAAAFy0/T7tOk48XNZg/s1600/iloveopinions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-20kbXIAu5mM/Uah3cNMVBhI/AAAAAAAAFy0/T7tOk48XNZg/s640/iloveopinions.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's bad. It's really bad. I know. But hard as I try, I've just always been like this. I have my suspicions as to why, but nothing confirmed.<br />
<br />
So I just keep living like this. And it's always been this way. But why?<br />
<br />
No amount of reassurance will help me. I appreciate it, but it doesn't work.<br />
<br />
This isn't the best feature to have as a blogger/performer/artist...<br />
<br />
I've been working on this post for a while, but it keeps tangenting into my other social quirks and anxiety-riddled life, and I intended this post to just be about not taking criticism well, sooo... I guess I'll just end it here.<br />
<br />
Expect another more general post about my extreme awkwardness in the near future (I'll elaborate on this topic more, too).<br />
<br />
I'm going to call this Part 1. Maybe make a mini-series of posts to try to explain my anxiety and accompanying issues. Hmmm.<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-91799952409543527412013-06-02T23:59:00.000-07:002013-06-04T15:39:01.416-07:00Sing-Song Sunday: My High-School Rendition of "I'm Not Afraid of Anything"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First off: yes, I'm kinda cheating (posting this on Tuesday but setting it to appear to have been posted on Sunday). But in my defence, I already had it partially composed and was too tired to finish it and post it, sooo... my blog, my rules. ;)</div>
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Now, back to the post.</div>
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Okay, I'm about to go to Granville Island for the day with my Grandma Edna and little cousin Scotty, so I won't have time to do too much for today's post. But, a song that I preformed in high school keeps popping into my head, especially lately... it's called, I'm Not Afraid of Anything. But, in the song, you learn that the girl singing it really isn't as "scare-proof" as she would like to think.</div>
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I think it's rather self-explanatory as to why this is basically my anthem.</div>
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Give it a listen if you'd like! It's old, pitchy, shaky, amateur... and full of raw emotion. </div>
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-Sarah</div>
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-56169512706705995652013-05-31T23:56:00.001-07:002013-06-01T00:01:52.961-07:00CTV NEWS!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Qhgib51T6Y/UamIJCLGSwI/AAAAAAAAFzE/fjfhv6jboEo/s1600/frontpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Qhgib51T6Y/UamIJCLGSwI/AAAAAAAAFzE/fjfhv6jboEo/s640/frontpage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm also currently on the front page of the website for CTV news. No. Big. Deal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hello bloggy-world!!<br />
<br />
I WAS JUST ON THE NEWS!!!! It was for CTV news' feature story on the 6 o'clock news!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bc.ctvnews.ca/teen-with-rare-disorder-campaigns-to-lose-the-neck-brace-1.1305892">Here's the link (I'm going to try to get a hard copy to post so that I'll still have it when they eventually take this link down, so I'll post when I get it)!</a><br />
<br />
My only complaint is that I look stoned in the still that they chose to use for the main photo... heh.<br />
<br />
But seriously, just kidding about having any complaints, cause they did SUCH an amazing job of accurately portraying EDS and my fight with it (including my fundraising and upcoming surgery) in the limited time they had! And not only did they say really nice things about me on TV, they (Brent and Tamara) are SO nice in person!! I was really nervous about doing the interview, but they made me feel so comfortable. It was over-all SUCH a great experience. =)<br />
<br />
And JUST since it aired tonight, <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sarah-s-race-to-lose-the-neck-brace-fighting-ehlers-danlos-syndrome/x/2952137?c=home">we've already received more than $1500 in additional donations through Indiegogo</a>!! I honestly don't even know what to say other than THANK-YOU to all those people from the bottom of my heart.<br />
<br />
Anyways, that's all for now! I'm super tired but I just had to blog about this.<br />
<br />
-Sarah<br />
<br />
P.S. - A friend from Ontario said that she was watching Ellen on a BC channel and during a commercial break, a commercial for CTV's story on me came on!! =O ...So this means that some people watching Ellen saw an ad for my story?! That practically fulfills <a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/p/bucket-list.html">#3 on my bucket list</a>!! ...Except not. But it was still pretty awesome!</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-37477573534454180582013-05-30T22:18:00.000-07:002013-05-30T22:19:36.489-07:00I'm On a Commercial!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey everyone,<br />
<br />
Just a quick update - I was on a commercial for the news tonight!! =D<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
I'M GOING TO BE THE FEATURE STORY ON CTV NEWS TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6PM!!<br />
<br />
I'm a little excited.<br />
<br />
It's all about my fight with EDS+ and my upcoming spine surgery!<br />
<br />
I taped the commercial with my phone so it's bad quality, but here it is! =) (You might have to turn up your volume.)<br />
<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwOOLuYaL7AlKhnrQ-f8LTGE-bDNScEQvis0yKXRKqPat6IZ8DqES3AlKUKFZEFKpDYXX3n5Z94aTXIZNK6VQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Check back tomorrow on CTV at 6pm to see the full story!!<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-4799183072093568762013-05-30T18:15:00.001-07:002013-05-30T18:17:30.630-07:00Throw-Back Thursday: The Recreation of an Old Photo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5zlLuVdPQU/Uaf1ElV0RBI/AAAAAAAAFyg/VnEZsa2V2-A/s1600/MD2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5zlLuVdPQU/Uaf1ElV0RBI/AAAAAAAAFyg/VnEZsa2V2-A/s640/MD2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ages 8 and 6; ages 19 and 17</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some things never change. But, a lot of things do.<br />
<br />
Like our grass. I mean, the fact that we have a lawn now rather than the field of moss from the first picture.<br />
<br />
And our heights. I was laughing about the fact that Emma was going to tower over me in the second photo, until we went outside to take the photo and discovered that the EXACT spot I had been standing in the first photo now had a giant root lump.<br />
<br />
Epic win.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The house behind us has really changed, too! It's crazy to see just how different it really is now.<br />
<br />
And look at how much the tree has grown!! I knew it must have, but seeing the pictures side-by-side like this really shows just how much.<br />
<br />
Side note: I swear, I didn't actually normally dress like that back then. I was homschooled, but not thaaaat homeschooled. Heh. We were on the way out the door to my first performance of Fiddler on the Roof when we stopped to take a quick picture in front of the willow tree - that seemed to be our go-to photo-op spot growing up.<br />
<br />
We recreated this photo for Mother's Day and sent it to a photo store to have it made into a photo crystal thingy. I didn't even know such a thing existed, but it turned out really well!<br />
<br />
I definitely want to recreate more old photos - I've seen it done before, and it's SUCH a neat idea! We didn't try to match our outfits to the old photo that time, but I think we'll do that for the rest, just for fun.<br />
<br />
Anyways, I don't have much of a story behind this photo other than what I've already typed above, but I thought it would make a good TBT post. =)<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-15585882544022140422013-05-29T20:47:00.000-07:002013-05-29T21:13:27.935-07:00Wordy Wednesday: Why I Hate Many Specialists/Explaining What POTS *Really* is<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfLGhCpfmA0/Uaa4SW77OgI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/R_nUSW6PHaQ/s1600/photo+(21).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfLGhCpfmA0/Uaa4SW77OgI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/R_nUSW6PHaQ/s320/photo+(21).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to lose it one of these days.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I posted a picture for Wordless Wednesday this morning, but then something happened that requires MANY words.<br />
<br />
Today's specialist appointment.<br />
<br />
In my (fairly vast) experience, specialist appointments are either amazing or horrible.<br />
<br />
Today's was HORRIBLE.<br />
<br />
<i>Disclaimer: before I start ranting, know that I'm talking about the BAD specialists. Yes, there are amazing specialists - I've seen a few of them myself! So don't think I'm saying that all specialists are bad. I'm just focusing on the bad ones right now. Okay? Okay.</i><br />
<br />
I'm just so completely sick of arrogant specialists.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The ones that waltz in to the room like they're the king (or queen) of the world.<br />
<br />
The ones that act like they know more about your life and your body than you do.<br />
<br />
The ones that won't humble themselves and admit when they don't know something that you do.<br />
<br />
Today, I saw a cardiologist. I wanted to see a certain one that had been recommended to me, but my family doctor insisted that I should go to this guy because he had a shorter waiting list.<br />
<br />
<b>Hmmm, I wonder why that is.</b><br />
<br />
I was told (verbally AND in a written letter) by my geneticist (one of the few wonderful specialists I've seen) that she strongly suspected POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and I needed to be immediately put on beta-blockers to slow my bad tachycardia (very rapid heart rate). She said she'd diagnose me herself with POTS except that I need a special test called a Tilt Table Test (TTT) to <i>officially</i> confirm it. My neurosurgeon (one of only a few true EDS experts in the entire WORLD) agreed with her. Ugh, so many hoops to jump through.<br />
<br />
Basically, a TTT is a test where you're strapped to a table-like surface and... umm... tilted...? Here's a video cause I haven't had it yet so it's hard to explain.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KVTRN6nShmM?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
Anyways, they closely monitor your heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) and probably other vitals, too. They want to pay attention to your BP, yes, because that's often part of POTS, but your HR is the most important <i>because the only criteria you have to meet to have POTS only involves your HR. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
To clarify what POTS even is (taken from an amazing POTS website, <a href="http://dinet.org/">dinet.org</a>):<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"...There are disorders that affect the body's ability to appropriately adjust to the pull of gravity. When the body cannot effectively adjust to upright posture, a person is said to have orthostatic intolerance. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder characterized by orthostatic intolerance.<br />
"Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome <b>is defined by excessive heart rate increments upon upright posture.</b> A person with POTS <i>will experience heart rates that increase 30 beats or more per minute upon standing and/or increase to 120 beats or more per minute upon standing</i> (Grubb, 2000). These exaggerated heart rate increases usually occur within 10 minutes of rising."</blockquote>
<br />
Okay, now that the actual criteria for diagnosing POTS is understood, let me start at the beginning of today.<br />
<br />
I dragged myself out of bed early this morning after getting very little sleep (because I'm an insomniac apparently), after being greeted by this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZuZUoEdZSs/Uaa6fI0IhsI/AAAAAAAAFxc/RjvkA36e770/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZuZUoEdZSs/Uaa6fI0IhsI/AAAAAAAAFxc/RjvkA36e770/s400/photo.PNG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also set my clock radio... to static.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Okay, I won't bore you with more details from before I even see the specialist. Basically, I wasted a lot of time and bus money to get there, though.<br />
<br />
When I got there, I filled in paperwork for probably at least half an hour, and then waited a bit longer before I was taken in to a room. A nice lady did an EKG, which came out normal. I was expecting this though, because my problem isn't when I'm laying flat on my back doing nothing - it's when I stand up after laying down and everything goes so white that I can't see, and my head starts pouding, and I feel sick, and the room is spinning, and...<br />
<br />
Anyways, she left, and the specialist came into see me briefly. Let's just call him Dr. B. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was just along the lines of explaining that I was going to do a <a href="http://www.heartsite.com/html/regular_stress.html">treadmill test</a>. ...Okay then, not sure what that has to do with POTS, but fine...<br />
<br />
I finally ended up in another room with another lady tech, and she hooked me up to the machine with all those lovely sticky-cup thingys and a BP cuff on one arm. She told me to get on the treadmill and hold onto the bar at the front, and that the test would go in stages, progressively faster. Long story short, the maximum HR they wanted to get me to was 170bpm. After approximately 7ish minutes (barely into the 3rd/fast job stage) she stopped it early because my HR was already 178bpm. Okaaayyy...<br />
<br />
When I finally saw Dr. B again, he sat me down and proceeded to tell me what SO many other specialists had (falsely) told me when I was going through the process of being diagnosed with EDS:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>"you don't have it [POTS]; you're fine."</b><br />
<br />
I wanted to scream.<br />
<br />
He also told me that I don't have <a href="http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=34">dysautonomia</a> (POTS is just one part of this) of any sort because I don't have any symptoms of it. After he'd seem me for maybe 5 minutes total, and didn't do ANY tests or even observations to be able to say this. Like, I can't even explain it... it actually didn't make ANY logical sense.<br />
<br />
The rest of our conversation went something close to this:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I asked him why he thought that I didn't have POTS.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Your blood pressure was normal throughout the whole test.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That isn't part of a POTS diagnosis though...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Yes it is. It's called Postural <b><u>Orthostatic</u></b> Tachycardia Syndrome!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In my head: **OMG HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ORTHOSTATIC MEANS. OMG. OMG. /FACEPALM.**</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8vmRD0h1ec/UabC3Sy1tXI/AAAAAAAAFxs/Xz8h1EDAxSk/s1600/orthostaticdef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8vmRD0h1ec/UabC3Sy1tXI/AAAAAAAAFxs/Xz8h1EDAxSk/s640/orthostaticdef.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm still in shock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also, side note to back up my claim (also from <a href="http://dinet.org/">dinet.org</a>):<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Not all patients will experience a drop in blood pressure upon standing. Some physicians define orthostatic hypotension as a separate entity from POTS."</blockquote>
<br />
<b>Do I have to have this tattooed on my forehead?!</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgedSAQ-M9g/UabIeck7jEI/AAAAAAAAFx8/YzPGIHeqjLI/s1600/foreheadtat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgedSAQ-M9g/UabIeck7jEI/AAAAAAAAFx8/YzPGIHeqjLI/s400/foreheadtat.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully not. Not my best look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
But you didn't even measure my heart rate laying and then standing... that's when my problems happen!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>We did the treadmill test, and that would show it just fine. And it didn't show anything abnormal. Tilt table tests are uncommon and unnecessary.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well what about my high resting heart rate?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>It wasn't! It was around 100bpm when you started, and that's normal.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*eyes almost pop out of head* Umm... well actually I was turned away when I tried to donate blood because my resting heart rate was too high...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>*ignores*</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well what about the episodes I was describing - where sometimes, I get this weird fluttering-but-not-quite feeling in my chest and I can't breathe? They only happen for about a second each time, but it happens anywhere between a few times a week to a few times a day. And one time in March, it lasted for about 4-5 seconds. My mum witnessed it and it was really scary. My chest felt really weird and jumpy and my face turned bright red because I couldn't breathe, and I had to sit down immediately.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>That's normal. Everyone gets that. Plus, it's impossible that your heart stopped.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*in shock* ...I didn't say my heart stopped, I said it was hard to breathe...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>*more dismissiveness* You just need to focus on your connective tissue problem (he obviously barely knew what EDS is because he was shocked when I said that I dislocate joints on a regular basis) and your upcoming surgery. *goes on rant about how amazing my neurosurgeon must be if he's from Maryland, because anyone who trains at John Hopkins (he's assuming that my NS trained there) are the most knowledgeable, blah blah blah blah...*</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well my neurosurgeon thinks that I have POTS...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>*ignores*</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, what do you say to my geneticist AND neurosurgeon wanting me on beta-blockers to control my tachycardia?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You don't have tachycardia! Your heart rate is normal. I don't prescribe beta-blockers to healthy people. You just need to cut out caffeine, drink more water, and exercise. You're just out of shape.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*tries to control urge to leap out of my chair and strangle him* I used to be an athlete!!<br />
<br />
<i>Yeah... USED to. *laughs*</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...Well, bye. Nice. To. Meet. You.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*leaves office in tears*</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Any here you have it, folks. This is just one of many examples to why I hate many specialists. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
-Sarah</div>
</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-23000997192689528872013-05-29T02:24:00.000-07:002013-05-29T02:24:23.888-07:00Wordless Wednesday: Reason #39535802 Why I Keep Him Around<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWoLQZ8CUnU/UaXIuv1F_-I/AAAAAAAAFxA/8PW02aKIVNg/s1600/P+Snailpolish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWoLQZ8CUnU/UaXIuv1F_-I/AAAAAAAAFxA/8PW02aKIVNg/s640/P+Snailpolish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-15088529985690790502013-05-28T20:22:00.000-07:002013-05-28T20:26:14.677-07:00Tremendous Tuesday: Adri Martin: a Tribute Written by a Near-Stranger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-tSfvGUeoM/UaVn74rzlII/AAAAAAAAFww/2LRvBWXloyg/s1600/adri1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-tSfvGUeoM/UaVn74rzlII/AAAAAAAAFww/2LRvBWXloyg/s400/adri1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Adri-Martin/414639905247514?hc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today's post is tremendously sad.<br />
<br />
I'm 2 days late, but I still wanted to write something in honour of Adri Martin, the girl I only had the pleasure of meeting once, though the memory of her and her tragic passing has haunted me for a year and 2 days now.<br />
<br />
April 28th, 2012: I went to a birthday party for one of my best friends. Adri was there, and we were introduced. She was the life of the party! I remember thinking that we'd be friends if I lived closer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Her personality lit up the room. She was telling stories - I believe that one of them was the tale behind why part of her hair was shaved off (the reason she was wearing a touque that night) - and I couldn't stop laughing.<br />
<br />
She was a typical-seeming teenage girl with her cell phone by her side and tasteful but striking makeup in place.<br />
<br />
I didn't know her at all, but she seemed to be SO happy, with a wonderful life and lots of friends.<br />
<br />
May 26th, 2012: Adri took her own life.<br />
<br />
When I found out, it had already been a few days. I had just checked Facebook briefly after being forced to leave the hospital where my boyfriend was (I'll write about that some other time) to get some rest, and I saw the memorial page for her.<br />
<br />
I was shocked. Horrified. Grief-stricken. Guilt-ridden because I hardly knew her, yet I was devastated.<br />
<br />
This is just a sick joke. No no no NO.<br />
<br />
But it wasn't. Adri was gone.<br />
<br />
The beautiful girl that I had met only the month before.<br />
<br />
The beautiful girl with SO much potential, and her whole life ahead of her.<br />
<br />
Ever since that horrible day, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. I think about her often. Sometimes, I still cry. And I still can't rid myself of the guilty feeling deep in my gut because I feel like it shouldn't be affecting me like this, since I hardly knew her.<br />
<br />
But it is. When a death like hers is so tragic and senseless, it really sticks with you.<br />
<br />
I don't know why she did it. I won't speculate, because that isn't fair to anyone, especially when it's from a pure stranger.<br />
<br />
All I'll say is that there needs to be more awareness for mental health issues. It's such a "taboo" subject to most people, yet we can talk about other agressive and devastating illnesses like cancer and AIDS.<br />
<br />
This needs to change. Sure, I missed the official Canadian Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6th-12th), but I don't give a damn. This needs to be screamed from the rooftops on as many days throughout the year as possible.<br />
<br />
If you're feeling alone and depressed, PLEASE talk to someone. Leaving this world is never the way.<br />
<br />
You are beautiful, wonderful, and WORTH IT. If there are people in your life making you feel otherwise, KICK THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE.<br />
<br />
Please talk to somebody if you ever get even remotely close to making the devastating decision that Adri made. That is NOT to blame Adri, though; when you're that depressed, you aren't thinking clearly. It really DOES seem like the only way out. It really DOES seem like you have no friends and that life is pointless.<br />
<br />
But it isn't. Please always remember that, and please always live your life to show other people that, too.<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-62225036987368988372013-05-27T13:23:00.001-07:002013-05-27T14:42:19.436-07:00Happy 50th birthday, Mum!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-quCg2UYeqS8/UaMN8V_ti6I/AAAAAAAAFwg/wc_TgwOlyXc/s1600/photo+(20).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-quCg2UYeqS8/UaMN8V_ti6I/AAAAAAAAFwg/wc_TgwOlyXc/s400/photo+(20).JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
Happy Birthday, Mum!<br />
<br />
Today, you turn 50. I know you're all like, "waaaah, I'm old, blah blah blah blah," but you're NOT! And a 50th bday is extra special, so I felt like that needed to be specified.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry I'm so bad at showing my love and appreciation sometimes, but please know how much I truly do love and appreciate you.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry that your birthday often gets a bit overshadowed, even if you don't feel like it does.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry that we tend to butt heads a lot.<br />
<br />
I'm going to try to stop apologizing in this post though, and focus on thanking you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
You are the glue that has held our family together through so much.<br />
<br />
You are the person who takes care of your family even when YOU are sick.<br />
<br />
You have always believed in me, even when you weren't sure <i>how</i> I would achieve something.<br />
<br />
You flew across the continent with me in a blind leap of faith just to try to help me.<br />
<br />
You always accept my apologies, even when I've really been awful to you (and take a darn long time to apologize).<br />
<br />
You're learning to respect my boundaries and let me figure out life for myself, even when your mummy senses try to overpower you and make you intervene if you think that I'm going to be hurt.<br />
<br />
You're very humble and admit when you've been in the wrong, and always genuinely apologize.<br />
<br />
You took 9 years out of your life (10 in total) to homeschool Emma and I so that we'd have all the time in the world to be kids and learn without boundaries of timetables. Even though there was a lot of bad stuff that happened through these years, I still think I would be very different (in a bad way) if I had been forced to conform to public school standards when I clearly have never been like "all the other kids."<br />
<br />
Thank-you for unconditionally loving me, even though I wasn't (and aren't) the easiest kid to handle.<br />
<br />
Thank-you for always making me feel like I was worth it all.<br />
<br />
I love you, Mum.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XMd2oWppLzE/UaL9aOQJsGI/AAAAAAAAFwI/2SgIoCagduY/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XMd2oWppLzE/UaL9aOQJsGI/AAAAAAAAFwI/2SgIoCagduY/s640/photo+(18).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence that I was born an elf... and my parents still loved me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
-Sarah xoxo<br />
<br />
P.S. - Yes, I used the last picture grid on Facebook for Mother's Day, but I wasn't back into my regular blogging habit yet and therefore didn't post on Mother's Day, so I think I'm allowed to re-use it.</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-83867073239703689002013-05-26T16:33:00.000-07:002013-05-26T16:35:55.099-07:00Sing-Song Sunday: One Big Unicorn by Gru (from Despicable Me)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsuTBhnIyFA/UaKZCY9CSnI/AAAAAAAAFv4/Y7UgawZ7W9o/s1600/DEbook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsuTBhnIyFA/UaKZCY9CSnI/AAAAAAAAFv4/Y7UgawZ7W9o/s320/DEbook2.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://tinyurl.com/tumblr-DE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was watching Despicable Me with Peter today, so I thought the book that Gru wrote for the girls would be perfect for today's post! So adorable and funny!<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<br /></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
One Big Unicorn by Gru</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One big unicorn, strong and free, thought he was happy as he could be</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then three little kittens came around and turned his whole life upside down</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They made him laugh, they made him cry</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He never should have said goodbye. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And now he knows he can never part from those three little kittens that changed his heart.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Here's the full book:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihlu6XFJuug/UaKYE7jKLqI/AAAAAAAAFvs/4hgUl5VN9Dg/s1600/DEbook.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihlu6XFJuug/UaKYE7jKLqI/AAAAAAAAFvs/4hgUl5VN9Dg/s1600/DEbook.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://yarrowcheney.blogspot.ca/2011/01/one-big-unicorn.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Also, that AWESOME moment when the part where Dr. Gru just shrunk the moon comes on and the ticket for the girls' dance recital floats out of his pocket and onto the screen, and you realize that IT'S THE SAME DAY AS TODAY!! May 26th!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Rd99oB-BPQ/UaKUPzAEsMI/AAAAAAAAFvc/L04jpE0GT08/s1600/DEticket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Rd99oB-BPQ/UaKUPzAEsMI/AAAAAAAAFvc/L04jpE0GT08/s400/DEticket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK AT IT!! LOOK AT IT!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was pretty amazing. Not gonna like. Kinda made my day.<br />
<br />
Anyways, if you haven't seen it already, DO IT NOW!! You don't even need to watch it with kids. It's just an awesome movie. And Despicable Me 2 is coming out July 3rd (the day I'm flying home after surgery... boo)!! Here's the official trailer:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TlbnGSMJQbQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Go feed your inner kid. Do it now.<br />
<br />
-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-32697982335188000712013-05-25T02:18:00.000-07:002013-05-25T02:29:07.040-07:00One Month. One Month Until I Gain a Bad-Ass Scar.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RZnbqI0loc/UaBrem9itfI/AAAAAAAAFvA/AzVOzAK2qQY/s1600/photo+(15).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RZnbqI0loc/UaBrem9itfI/AAAAAAAAFvA/AzVOzAK2qQY/s320/photo+(15).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty much how I'm feeling right now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One month.<br />
<br />
It's officially one month until June 25th, the day my head and neck gets sliced open and a piece of my hip bone is screwed into my top two vertebrae.<br />
<br />
Sorry, I felt like being gory. But hey, it's accurate.<br />
<br />
But I'll be honest here... I'm actually really nervous. I know that it's not strange to be nervous about a major operation, but I normally try to play it off and pretend that I'm not. Really, it's for my own benefit as much as it is for the people who I'm talking to who I don't want to freak out/make sad/annoy, etc. If I separate myself from those feelings enough, I can usually function. But when I start to think about it and reality starts hitting me, I have to wimp out and push it out of my mind.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
A good friend of mine who I "met" through Facebook gave me some good, albeit freaky advise when I first told her that I was getting this surgery (she's been through this and a billion other painful, horrible surgeries). She told me something along the lines of when she was getting this surgery, people knew that she was really nervous about it so they tried to help her by saying that it wouldn't be that big of a deal and that when she woke up, things would be alright. Since she believed them, she was totally freaked out and worried when she woke up in the most pain she's ever felt in her life, because that must mean that there's something wrong, right? Nope, it's just a horribly painful surgery.<br />
<br />
So I SUPER appreciate her giving it to me straight because I don't want to have that experience, but of course, it's worrisome too. She's also an EDSer, and in general, we have a HIGH pain tolerance. So if she (and all the others I've talked to) were in that much pain...<br />
<br />
Yeah. Ouch.<br />
<br />
But at the same time, I'm still really, really excited. It's a strange feeling to be so excited about something that you're dreading so much. But the sooner I get this done, the sooner I can hopefully get back to "normal" life. I mean, <i>my</i> normal. As "normal" as life can be for someone who has EDS, POTS, GP, MCAD, and a million other things.<br />
<br />
And then there's the part of me that likes to overpower my thoughts when I'm vulnerable. Insomnia sucks for this.<br />
<br />
It's the part of me that tells me that I'm not worth it. That I should somehow just "suck it up," rip off the neck brace, and live... somehow. That I'm wasting people's money on having this surgery when I should either not have it or at least gamble with someone in Canada.<br />
<br />
<b>You'd think the threat of having a mini stroke and the extremely firm letter and verbal diagnoses/warnings from one of the very top neurosurgeons in the entire world would stop these thoughts, but noooo. </b><br />
<br />
In these moments, I have to remember a few things. I have to remind myself how bad I was before I saw this neurosurgeon. How I had a TIA and how extremely jerky my legs were. How I couldn't hold my head up. How I had a migraine every single day for almost half a year. How I had to drop out of college; my beloved carefully planned-out schedule for post secondary. How I couldn't even sit up long enough to practice piano, which is one of my favourite pastimes. How desperate I was for answers and someone to help me. How utterly alone and discouraged I felt.<br />
<br />
I also have to remind myself that this neurosurgeon is a world-renowned EDS expert so he REALLY knows his stuff. People come from literally all over the world to see him - people with complicated and lengthly medical histories, people who have been told that there's either nothing wrong with them or that they're too messed up to fix - and they have been given help and hope. He wouldn't be offering to help me if he didn't think that it was absolutely necessary and would almost for sure alleviate most of my neurological symptoms.<br />
<br />
And last but certainly not least, I have to remind myself that I <b>AM</b> worth it all. That I'm worth all the time and money my family have and are pouring into my life. That I'm worth the donations coming in from friends and strangers alike. That I'm worth a life without constant migraines and worry of having a stroke from simply turning my head.<br />
<br />
<i>That I'm as important as any other person who I would definitely wish the best for and try to help if the tables were turned.</i><br />
<br />
So, friends, I'm hanging in here. I have my bad days, but I also have my good. I may still be exhausted much of the time (whether I show it or not) and have a frighteningly bad memory along with other symptoms that are still present, but I'm so grateful that this neck brace is helping. And, I'm trying to hang onto the hope that my neurosurgeon has given me. Hope that this surgery will at least fix most of my worst neurological problems. Hope that I'll heal up well afterwords and get some of my life back.<br />
<br />
<i>Hope that there are doctors out there who truly are experts on EDS.</i><br />
<br />
As hard as this post was to write, I'm glad I did it. I think I'll try to re-read it whenever I feel myself slipping into one of those dark moments and hope that it helps.<br />
<br />
I hope it can maybe help someone else out there, too. Because if you're reading this,<br />
<br />
<b>YOU'RE WORTH IT.</b><br />
<br />
Simply because you're a human being. A wonderful, incredible, potential-packed human being.<br />
<br />
Anyways, pardon me while I go back to pushing the thought of being cut open out of my mind so I can finally catch some sleep.<br />
<br />
One last piece of optimism:<br />
<br />
One month until I gain a bad-ass scar!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVfAs2qhgrg/UaCAN-rQU6I/AAAAAAAAFvM/Zpf1SUmUafc/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVfAs2qhgrg/UaCAN-rQU6I/AAAAAAAAFvM/Zpf1SUmUafc/s320/photo+(17).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yarr! Like a pirate. Cause apparently I associate bad-ass <br />
scars with pirates. And think that a giant scar will make me <br />
look intimidating despite my babyface and tie-dye obsession.<br />
ADHD and insomnia work beautifully together. <br />
I think I'm going to regret this picture in the morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
-Sarah<br />
<br />
P.S. - Please keep sharing my Indiegogo campaign! Only about 3 weeks left until it closes, and it would really help us out to meet our goal on there! (http://igg.me/at/sarahrush/x/2952137)<br />
<br />
P.P.S. - Please also keep sharing my EDS awareness video! I'm astounded to find that it already has over 3,000 views on it and SO many encouraging comments and messages regarding it!! The more people who know about EDS, the more undiagnosed (AND already diagnosed!) EDSers who can be helped. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N7xUC2dClo)<br />
<br />
P.P.P.S. - Yeah, I know this doesn't fit with <a href="http://sarahplainandsimple.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Saturday's theme</a>, but this is one of those times where I will break the "rules" because I have something more important to write. ;)</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-35110362287553638282013-05-24T14:21:00.000-07:002013-05-25T03:28:39.706-07:00Foodie Friday: Microwaved Meals in a Mug; My Obsession<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NWeC2J7skyQ/UZ0y3euuSFI/AAAAAAAAFro/OnxIOnKod7c/s1600/photo+1+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NWeC2J7skyQ/UZ0y3euuSFI/AAAAAAAAFro/OnxIOnKod7c/s320/photo+1+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a>Today was a "microwave meal in a mug" kind of day.</div>
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Actually, to be honest, every day is a good day for making a meal in a mug.</div>
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I have my go-to list of <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/delicious-snacks-in-a-mug" target="_blank">18 Microwave Snacks You Can Cook in a Mug</a> that I've used for quite some time now (so far I've made <a href="http://prudentbaby.com/2012/01/entertaining-food/2-minute-french-toast-in-a-cup/" target="_blank">French Toast</a>, <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Meat-Loaf-in-a-Mug" target="_blank">Meatloaf</a>, and <a href="http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2012/03/chocolate-peanut-butter-mug-cake.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake</a> from that list, and I also used to make Brownie/Cake in a Cup a lot when I was younger though I can't remember exactly which recipe I used). But today, I stumbled upon a list of <a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/10-tasty-mug-cakes-that-you-can-make-in-just-minutes/" target="_blank">10 more recipes I can make with a mug</a>, and found one that I knew I had to try this morning. </div>
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Let me take you through my little adventure!</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-mug-cake/#step-one-2" target="_blank">Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mug Cake</a> from <a href="http://babble.com/">babble.com</a>.</b></h3>
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<b>Step 1: </b>Crack an egg into your mug.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Id19LbjWUD0/UZ0uD4xvtuI/AAAAAAAAFqU/YNSepQb4JGo/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Id19LbjWUD0/UZ0uD4xvtuI/AAAAAAAAFqU/YNSepQb4JGo/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like this. Except cracked. And in the mug.</td></tr>
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<b>Step 2: </b>Add 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IhKVoBOrvq4/UZ0xGaH010I/AAAAAAAAFq0/sby8WoqiRhI/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IhKVoBOrvq4/UZ0xGaH010I/AAAAAAAAFq0/sby8WoqiRhI/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm, eggy sugar.</td></tr>
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<b>Step 3:</b> Toss in 1/3 cup of flour and a tablespoon of softened butter.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KbROCvmWD6w/UZ0xTTPDVXI/AAAAAAAAFrM/S1_r7ISs2rw/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KbROCvmWD6w/UZ0xTTPDVXI/AAAAAAAAFrM/S1_r7ISs2rw/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make sure to keep stirring it all together!</td></tr>
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<b>Step 4:</b> Add 3-4 tablespoons of (preferably mini) chocolate chips to top it all off.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qf5gHZqCF-A/UZ0zWt-dzHI/AAAAAAAAFr4/rG43e6W-NQA/s1600/photo+2+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qf5gHZqCF-A/UZ0zWt-dzHI/AAAAAAAAFr4/rG43e6W-NQA/s320/photo+2+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 5:</b> Make sure it's all good and stirred together!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CaMw2o7sl0w/UZ0zhZ4nSEI/AAAAAAAAFsI/zz0-j1LqLvY/s1600/photo+3+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CaMw2o7sl0w/UZ0zhZ4nSEI/AAAAAAAAFsI/zz0-j1LqLvY/s320/photo+3+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 6:</b> Pop it in the microwave for about 1.5 minutes (until it puffs up and looks cooked).</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4nh_RaMhniM/UZ0xQYxf-AI/AAAAAAAAFq8/V_60qFR9BBw/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4nh_RaMhniM/UZ0xQYxf-AI/AAAAAAAAFq8/V_60qFR9BBw/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a dork...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5VfSCPffgI/UZ0zux1QmtI/AAAAAAAAFso/iFl2DOd4HrA/s1600/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5VfSCPffgI/UZ0zux1QmtI/AAAAAAAAFso/iFl2DOd4HrA/s320/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near disaster... oops.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFvRHyR5obc/UZ0zw-ynNUI/AAAAAAAAFs0/t0-DH3QKD6c/s1600/photo+5+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFvRHyR5obc/UZ0zw-ynNUI/AAAAAAAAFs0/t0-DH3QKD6c/s320/photo+5+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's better!</td></tr>
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<b>Step 7:</b> ENJOY!!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veAHE1Sh8NI/UZ0zw3kM_MI/AAAAAAAAFsw/zFuPxMXkBH4/s1600/photo+5+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veAHE1Sh8NI/UZ0zw3kM_MI/AAAAAAAAFsw/zFuPxMXkBH4/s320/photo+5+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Hope you enjoyed this post! I think I'm going to start writing more posts about the various meals I make in a mug from now on.</div>
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But I did find a list of <a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/desserts-recipes-in-a-jar-cake/24-dessert-recipes-in-a-jar-2/" target="_blank">24 Dessert Recipes in a Jar</a> that I think I need to try soon...</div>
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- Sarah</div>
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-36891944672885659562013-05-23T23:09:00.002-07:002013-05-23T23:10:06.017-07:00Throw-Back Thursday: Sorry, Emma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6YEH_h7_8rk/UZ7vpI8_RZI/AAAAAAAAFuw/1TgtQQDh4q8/s1600/scan0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6YEH_h7_8rk/UZ7vpI8_RZI/AAAAAAAAFuw/1TgtQQDh4q8/s400/scan0001.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
Well, sorry Emma.<br />
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This picture always makes me laugh. I actually remember it being taken, even though I was probably only about 3 or 4. I was trying to help her stand up properly... by apparently strangling her. Toddler logic.<br />
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My favourite part is that my mum took the picture rather than prying me off of her. But I'm sure she did after... right?<br />
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Maybe this is why I have neck problems now... what goes around comes around?<br />
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I think I'm going to make Throw-Back Thursday a regular blog post category now. I don't really have that much of a background story for this picture other than what I just typed above, but I've got some good stories for other pictures so be prepared!<br />
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-Sarah</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-59108602455386267962013-05-22T01:58:00.001-07:002013-05-22T04:31:39.162-07:00SO MUCH CHANGE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCslsheaXpo/UZyHp4t-_AI/AAAAAAAAFqA/-_UROHc20jc/s1600/16040_32486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCslsheaXpo/UZyHp4t-_AI/AAAAAAAAFqA/-_UROHc20jc/s320/16040_32486.jpg" width="239" /></a>Hello (likely non-existant now) followers!<br />
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The theme of this post is change.</div>
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The one thing that apparently hasn't changed though is my lack of Blogging on here. Poo. Blogging is such an amazingly useful outlet so I don't know why I'm so bad at regularly updating. **Insert promise about Blogging more frequently now here**</div>
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Anyways, if this isn't your first time reading my blog (again, if anyone is even reading this...) you might have noticed that I've made MAJOR changes. I mean, spending 5 hours fiddling with HTML kind of changes. I still have some work to do, but I'm pretty satisfied with how it looks for now!</div>
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And as usual... where do you even start when you haven't updated for so long?! Especially when SO much has changed.</div>
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Well, for more detail about some of the stuff I'm going to briefly touch on, check out my "External Links" tab.</div>
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Because it's both easier to type and to read through, super summarized point form:</div>
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~ Starting in about Oct. 2012, I started having major headaches/migraines basically every day, episodes where my legs would stop working almost completely, extreme dizziness with head turning, blah blah blah blah. Tons of other bad stuff, too. I already knew that I have many health problems, but this stuff was new. I went to SO many doctors and specialists who either knew something terribly wrong with me but didn't know what, or implied that it was all in my head. I finally flew to Maryland (out of country and across the continent from where I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada) to see a world-renowned neurosurgeon who specializes in EDS. He instantly found my main problem: Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI), which basically means that my C1-2 are super unstable so when I turn my head, the blood flow to my brain can get cut off and my brain stem is being twisted. He also found that my brain is sitting too low in my skull, my brain stem is kinked, etc, but we're focusing on one thing at a time. </div>
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<br />
~ I'm getting surgery (in Maryland) to fuse my C1-2 together with a piece of my hip bone and screws on June 25th, 2013.</div>
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~ Because of all these shenanigans, I had to drop out of college in Feb. I was only half a sem away from graduating with my Associate of Arts. Sigh. More on this later.</div>
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~ I'm still with Peter, and it's been over a year and a half! He's kinda super awesome. For reals.</div>
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~ There's probably 3852854268425426247 more things I should include in this update but I'm pretty tired seeing as it's about 2am, so I'll try to slowly update as I go.</div>
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Anyways, I should really at least attempt to get some sleep.</div>
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Nighty night!</div>
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Sarah</div>
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-52004801690505673072012-11-04T10:52:00.000-08:002013-05-22T04:12:39.815-07:00Back?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
WOW, it's been wayyy too long since I last wrote. This is always the problem I have with blogging - I'm so faithful and good at updating for a while, and once I start forgetting more, I just don't know where to start... so, I don't. Ugh. I know I've said it many times, but I'm honestly going to try to start writing more. Even if it's just really short.<br />
<br />
I don't have time to update on my life right now, but here is a quick (VERY brief) summary:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>My photography is starting to take off!! I'm SO excited. Yes, I do it for myself, but it's still incredibly exciting and amazing when people actually stop you in real life to tell you "how amazing" your photography is. Eeeeep! I've still got SO far to go, but thank-you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who continues to support me with my dream.</li>
<li>Speaking of this, I bought a new camera and 3 lenses in the summer!! A Canon EOS 60D with the 50mm 1.8, 55-250mm, and 18-55mm. My baby's name is Loki and I love him SO MUCH.</li>
<li>I GOT THE JOB I'VE BEEN WANTING FOR ALMOST A YEAR! Say "hello" to one of the newest Elfs <strike>at the mall</strike> at the North Pole!! =D (more about that later!)</li>
<li>I've been dating Peter for more than a year... whoa, crazy much?! Oct. 30th was our "official" one year mark.</li>
<li>My health is really taking a turn for the worst as of this past year especially. For those who don't know about any of this, I'll do a post later dedicated to explaining as much as I can.</li>
<li>College is... overwhelming. Yes, I'm probably only feeling inspired to update my blog now because I'm supposed to be reading and writing a million things. Ugh. I used to love school, but now, I'm hating it. I credit it to my stupidity in taking 4 courses EVERY SEMESTER. Yes, that includes summer. I realized that the last time I had a "proper" break was summer 2010. Summer 2011, the summer after I graduated highschool, I worked for a good chunk of my summer at camp. Yes, this was awesome, but far from a break. Then I did 4 courses every semester with only a couple weeks between them. I feel like I'm going to rip my hair out. All I want to do is... well, anything that's NOT college related. Especially photography, though. I feel like I'm really being held back by my lack of time. </li>
<li>Speaking of photography again, in the summer, I went on a Flickr meet-up for my first time ever. Well, the tail end of it... because of, you guessed it, exams. UGH. Anyways, my friend Essy invited me to come along (especially since she wouldn't know most of them - her sister Liz was the host), and it was unbelievable. I've never been in the presence of that many AMAZING photographers in my life. I drool over their photostreams, and suddenly, I'M WATCHING THEM WORK/WORKING *WITH* THEM!!!! I'll never get over that. More on this later.</li>
<li>I'm going to be 19 in 4 days. Whaaaat?!</li>
<li>51 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!! </li>
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Aaaaand there's probably wayyy more points I'm forgetting, and DEFS more details, but alas, I need to get back (start? heh.) my homework for today. In the meantime, here are some links to check out my latest photography pieces (I'm allowed to shamelessly plug on my own blog!):</div>
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/sarahjillphotography</div>
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Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/sarahjillphotography</div>
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Have a wonderful day (if anyone actually sees this?), and I'll try to update more soon! =)</div>
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Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-46740664509924628512012-03-14T11:04:00.000-07:002012-03-14T11:04:01.131-07:00Who needs sun??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">To all my friends in Cuba: Pffft, who needs sun and warmth to have a good time in a bathing suit?? Pfffft, not me... pfffft, I'm not jealous... no, what are you talking about...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />Btw the blizzard literally only let up for a few minutes, which is when this pic was taken. It's blizzarding again..."</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H8nIRY26sLU/T2DchtHNbaI/AAAAAAAAFcw/PsQq-lTvwv8/s1600/_IGP0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H8nIRY26sLU/T2DchtHNbaI/AAAAAAAAFcw/PsQq-lTvwv8/s400/_IGP0856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Originally posted on Facebook for my sister and many friends who are currently soaking up the sun on a choir/band trip.<br />
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Ahhh, being Canadian...<br />
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P.S. - If I was born a few months later, I would be there now too... =P</div>Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-11523328145163883362012-01-20T21:19:00.000-08:002012-01-21T00:23:41.407-08:00Anime??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
...Me? Into ANIME?!<br />
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That's right folks, I'm hooked.</div>
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I never understood people's obsessions with it before. I had never watched any, but it seemed... I don't know, weird. But thanks to my boyfriend, Peter, I tried watching some a few weeks ago - Fullmetal Alchemist, to be exact - and now there's no going back.</div>
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And I figured, hey, I've already done something crazy - why not try something else? </div>
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So I tried drawing some anime.</div>
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AND IT WORKED!!</div>
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I honestly have never considered myself a drawer, but after trying to draw 3 of the main FMA characters, I'm fairly pleased with myself.<br />
(click picture for full thing)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4NQhqvBfxME/TxpJ2miWWeI/AAAAAAAAFcU/hwCoJWW5zUo/s1600/scan0093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4NQhqvBfxME/TxpJ2miWWeI/AAAAAAAAFcU/hwCoJWW5zUo/s640/scan0093.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's still pretty rough, so I might go back and clean it up a bit, but I'm pretty happy with it since I literally started drawing anime yesterday, with this as my first picture.</div>
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BRB, gotta go watch another FMA episode!! (Err, I mean, do homework...)</div>
</div>Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233282676959960552.post-34631564597957397342011-11-14T10:55:00.001-08:002013-05-24T23:13:59.195-07:00Procrastination...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here I am, blogging, when I have a 10 page paper due tomorrow morning that I've barely started...<br />
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All I want to do is think about Christmas.<br />
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I want to start making cards and gifts.<br />
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I want to hang out with my best friend.<br />
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I want to siiiiing!<br />
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I do NOT want to write a stinky story for Creative Writing (Personal Narrative) about someone I used to think was wonderful, but now can't stand.<br />
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Whine, whine, whine.<br />
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Kai, gotta get back to writing. Blah.<br />
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Peace!</div>
Sarah-Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17020202288194078927noreply@blogger.com0