Resolutions: How I did in 2011 and What I hope for in 2012

2011: 
1. FINISH my dissertation; even it if kills me. This did not happen, I submitted Chapter 1 right before Christmas break. However, my proposal was approved, so that's a start....Will be moving this to 2012
  
2. Blog more regularly; shooting for at least once a week. OK, maybe once a month. Will try harder. How can I write a dissertation on blogging without being a good blogger myself. 
  
3. Eat healthier and get back in shape. Ate somewhat healthier...once again health concerns stopped me from getting back in shape. 
  
4. Spend more time with family and friends. I tried, I really tried. I hope I succeeded to some extent. 
  
5. Be the person Soxy thinks I am and live my life so I don't have any regrets. Again, I tried, I really tried...but she has such high expectations of me. 

What I hope to accomplish in 2012:


1. Get healthy...find the underlying cause of my medical problems and fix it! I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.


2. FINISH my dissertation; and it might kill me, but it will be done. 


3. Eat healthier and get back in shape. 


4. Spend more time taking care of the little things that need to be done. 


5. Focus more on family and friends...even if it is a phone call or email, I need to stay in touch with those I love and that love me. 


What are your resolutions / goals for the New Year? 

Wonderful Christmastime!!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! I hope everyone else had a nice time, as well.

We started Christmas Eve by heading to church for a wonderful service. Then, it was off to my cousin's house.

This picture was taken on Christmas Eve at my cousin's house where my Dad's family gets together every year to celebrate. It was a wonderful time, as always. It is great to see everyone and catch up and watch the kids grow up so quickly. It's also a great time to discuss plans for the family vacation (yes, we all go away together for 5 days). 

Christmas morning, I got up early to put the ham in the oven and make final preparation for my immediate family, and my aunt, to come over for Christmas breakfast. I pulled out my Mrs. Claus apron to make and serve breakfast!

After breakfast we exchanged presents and visited for a while. Soxy had to help open all of the presents.

Then it was time for my brother to head to his in-laws and for us to head down to visit D's family. It was a great time as always. The kids are getting so big and seemed to have a very good Christmas.

Then it was the drive back home to crawl in to bed and be thankful for another wonderful Christmas with family!

I Wish You a Merry Christmas!

I know I am a few days early, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be very busy around here...

- I must finish cleaning tomorrow as my family will be here Christmas morning for breakfast
- Tomorrow evening D and I will go to church
- After church my Dad's family all gets together at my cousin's house to visit
- Christmas morning my family will be here to exchange presents and have breakfast
- After my family heads out, we will pile in the car and drive down to D's family's house to celebrate Christmas with them...

Not much time to blog unless I attempt to do it from my phone over the next couple of days.

Go Visit Rude Cactus!!

Hi,

If anyone is reading this, please go over to Rude Cactus and leave a comment. For today only, Chris is donating money to the Fisher House for each comment. Four of his readers have matched his donation and the total is $1.25 for each comment to such a worthy cause...helping those who serve our country!!

More Doctors...

Once again I am back on a heart monitor, this time for a month. I hope that they can figure out what is going on this time. So far, the monitor people haven't seen anything to worry about. In fact, they haven't seen anything other than my pacemaker kicking in. I just want answers!!!!

Life Update

Halloween was fun, although cold and wet. We moved the "party" into my neighbor's garage and enjoyed our apple cider and witches costumes while staying dry.

Thanksgiving is coming up quickly and we will be celebrating with my family. I am in charge of desserts and will be making pumpkin and apple pies, as well as a cream puff cake.

Friday involves marathon shopping...or as long as I can make it since my breathing is still completely screwed up. I have finished most of my shopping already but going shopping on Black Friday is a family tradition.

Monday I finally get to see my cardiologist to find out why things were going great and then suddenly crashed and burned!

Happy Halloween!!

I never looked forward to Halloween until a few years ago. When my neighbors moved in next door we started having fun by handing out candy to the kids near the end of our driveways at the electrical box between our houses. Last year was spiced apple wine and lots of laughs. This year we are ready to go:

--Witches hats for me and my neighbor
--A Halloween tablecloth for the electrical box
--Apple cider in the crock pot
--My nephew coming down to Trick-or-Treat because he missed his due to snow and the flu...he's 8 and this is the first year he really wanted to go so his mom is bringing him to our house
--Soxy even has a costume for this year!!!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!!!

Life Update...

Still writing and reading. Took my first chapter to my director and was told it was a solid first draft, now do this, this, this, and this. Was hoping for something a little more finished, but I just keep going.

Soxy and I are enjoying spending time snuggling in the chilly fall weather, especially when we can do it in front of the fireplace.

Off to clean the house as it seriously needs it.

RIP Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs passed away

Such a loss to the tech community.

Here is a wonderful reminder of the visionary he was.

Flu Season...

...has found me. It's really early in the season, but my doctor diagnosed me yesterday with the flu. I hadn't gotten my flu shot yet because I was waiting for all of my test results to come back and also because I thought it would make more sense for D and I to go together early in the season before it was a real threat. Guess I waited too long.

This is not helping me get my dissertation written, my house clean, my laundry done.... I was so excited that I was finally feeling better and making some progress on my writing, but now I am down again. Hopefully this will pass quickly as I started feeling sick on Sunday and received my medication yesterday afternoon.

Hope all of my readers are doing well.

Answers...Maybe

OK, the doctors did a heart catheterization and found some things that may be causing my problems:
1. enlarged right side of the heart (expected with my heart defect).
2. pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in my lungs and heart)...kind of amazing since my blood pressure is amazingly low otherwise.

Treatment so far has been medication; unfortunately, it could take up to 1 month for the meds to become effective, so now it's a waiting game to see if it works.

Thanks for all reading for your support and concern. You guys are the best.

SSDD

Still having chest pains and trouble breathing. They have run test after test and haven't found anything. They did a heart catherization on Monday and I still don't have any results. However, they have ruled out anything life-threatening...just life inhibiting.

Sorry for Being MIA

It has been a crazy month or so. First of all, I feel like crap and had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks...including while I was on vacation at Geneva-On-The-Lake, OH. I had a good time with my family...we take over most of the motel where we stay. Only a good time because during the day I had to stay in the motel room because of the heat and my health issues. They think I might be in atrial fibrillation again...but I won't know for sure until Wednesday.

Also, I have been writing my little heart out trying to get my dissertation completed. I am still on Chapter 1 so I don't think I will be finished by September 1. Today we are going to pick up y niece and she is going to come visit for the week. I hope she remembers to bring something to keep herself occupied while I am writing and D is working. Soxy will keep her entertained, I'm sure.

Name Change...

I have decided to use my real name on the blog going forward. Besides all of the research that I have done saying not to hide behind a pseudonym, I realize that most everyone who reads the blog with any regularity already knows my name...so why "hide behind the mask"?

Hello everyone, my name is Kristin and I am a blogger and the "creator" of "TherapyFailed"! Welcome, if you are new and Welcome Back if you are a return visitor!! :-)

Happy Belated 4th!

Two dozen roses from D for our anniversary!!

Sorry I have been MIA for a while. I have been researching and writing quite a bit. Plus we are in the middle of a Master bath remodel that is taking some of my time also. 

This Saturday D and I celebrated six years of marriage! Some days it feels like we've been together forever and other days it feels like we just got married yesterday. 

The weekend was spent on projects and just hanging out. Since D travels so much for work, I don't get to see him much. We did go to Shakespeare's Restaurant for lunch on our anniversary. It is the place we had our luncheon after the wedding and we try to go back every year to celebrate. Always a great time...

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Independence Day! 

Buffett...Once Again I Will Miss the Show

Well, despite having last-minute tickets just about handed to me, I am going to play it safe and listen to the concert on my XM radio as opposed to going to it. D brought up a valid point yesterday when I told him I had the chance to go...if I got sick while I was at the concert I would have to drive myself home...after my "episode" last year I decided not to take that chance and just listen to the concert from home....This way I can have several margaritas and not worry about driving!

To all my friends who are going to the concert...Have a great time!!! Think of me and wiggle those grass skirts one extra time in my absence!!

Have a Bet with My Husband...Need Some Encouragement!

OK, so D is getting a little "frustrated" that I am not moving faster on the dissertation...so much so that "Mr. Frugal" has wagered $1,000 that I can't have all five chapters, in draft form, submitted by September 1st. OK, so, why am I telling the blogosphere this? I need encouragement and some gentle nudging to help me get there...I am still researching Chapter 1!

Cape May, NJ 2011

D and I spent 4 wonderful days in Cape May, NJ. The weather was perfect! Here we are on Sunset Beach our last night. It was wonderful to get away and just spend some time together. All of my pictures are posted on Facebook, as there are too many to post here.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to bike the three miles down to the Lighthouse, climb to the top, and then bike back. It was a fabulous trip!!!

I was very glad, after seeing the craziness on Friday night, that we went off-season as I don't think I could handle the kids and teens on a regular basis. We had a nice, relaxing time and hope to make long weekends a regular part of our spring.

On the Road Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow morning D and I leave for Cape May, NJ!!! I am so excited! I have been there twice before but D has not seen it yet. I cannot wait to show him the town.

Beach Vacation on the Horizon

I apologize for being MIA lately...I swore I would get better at blogging this year. I have been busy reading and writing and trying to keep my house in a semblence of order the past month or so. To that end, I finally had the VVA pick up the 12 (yes, 12) bags of clothes we wanted to donate and had been lying around for over 3 months. That definitely helped clear things up quite a bit.

On a more relaxing note, our vacation to Cape May, NJ is only 2 weeks away!!! I am so excited to get my toes in the sand and so thankful that we have family that comes to stay with Soxy when we travel...there is no worries about if she is enjoying the kennel or afraid we aren't coming back (she is a pound rescue after all).

Can't wait to show D Cape May! He has never been there before and I fell in love on my first trip, years ago. Since it has been at least 7 years since I was there, if you have traveled there more recently is there anywhere we need to make sure that we see?

Great Weekend with Family

As has been tradition since D and I got married, my mother had us over for Baked Spaghetti on Good Friday, that way we don't have to run around on Easter and then go to work the next day. It was very nice and we had a Dairy Queen cake for my Dad's birthday (which isn't until May 1) since my brother won't be in town for it.

Sunday we went to mass and then came home and packed up Soxy and headed to D's parents. We were down there for the day and our niece and nephew had an egg hunt. It was great to see everyone, especially Grandmother. We made it back around 9:00 because I had to be in class at 8:00 Monday morning.

I am feeling better, health wise, but managed to end up with a strained tendon from playing with my furry niece and nephews (a Boxer, a Rottweiler / German Shephard mix, and a Neopolitan Mastiff). But it was totally worth it! I haven't seen them in forever!

APPROVED!

One of the best words I have ever heard!! Once I get back from a conference on Sunday I will start writing my dissertation chapters!

Finally Have a Date...

After about 2 1/2 weeks of waiting I finally have a proposal defense date! I will defend my proposal for my dissertation on April 11th. Shortly after that I will be heading to a conference in DC, hopefully as having successfully defended my proposal.

Dammit, Dammit Dammit!!

Well, they finally got my meds straightened out and now I have a cold or a sinus infection and feel like crap today!! How can I get more than 1 day in a row of feeling good? Is that really too much to ask? (But at least I'm not dizzy or numb!)

I Do Believe We Have a Solution!!

I stopped taking my one blood pressure medication and I haven't been dizzy or lightheaded at all. OK well, maybe just once, but I had a migraine...so it was justified. I am so excited that this finally has stopped and I'm feeling like myself again. I was even able to take Soxy for a walk by myself today. The first time I've felt steady enough to to that since last May!!

Medical Update...

Well, last May I blacked out behind the wheel; I've been getting dizzy and light-headed with no explanation. I have had a ton of tests and bloodwork. I HATE needles!! So they finally came up with the conclusion that I am taking too much medication. That they have me on so many blood pressure medications that they have made it almost non-existent! Hopefully this round of "experiments" will work. I know I'm blonde, but I'm tired of walking around dizzy!

Moving Forward

Well, I met with my Director yesterday and I am still moving forward on my proposal. Unfortunately, starting on Super Bowl Sunday I have had some numbness in my left side. I have started with a new neurologist and hopefully she can find something.

For Valentine's Day, D and I are going to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's production of "Dracula" and then we have dinner reservations at The Pittsburgh Fish Market. I haven't been to the Fish Market in years and am very much looking forward to it, especially since I got the deal off of CBS Local Offers...very similar to Groupon.

Pittsburgh's Playing in the Super Bowl!!

And as of the second half, they have shown up to play! Stairway to Seven Baby!!

Oops x2...Both Blog Related: De-Lurking Day and 8 Year Blogiversary!!

1. I completely missed De-Lurking Day this year...totally bummed about that because I find it fun to see who says hello and who is still reading.

2. Completely missed my anniversary this year. January 16 (Sunday) was 8 years since I started blogging. This is it's third iteration as it started under a different name, moved to MT and finally landed at blogger. So happy I started blogging as I have met some great people along the way.

Please say HI if you are still reading.

Here We Go...

STEELERS!! Watching the playoff game and knowing the Black and Gold can pull out a win!

Great Day...

So far I am loving my classes at school. Granted it was only the first day, but my students seemed interested, even though it's a required course.

It is only a 1/2 hour commute from home to campus, so that's also great.

Finally got my prescription filled...it only took 5 days for the doctor's office to call it in.

Got my tests results back and there is no sign of major neurological damage to my neck; which just means I have to learn to live with the pain in my neck since there doesn't seem to be a cause. Yay :sarcasm:

AUGH!! I HATE going to the doctor's and spending the day

OK, so I think I mentioned on Facebook that I fell on the ice and sprained my foot, ripped my knee to shreds and jarred my neck right before the holidays. Well, yesterday, I went to see my neurologist because my neck is still giving me trouble. What should've been a 20-25 minute visit turned into 3 hours as he did X-rays of my neck, CT of my neck and brain, and an EEG to make sure it wasn't caused by a seizure...NO, I slipped on the ice silly!!!

Anyway, I really do hate spending so much time at the doctor's but I needed to know what was going on. After that, I went to campus to get my ID photo taken and turn in all of my HR paperwork so that I can start teaching on Monday. I can't wait! I love meeting new students and I get to do so at a new school! I feel like a kid in a candy store. :-)

First Monday of the New Year...

Didn't realize that today was Monday. D still had off from work, so I didn't realize that it was Monday. Guess I will get back to work tomorrow on my research and prepping for the class I start teaching in a week. Also, luckily, I didn't eat too badly today or do anything else to mess up one of my resolutions already. Still going strong! :-) I even signed up for the 100 Days Challenge on Facebook. Can't wait to do this!!

Should've Finished Projects...Instead We Went Shopping

We completed most projects while D was on vacation the last two weeks. However, there is one project left that neither of us really wants to tackle...cleaning out our closet. We talked about doing it today, but instead, we went shopping. One of my favorite stores, Christopher & Banks was having a 50% off sale, so we ran there. And, of course that meant we wandered around the mall after that and then to Wal-Mart and finally home. We didn't get home until it was time for dinner, so I got dinner ready while D and Soxy took a walk around the neighborhood. Maybe we can tackle the closet tomorrow as D doesn't go back to work until Tuesday.

I still have a week until I start my new job!

New Year's Resolutions...How I Did in 2010 and What I'm Planning for 2011!

How did I do on my 2010 resolutions?
1. Get back in shape and lose the weight my doctor's are telling me to lose (10 lbs, not too bad). Determined not to have another hospital stay by listening to my doctors.
Did not do so great with this...but I have a legitimate reason--my doctors didn't release me to start working out again until October.

2. Start, and hopefully finish, my dissertation...it is time to become gainfully employed again.
Still working on my proposal...moving slower than I thought it would. Will be moving this forward to 2011.

3. FOCUS (on anything and everything). I need to regain my focus, I have not had much in the latter part of 2009.
Got better, but not great.

4. Spend less time with Facebook. This may be my toughest one as I LOVE Facebook; I may even start blogging on a regular basis again, since that is part of my dissertation!
Somewhat better on the blogging, definitely not better on Facebook.

5. Spend LOTS more time with my family. None of us are getting any younger, and I really do love and like my family. More time definitely with D and Soxy...as they are most important to me.
Did better than in 2009, but would still like to spend more time with them. It became more difficult as D took a job where he is gone most weekdays...flying, so he doesn't come home as much as when he drove.
 
And now, my 2011 Resolutions:
1. FINISH my dissertation; even it if kills me.
 
2. Blog more regularly; shooting for at least once a week.
 
3. Eat healthier and get back in shape.
 
4. Spend more time with family and friends.
 
5. Be the person Soxy thinks I am and live my life so I don't have any regrets.