Sunday, May 29, 2011

A Recap

Wow... I didn't realize it's been so long since I have written on here.  I'm sorry especially if anyone actually comes here to read my ramblings. 

I enrolled at Penn Foster on May 9th in the pharmacy technician program.  I have one year to complete the program and then I will hopefully go on and become certified.  If I was ten years younger and was better in Math I may consider going on to become a pharmacist as it only takes 5 -6 years of school and lots of money :o)  I have been working on this mostly every day.  I have done my first two exams and have a 98 average. I was making tabs tonight to put into a binder and really looked at the study units and I really hope that I can maintain an "A" average.  I know that God is the one that put this into my heart.  I have no other explanation for it. I believe it was sometime in March around the beginning of the month I was sitting at my desk one day grading Nicole's quizzes and I had a feeling or something tell me that I should go back to school to become a pharmacy technician.  I thought that's a joke because I can't afford it no matter how much I wanted to do it.  I told God if this was His will then he would provide.  I asked for him to give me a sign and it was very specific and He did.  I checked out a pharmacology book out of the library, researched some online schools and found some you tube video's of pharmacology classes which I started watching.   I had joined a caregiving website back on March 17th  and I made a few posts and wrote a few blogs.  Around April 12th I received an email that I would no longer be required to do a job within the homeschool group which we belong to.  I would be lying if I said this didn't upset me as I really wanted to do it one more year anyway.  I knew that I would be coming off the board and I was happy about that because I have been on it for four years so I was just relieved of two commitments.  On the 15th I was contacted by the woman who owns the caregiving website and she asked me if I would be interested in being awarded their caregiver of the month.  This was such a huge surprise especially when I found out that I would receive $500.  One of the online schools was having offering a discount if you paid the full amount of tuition which was $498.  I don't think I would have chosen this school if I had my choice but I believe God did.  I am surprised that I have been finding the time to actually study.  Back in Dec. 2009 I really wanted to take a herbalism class in which I would get a certificate of completion.  My husband let me have the money and I purchased it. I had a problem with the shipment and it took longer and then within three weeks Nicole was diagnosed with her medical issues.  I did complete two of the lessons there are ten but I did notice that something would always come up every time I wanted to study.  I realize it wasn't God's will.  I hope to still do it but I just don't know when. 

Nicole has been doing well.  We finished school last week.  I can't believe that she is officially done with 10th grade.  We have just been hanging out at home a lot which I'm sure is good for her but she also should be getting out and doing things.

I am going to try and make sure that I at least write once a week and also I will make more of an effort to transfer things over from facebook.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day.

Hugs:o)
Jane

Thursday, May 5, 2011

How would you help others?

I need your help... I have had several people encourage me to enter a contest through PHAssociation. I need to write an essay based on the question below.  I'm not sure I stayed on point etc.  I am not much of a writer so this  may be bad to begin with.  According to my word count I am write about 300 with the question included and I can't go over 300 words.

Please leave me your feedback....

 
“How would you help others in the PH Community stay positive and hopeful while   coping with the challenges of this disease?”     

My daughter was diagnosed in January 2010 at the age of 15 with PH caused by a congenital heart defect that wasn’t previously diagnosed.  I remember for many months after this I couldn’t find any good information about PH and the information I did find was so scary that it left me little hope.  In July 2010 I found PHAssociation and this changed my whole attitude.  I had somewhere to go for education, support etc.  I have always believed that knowledge is power. 

I don’t want any parent or patient themselves to feel as alone and in the dark as Nicole and I did.  I didn’t have much hope the first few months of Nicole’s diagnosis.  Through the PHA support groups I found other parents, caregivers and patients that gave me hope for the future for my daughter. I have also been given hope since Nicole started taking Tyvaso and I am so very grateful.    I must believe that there’s hope for a cure and Nicole will be healed.  

If there’s one thing I can say to a parent, caregiver etc. is never give up hope and to stay positive as this will get you through a lot of difficult days.   I must remain positive for no other reason than for Nicole.  I will always be her voice and her advocate no matter how old she is.  I will be with her every step of the way on this journey holding her hand.  

 Every day cherish the moments that you have and look for the good in them.  I wish more people would realize this before they are faced with a serious illness. I certainly wished that I had. 

Well there it is,  please leave me your feedback and comments it will be greatly appreciated. 

Hugs:o)
Jane