Adventure #2

I am SO excited! We just rented an RV for 4 days to go to the National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona. We're going to the Grand Canyon and then parking at the stadium to join the big football party! Woohoo! After USC wins this weekend, it'll be Ohio State vs. USC...it can't get any better than that!

Update

I'm happy to say I am back to normal! YAY! I went hiking twice this week and I'm eating well. I have a follow-up appointment tomorrow, where I will ask to be referred to a specialty doctor for future needs. Yes, unfortunately, this will be an ongoing medical issue because of how much scar tissue I have. At least, now I know what to look for when something occurs again and we can take care of it, hopefully without surgery. I was sad when I heard this, I felt like a sick person; however, Jill and Gina were able to put it in a new perspective that made me feel better. They said to look at it like it's asthma or something that's not life threatening and can be easily fixed. I totally agree. I'm perfectly healthy and though I may have a set back time and again, it's okay because I know I can handle it. In reality, it's minor compared to what I've been through to get here so whatever! I'll face it when that time comes again. Until then, I think it's time for another adventure...

Heehee

Who loves Gina? Mom and Dad do! Go Trojans!

Monday Morning

I'm almost back to my normal self. I'm feeling good and want to jump back into my active life. For the past few days, I've been a little down and not myself...I think it was just a part of my recovery. Now, I'm ready to enjoy the rest of the week with my parents and play as much as I can. Yay!

Too skinny

You know what sucks about getting sick? You lose weight and for me that's a problem. I'm already skinny and so when the numbers are even lower when I step on the scale, it's a bit frustrating and kinda gross. Now I have a goal to gain weight, but it's hard when I can't eat like a normal person. All I can do is keep eating and be patient. I'm ready to put some meat back on my bones and to be healthy again:)

Another round of Landmark...

It's so good to be home! Even better is the fact that my parents just signed up to do the Landmark Forum this upcoming weekend. They saw a huge difference in my attitude during this hospital stay from the last time and are convinced that's what got me out so quickly...and so am I. I never felt stressed out or scared. I never felt one ounce of negativity, everything was so clear and out of my control that staying positive was the only option for me. It was unexpectedly easy, a natural way of being that Landmark teaches us how to live in each moment. I can't wait for them to experience it and to get what I and all my friends got out of it. A new perception of life, what a way to begin a brand new year! They're going to love it:)

I'm checkin out!

Look at these adorable babies! Loving them to pieces. They're sending me good vibes along with all of you and guess what...

The doctor unexpectedly came in and just told us I can go home! YAY! I'm still cramping and still a bit uncomfortable, but since my liquids didn't come up from this morning and my x-rays looked good...I'm free to go home to celebrate Thanksgiving with my lovely family. Woohoo!

Hospital Thoughts

It's crazy how life can just stop. We all take so many things for granted, it's rare that we stop and look at what we have. On Monday, I was going through my day like I usually would, I went hiking, ran some errands, the normal stuff. Then Monday evening rolls around and I'm scarfing down my spaghetti and getting ready to make my vision board (From the Secret...the video is on my blog if you're interested in watching it), not thinking that in the next few hours, my life was about to take an unexpected turn.

BAM! Life just stopped for me, as soon as I arrived to the hospital. Everything I was doing or planning on doing, it wasn't even a possibility for me anymore. I had to cancel quite a few things, Jill had to make those phone calls for me. Everything just changed in a matter of minutes...even my parents, all the way from Ohio, came walking through the door, huh? From here on out, I'm going to take this as another lesson learned and will practice getting in the habit of saying what I'm grateful for every morning when I get up. Nothing is more precious than life and where we are in each moment...good or bad. To be thankful, is really getting that life is valuable, we're here to be happy and to conquer any challenge that it brings. I'm positive that I've got this one in the bag!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I got my hands on some Ambien last night. Oh my was that fabulous! I slept through the entire night, it was tough to get up this morning. They brought me breakfast. A yummy tray of Jello, apple juice, and broth. Mmmmm...now that's some good eatin! I guess they're just getting me ready for my Thanksgiving turkey dinner later...hehe. Yeah right! Oh well, there's always next year and it's not like I've never had it before:)

Thank you for all the comments, thoughts, and prayers! They made me smile every time I read a new one. I feel very loved...a wonderful thing to have when you're not feeling well. I love you all too and I promise I'll be outta here soon. I'm workin on it as I type...mmmm Jello.

Liquids

Right now I am eating my first cup of jello, a part of the liquid diet. Yes, it's true. My body did what it was supposed to and now I'm on the road to put some real food in my tummy. For now, it's all about apple juice and jello...yummy.

X-Rays and good news!

I had to get a CAT scan this morning, they poured dye mixed with water into my tube so they could see everything. It didn't take long, I was back up in my room within an hour. A few hours later, I went down again for another x-ray, which was also super quick...woohoo!

So here's the deal: My doctor came up and said my x-rays looked good, the liquid was moving where it needed to go, which means surgery doesn't seem to be the solution...now it's all about the waiting game for me. I'm so happy! I'm singing: "I don't have to get surgery! I don't have to get surgery! I don't have to get surgery!" Heehee. Anyway, as soon as my body allows me to drink liquids, we'll move onto solids and if that goes well...I'll be checkin outta here before you know it. I'll keep you posted!

I'm sleepy!

The night was a long one, I forgot about the little sleep that comes with a hospital stay. Anytime I would finally fall back into a sound sleep, a nurse would come walking in or my machine would start beeping. Wahhhhhh! My mom and I were up at 5:30am because we were sick of battling with all the ruckus...I've been in and out of sleep all day long:)

Hospital Blogger

Hehe. I am totally blogging from my hospital room. Gina brought my laptop over and connected me to the wireless...why not make the best of my situation, right? RIGHT! I'm actually in a really good place, I feel very positive and I'm not scared at all. I'm just going with the flow no matter what comes my way because that's what I have to do in order for me to get out of here.

So here's what happened: For the past few days, anytime I would eat something solid, I'd get nauseous and it made me question what was going on, but not fully. I had hints here and hints there, but I didn't think it was anything to worry about. I mean haven't I had enough already!?! It wasn't until dinner time yesterday that I really felt like something was wrong. Jill made pasta, a meal we have regularly, and it wasn't sitting with me well. I curled up on the couch, hoping that the cramping would go away, but they were only getting worse.

It was about 9pm when I got up and told the room I was going to bed, that I wasn't okay, and I needed to rest. Throughout the night, I tossed from one side to the other, sleeping on my back, and trying to get as comfortable as I could. Nothing was working. The pain and nausea just kept elevating, to the point where I approached Gina in tears, I couldn't take it anymore. She convinced me to sleep on the couch and then went to bed saying if I needed anything, to wake her up.

It was about 1:30 a.m. and that's when the pain reached a point to where I knew something wasn't right. I went into Jill and Gina's room crying, hunched over because I couldn't walk any other way. Just as Jill sat up in bed, I vomited all over the floor and couldn't stop until I reached the toilet. It was terrible, a feeling I've NEVER felt before. My whole body went into shock because of how hard I was throwing up...it hurt so bad.

Then, we got to the Glendale Emergency room and signed in. After several minutes of excruciating pain, I am so miserable that I begin crying to the receptionist, begging her to call me in. She wouldn't budge...it's against policy. I didn't know what to do after that, I went into the ladies bathroom and began throwing up again. My whole body was tingling, going into shock because of the severity of what was happening. Jill couldn't take it anymore, she went up to the desk and yelled. She told them that I needed a place to lay, the dirty bathroom floor wasn't acceptable, that I needed something NOW. They finally responded and I was called in to see the doctor. As soon as I laid down on the bed, I was hooked up to an iv and was given Morphine...it was wonderful...hehe. I also got a few X-rays taken, blood work done, and a GI tube inserted. This procedure is putting a tube up the nose and down the throat...not the most pleasant thing in the world, but it had to be done to drain my stomach.

Finally, after spending all morning in the ER, Jill and I had to wait for an ambulance to transport me to my hospital in East LA. We got here around 3 and happy to say that my room rocks! I've had quite a few friends come for a visit and now I'm waiting for my mom and dad's arrival, with a tube in my nose, Morphine in my veins, and a big smile on my face. YAY!

Jamie is in the hospital

I will post updates. She had to go to the Emergency room last night and will possibly have to have surgery for an obstructed bowel, we won't know until tomorrow...until then...she is in good spirits.

12 Rules for Being Human

1. You will receive a body.
You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons.
You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.
Growth is a process of trial and error: experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."

4. A lesson is repeated until learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can then go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end.
There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better than "here."
When your "there" has become a "here," you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."

7. Others are merely mirrors of you.
You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you.
You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Life is exactly what you think it is.
You create a life that matches your beliefs and expectations.

10. Your answers lie inside you.
The answers to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

11. You will forget all this.

12. You can remember it whenever you want.

USC- 23 Cal-9

...and they did it! YAY!

WOO HOO!

WE WON! OSU- 42 MI- 39

Now its USC's turn!!!!!

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

Football Thoughts

Ah...today is going to be a great college football day today. Ohio State vs. Michigan is the first one and then followed by USC vs. California. Of course, we want OSU and USC to win...we have the luxury of being fans of both, due to the fact that Jill and I went to OSU, Gina went to USC and Calen works for USC. We want to see our teams meet in the championship this year in Arizona, it's only a 6 or so hour drive. Yep! We're going to try to get tickets, which would be the best experience ever! The coolest part about it is, it's a win win situation. Either team could lose and it won't feel so bad, that's why this HAS to happen!

We've been following both teams for years. We went to the Fiesta Bowl a couple years ago when OSU won the championship against Miami, it was so much fun! We didn't actually get to go into the game, we hung out in a bar outside the stadium, along with thousands of other Buckeye fans...it felt as if we were in Columbus again. Ohio State fans are the best, they'll travel anywhere for their team. I love it! USC fans are pretty rad as well, it's pretty serious in Trojan land and it makes me happy to be apart of it:) YAY!

GO BUCKS! GO TROJANS!

November 18th, 2004

It was two years ago tomorrow when I was finally released from the hospital, after being there for a whole month. It felt like prison, the only place I had to go was up and down the hallways. I vividly remember the moment my doctor told me I could go home and the relief and anxiety that followed. I was so happy, yet terrified at the same time. I knew my mom would be leaving that night, she was my safe haven throughout my stay. The thought of a fever spiking again without medical professionals around scared me as well, it's unsettling to feel so dependent on other people. Those concerns didn't get it in the way though, as soon as I got the okay, my mind was already out the door. The doctors came in and unhooked all the wires and tubes that were in my body, it was so freeing to be able to walk without that annoying IV cart. All the nurses that were apart of my recovery came in one by one to say goodbye, even the one I yelled at a few times. Damn hormones! They proceeded to take my temperature on the way out, I panicked. I thought for sure it was going to be the detriment to me leaving. Luckily, I was only a little warm and can honestly say I brought it on myself, I was paranoid and extremely negative. I was such a mental case and me being as strong-minded as I am, if I didn't leave any sooner, undoubtedly I would've spiked a fever again. Thankfully, Kristen, Mom, and Gina were ready to rush me out of there, NO WAY they were going to let me stay another night.

We walked out of the hospital doors and man, that sunlight was bright! I was so weak, I felt like I was in isolation. The outside world was different from what it was when I first went in, a new appreciation slowly built as we drove home; however, I was still trying to recover from the outburst I had over the weekend toward my mom. It was hard to really enjoy the moment because of the sadness and regret I felt. Also, she was leaving that evening and Kristen too...I didn't know how to say goodbye and to thank my mom for what she did for me. We both lost a whole month of our lives...literally just gone.

I was very uneasy as time came closer for them to leave, I couldn't relax. After they left, Jill and Gina did all they could to keep me sane, then it was time to sleep and I felt grateful to be back in my bed. The night didn't go as I hoped it would, I was uncomfortable and my mind was all over the place. I got up late that night and walked out into the living room, where Gina was still on the couch working on her computer. She put her computer away and slept on the couch with me...it was the first night I finally slept all the way through. Knowing she was there made all the difference in the world, I finally felt like I was home and my nightmare was over. Everything was going to be okay.

Wedding Recap

We're off to the wedding. Mom and dad love when we're ALL together!

Me getting ready to capture a night of precious moments...er...uh...drunken fun.

Jill and Gina hug before the party begins...

Your turn! Say CHEESE!

Let's take a group photo to show we WERE sober at one point...

I don't know about you, Dad, but I'm feeling GREAT!

Awww...we look alike...

How you feelin Matt??

I guess this is where things began to get crazy???

Nothing better than bustin a move with the fam!!

I'm drunk...SEE!?! Blahhhhhh!

1, 2, 3...CHUG! Go Wendy! Go Kristen!

DANCIN!

YEAH!

Steve and Laura always play with us...

and, so do Wendy and Travis...

Kiss kiss

Who loves Gina? KRISTEN DOES!

Florida was SO much fun! We drank most of the time and managed to embarrass my cousin at her wedding. Oops. Sorry:( It wasn't intentional...we were having a good time and doing what we do when we're all together. You know like drinking mass amounts of alcohol, taking up the dance floor, and bouncing from one person to another with our retarded conversations. Or like the obnoxious, yet funny chanting on the bus, every time someone used the bathroom in the back; while her in-laws are listening to our drunken stupor. Or like a few of us peeing between the trees, along the sidewalk, because there wasn't anywhere else to go after we got off the bus to go to the next bar. Yeah, I think it was probably all the above. Damn, it was such a good time though!

Back from Florida!

I'll write about it tomorrow...we had a blast!

See ya!

We're leaving for Florida tomorrow morning for my cousin's wedding. I'm excited! The whole Bowers side of the family will be there, we always have a blast when we're together. She's getting married at Disneyworld, an unexpected location but fun at the same time. We'll be back on Sunday, a nice long weekend getaway. YAY!

I'm SO sore!

Jill took on bootcamp last week to get back into shape and into an exercise groove. It's a whole month of intense training, they literally get yelled at when they slack off. She wakes up at 4 in the morning to get ready and is in West Hollywood by 5 for the hour long workout. She's kicking so much ass right now, I couldn't help but be inspired by her drive and motivation...so I began exercising too! Now, I'm hiking and going to the gym, a place where I felt it'd be impossible for me to get back into again. The past few days have been great, besides the fact I'm extremely sore and can't move around very well. I love it though and THIS time I'm going to stick with it. I'm even going to sign up for the same bootcamp next month...I can't wait! I'm so ready to be healthy again...it's been awhile.

The Secret film TV/DVD 2006 Documentary (Extended Edition)

Official Publicist for The Secret. As seen on Larry King Live's "Beyond Positive Thinking." The Secret to attaining all your life's desires is seconds away. Even if you have already watched The Secret documentary original movie release, called by some "The Abraham-Hicks Edition," we recommend you watch this special extended version. Lisa Nichols does a great job explaining The LOA (The Secret) in different and more understandable ways. Enjoy it FREE for a limited time only. Make sure to support The Secret official site and your world elite friends at http://www.myviplife.com. (To Watch and Share The Secret ORIGINAL feature documentary accessed through this A-listers site, click Links for VIP>Celebrities>News & Lifestyle->AND Choose Your Hollywood Connection - The VIP Publicity site). This free extended edition features transformational leading world renowned experts and best selling authors in the fields of quantum physics, psychology, metaphysics, theology, philosophy, business & finance, geomancy (celebrity feng shui consultant), medicine, personal development, and world leadership. Interviews with John Assaraf, Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith, Lee Brower, Jack Canfield, Dr. John F. Demartini, Marie Diamond, Mike Dooley, Bob Doyle, Hale Dwoskin, Morris E. Goodman, Cathy Goodman, John Gray PH.D., Dr. John Hagelin, Bill Harris, Dr. Ben Johnson, Loral Langemeier, Lisa Nichols, Bob Proctor, James Arthur Ray, David Schirmer, Marci Shimoff MBA, Dr. Joe Vitale, Neale Donald Walsch, Fred Alan Wolf PH.D. Directed by Drew Heriot, Executive Producer and Creator, Rhonda Byrne. Brought to the world by "Dragon 8 Publicists: You Are What You Think" and Viewers Like You. Ask for the special link to share this film with the world and we'll give you a link in our sites. Email us your website address and we'll send you a personalized link. celebrityaccess@gmail.com

This is great!

Communication: Access To Power

Whew! I put myself through a lot this year, growing as an individual and growing with the ones around me. It's been a 10 month long self bootcamp and yet I still felt like something was missing. I couldn't figure it out, not until I took the Communication Course last weekend.

In this course, we learned new distinctions, separate from the Forum and Advanced Course. Knowing them has enabled me to be stronger in every moment and really looking within myself to see what it is I want out of my life and feeling confident enough to acknowledge it...verbally. This course completely opened up my world, more than I thought possible. Communication is the key to love and affinity, without it dreams are hopeless and life is significant, a way that leaves us powerless in a world that puts limitations on everything we do. I got that there were things in my life I was making out to be more than they really are. It caused me to doubt myself, my integrity, and my natural way of being. I struggled with having conversations that could've made a difference in how I was living and how I was communicating in my relationships. My listening of others unknowingly was non-existent, I had point of views that made it difficult to hear what another was saying, even though I thought I was hearing it all.

For me, the course was like the forum in communication. I had several breakthroughs, ones that lit me up as soon as I got it. I got that speaking from nothing is the purest form of love and communication. It allows us to be free and acknowledge what's there for us in that very moment, opposed to our past and/or ego. We're present, our point of views are open, and our words are a natural flow to what is. Nothing can't be right or wrong, words don't need to be prepared or practiced, not as long as it's coming from within. Furthermore, I got that real listening will leave a person complete in the conversation, one won't have to keep talking and repeating over and over again to be heard. It creates a space to live in another's world, a gift, a new point of view that enables us to cause peace in every situation and in our relationships.

My new perception of communication was the missing piece to furthering my self-development and self-empowerment. Of course it's going to take practice and a lot of courage, but in the end, it will get me everything I want in my life and that's all worth it to me.