My Pod Racer is collecting dust

About 9 years ago I got diagnosed with MS. It was not an easy thing to hear, I will admit. I remember after my Dr appointment I was supposed to have lunch with my friend. I went and she asked me about it, and I told her that I was just diagnosed. She was concerned that I was not crying or all emotional. I was not quite sure why she was acting that way, because I was still the same person. I had not changed and my body had not changed yet, so I saw no reason to be sad or depressed about it. Really I have not been sad or depressed about it at all. I knew and was ready to face the fact that my body was going to change whether I liked it or not. I could not do anything about it. I have to say that I was wrong about not being able to do anything about it.
Five years after I was diagnosed with MS, they diagnosed me with Type 2 diabetes. This diagnosis was so much harder to accept than MS. If I wanted to control this then I would have to change. I did not do anything to change at the time. I did not have the energy because the pain, and fatigue from MS got to be so overwhelming. My quality of life was really non existant. I would go to work come home and go to bed. Get up and repeat the process. My balance was getting bad too so I purchased a cane which I promptly named my light saber. It helped me in a weird way to be able to deal with all of it. After about a year of limping and gimping around with my light saber I felt that I could not work anymore so, I talked to my primary care Dr, she decided that it was time for a wheelchair. I decided that it would be worth it if I did not have to file for disability. Which I was COMPLETELY against since my mind worked fine, and I went into be fitted for a it. I got to pick my own color so I asked my niece Haley what color I should get, she said something sparkly, so I got a purple sparkly wheelchair about 6 weeks after ordering it. I promptly called it my pod racer, it just seemed to go along with the whole light saber thing.
I adapted to using it at work, and certain excursions well. I used it for about 3 years when I went to the Dr. for a physical and I got diagnosed with a liver disease that is not curable but I could stop the damage. I went to see an endocrinologist and he immediately told me that I had to lose weight or I would be dead within 10 years. He put me on weight watchers and told me that I had to start excercizing. I agreed with him but did not really think he knew what he was talking about. I decided to giving excercize a try. I started out really simple with a DVD that I picked up at the diabetes expo. I liked it, and after about 3 months I decided to try working one day without my pod racer. This soon turned into a month, two months, 3 and 4. It has been over a year and a half that I have used my pod racer. Now it sits at work, in an office and collects dust. Who would have thought that I would be kick boxing now. I am only taking one medicine for my diabetes and my liver tests are normal. My pod racer can collect all the dust that it wants because I am not anymore.

Super Mario

Okay for those of you that know me know that I am a big time hockey fan, The Pittsburgh Penguins to be exact. Mario Lemeiux is the owner of The Penguins, he was a great player and he is a great owner too. I am sure that someone reading this can come up with someone in sports that they think is greater than Mario. I do not care that you can come up with someone greater than him. I think that he is the greatest and NOTHING you can say or do will change my mind of that, so there is no need to share your opinion of him or of me for thinking that he is the greatest. If you want to share your opinion of who you think is the greatest then get your own blog! Now, if you do not want to know why I think he is the greatest then stop reading right now! I have given you warning so if you keep reading be prepared.

1. He single handedly saved The Pittsburgh Penguins from ruin. They owed him money and lots of it for playing for them. What player is going to say give me the team and we will call it even, when the team owed him millions of dollars? And it was his idea, unbelievable.

2. He retired because of numerous health problems. One season he played half the games that any other player in the league played and he still scored more goals than any other player. What would have happened had he played in all games that season. I don't think they would be calling Gretzky the great one anymore.

3. He came out of retirement like he had never left, oh yeah and I might mention that another great athlete, (I did say great), came out of retirment that same year. All I have to say about that is what a copycat!!!!

4. He is one class act! He has always given credit to his teammates, I have never heard him brag about any of his accomplishments. Unlike the other athlete I mentioned in #3.

I guess when you are as good as he is your actions speak louder than words.

5. He is the only hockey player to have scored 5 goals, in 5 different ways in one game. Even strength, short handed, penalty shot, short handed and empty net.

6. The last reason is he drafted Sidney Crosby to The Penguins. That alone is enough to make him great.

Today, is his birthday, and The Penguins unveiled The Mario Mosaic, a collection of photos of cancer survivors and penguins fans. You can see a picture of it at http://www.mariomosaic.com/. I must say that I think it is awesome, and a very well deserved tribute to a great guy.

They rescued me!

So on Facebook you can like certain pages and businesses well I have liked one called Cause for Paws Utah. It is a not for profit business that helps to save animals in homeless shelters. I love animals and that is why I liked it in the first place but after they posted the poem listed below, and reading about the countless animals that have just one more day I may have to dislike them. Certainly not because I do dislike them but my heart breaks for each one that I cannot save. I could so be an animal hoarder, that is for sure.

My family brought me home cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me, and said I was full of charm.
They played with me and laughed with me, they showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family especially the girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me, they gave me special treats....They even let me sleep with them–all snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for walks, often several times a day.
They even fought to hold the leash, I’m very proud to say.
They used to laugh and praise me, when I played with that old shoe.
But I didn’t know the difference between the old ones and the new.
The kids and I would grab a rag, for hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing when I chewed up the bedroom rug.
They said that I was out of control, and would have to live outside.
This I did not understand, although I tried and tried.
The walks stopped, one by one; they said they hadn’t time.
I wish that I could change things, I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely, in the backyard on a chain.
I barked and barked all day long, to keep from going insane.
So they brought me to the shelter, but were embarrassed to say why.
They said I caused an allergy, and then kissed me goodbye.
If I’d only had some classes, as a little pup.
I wouldn’t have been so hard to handle when I was all grown up.
“You only have one day left,” I heard the worker say.
Does this mean a second chance? Do I go home today?

People please think before you adopt or purchase an animal. If you want to get an animal please get one from a shelter, they are just as good as the ones you can buy from a breeder. I have 3 cats and they are all rescued pets. Two of them I rescued from the shelter, and one I rescued from my sister and her family. Really they are the ones that have rescued me.

The Pens in my hands

I have decided that I am getting a Sidney Crosby Jersey when I am done with my personal trainer sessions.

Why? You ask, well for a few reasons but the biggest reason is, I deserve it. Plain and simple I deserve it.

Second so I can show it to the manager of the gym, since he is a Detroit Redwings fan. YUCK!!!! I do not like The Redwings at all!!! Okay, I will give him some slack since his Grandpa played for them at some point, still I do not like them.

Third because I am a die hard Pittsburgh Penguins fan, and I have the game from 2009 when they won The Stanley Cup on my Ipod and when I do not feel like working out anymore I turn that game on and remember what their coach told them before they went on the ice to win. He said "The pen is in your hands". The same holds true for me, the pen is in my hands. I will ultimately choose what is written or not written about my efforts to become a healthier person.
After all that is the goal. I am going to make it so....

The Gym

Okay, for those of you that work with me or have read my posts on Facebook, you will know that I have been going to the gym to workout for about 3 weeks now. I have seen some pretty scary things, and I am not referring to myself in the mirror. The first day I went I noticed a human, I call it that because I am still not sure if it is male or female. I have since figure out that it is a male because no woman should wear what he was wearing yesterday.

There are the gym bunnies, I call them that because they are not interested in getting fit or healthy. They are there to get a man, and they could not make it any more obvious, they may as well just post their phone number on their chest. Oh, wait that would mean that there would be something to cover it up with so never mind.

Then there are the Arnold wantabe's, you know the type, always looking at themselves lift weights in the mirror. I even had one follow me up to the bikes, sit right in front of me and start flexing away. I wanted to vomit.

It has been entertaining to say the least. I think I will keep going, even if it is to get a good laugh at someone elses expense. I am sure that they are laughing at mine. HA HA....

My Life for The Last Year

This is for those of you that read this every now and again since it has been almost a year since I have posted anything.

First, I had to have my gallbladder taken out in November 2008, they finally figured out that is what was causing all of my nausea and random vomitting episodes. That was interesting, they told me later that my liver had gotten so big that there was no more room for it, so they just took it out.

Second, I have a new nephew named Jackson Todd Bekker, he is a cutie. I am currently making doll clothes for his sister Haley although I am not sure that she will be to interested in them now that she has the real thing.

Third, I have started weight watchers with my sister, I am doing okay. I have been on it for about 8 weeks now and I have lost a total of 6.2lbs. I have been excercizing a lot more lately, I hope to be feeling the effects of that very soon.

Okay that is all for now.

My favorite picture of Summer.

This is a picture that I took of my niece Summer (she is the one in the pink shirt) when she was almost a year old. We were at the zoo. I like this picture because of the look on her face. She was giving us attitude even at a year old. I will always remember that she had the best facial expressions. It was almost amazing how such a young child could have so many facial expressions. This picture will always make me smile.