2015 Summary

2015 Summary

3 Good Things
1. My shoulder acted up much less this year than last year even though we haven't been able to diagnose what is actually wrong with it. Regardless. this meant less trips to the doctor and less pain meds. It did mean one unfruitful MRI which sucked.

2. I won a photo contest and got one of my photos put in a calendar. The contest was open to Tennessee state employees and their families, and is judged by professional photographers. I was so excited to get the news.

3. I'm getting better in touch with my feelings. Which for me means crying a lot more. It just means I'm not suppressing all the feelings that would make me cry (I always say I only have two settings, crying, and nothing. If I'm mad, I cry, if I'm sad, I cry, apparently I even cry when I'm happy. Who came up with this crap?), and I'm letting them actually make me cry. I'm told this is a good thing. I kind of prefer when I don't cry all the time, but whatever, I guess it probably is a good thing that I'm not pushing down all of my feelings

Bad things that happened this year
1. Migraines. My shoulder flare ups quieted down, but my headaches amped up bad. I started getting them all the time, practically every day with a moderate or minor headache, and at least one severe headache a week. I had a CT scan (which is far less unpleasant than an MRI) but they still couldn't find anything causing the headaches, and the Neurosurgeon said she didn't think the tumor on my spine in my neck was causing the headaches either (or my shoulder pain-wrong location). I'm now taking Topimax daily which is supposed to prevent the migraines. I have headaches less often, less severe headaches and less moderate headaches, which is good, but they aren't all gone.

2. Sleep. This probably goes hand in hand with the migraines, but I also stopped sleeping well. I started complaining about it in the springtime, and couldn't get my doctor to prescribe me anything (she just kept saying the Topimax would work, which for me it didn't) until I finally had to switch to another doctor in the same practice in the fall to get something. Now I take something to help me sleep.

Places I've been this year
1. Disneyworld and a very nice hotel with my sister and nieces. It was a blast!
2. Dallas with mom, visiting my other sister and other niece. We got to see the Fort worth Water Gardens, very cool!
3. Michigan last minute trip to Michigan to see my dad after he had an aortic dissection and almost didn't make it. He's doing better and is expected to fully recover, but he and I had to mend fences and get back on speaking terms. We also got to drop off Kyle's (stepson) Christmas gifts while we were up there and watch him open them which was nice.

That's my summary. We're not trying anymore. I can be happy with my life as an stepmom, an aunt, and a godparent.

Kyle -Stepson

Kyle - Stepson

Gabby - Niece

Storie and Layla - Nieces

Austin, Jeffery, Andrew - Nephews

Olivia - Goddaughter