So it's August and my doctors have been asking when do you think you can go back, and I'd always answer when insurance lets me! LOL
Finally I went to see my neuro Dr. Sanka and she tells me I'm doing so much better then she had even seen me. I was still have spasms and stiffness, but she mention how it was finally time to take the chance on Physical and Occupational Therapy while I'm doing so well with the new treatment. I said fine in a way I couldn't wait to go back I missed being in San Antonio and my friends. See you have to understand something with me lets go back a couple of years so you can see how I see things.
I moved to San Antonio at 17 to attend Our Lady of the Lake University were I was pursing my dreams of becoming a doctor myself. I was halfway done with my credits I was the youngest junior in school I think. My I guess official freshmen year I spent it like many well not really but I had my freedom for the first time. I worked the first semester as a Girl Scout Leader at an elementary school near by campus. I volunteered in my community while I was in school as a proud member of AmeriCorps. I help to rebuild houses over the weekend, clean parks, help children learn English for those who only spoke Spanish and much more. It's something I'm proud to say I was part of. I had a great assortment of friend I say that because if you saw me on campus you didn't know who I'd be hanging out with. One minute I'd be with all the science majors, next I'd be with my mariachi friends, and then with almost always with my closes friend Crystal, Natalie, Lori, and Ann. Crystal and I were roommates and got to know each other lives. Natalie and I were just amazing friend we had so much in common we both loved soccer, running, and just being plain goof balls. (That's one friendship I really miss!) Don't get me wrong we are still friends we just can't do what we would always do. Oh how I miss running and kicking the ball around! Anyways Ann became friend with Crystal and me first then came Natalie, but I will tell you think Natalie and Ann didn't like each other I guess they just pretended to be civil since Crystal and I were best friends at the time. So yeah lets not forget Lori yeah that girl is a whole other story we became friends during our orientation at AmeriCorps and she kind of just tagged along for everything not to mention she was a bio major too... wonder what she's up to now a days. Well I wonder what most of them are doing now a days we had a major falling out when I got sick well Crystal and I and Ann just stopped talking to both of us since a family member joined the university and Natalie I talk to her once in a blue moon but yeah she's still there. My Mariachi friend/family they are all still there and here for me wish I could go back and really show them no fear and stop being shy. Anyways they are all just a phone call away so with them I don't have a problem meeting up with. It's just my schedule that doesn't allow it.
I'm getting side track here I was talking about all these stuff then I got in to my friends lets get back on track shall we?
As I was doing that I was getting sick, fall breaking stuff, and did have pain, but I just always blamed on my busy work. I had a full course load every semester and I'd push myself sometimes to the breaking point. I'd wake up get ready eat a quick breakfast and that was if I had time, then run to class not like it was far away the campus is so small but just the fact that this is your life in your hand you kind of want to take it seriously, once I'd get out of one I might have another after that so there you go crossing campus climbing stairs because OLLU is an OLD school if you took the elevator you were taking chances you might get stuck so we carried with food all the time, then there was free time which I'd like to call NAP time, wake up in 30 min. run to another class, run out of class because I knew I had to be at the after school program to help with the Girl Scotts on one day and the ESL kiddos another. It was always run to do this run to do that yeah you know the freshman 15 were they say you gain 15 pounds yeah I lost it instead. The first Thanksgiving break I took it as a Hey Vanessa want to go back to work at the Disney Store?! and I was like Heck Yes! I had some mariachi stuff to do Wednesday more but right after that I packed my bags and headed back to Laredo. Frist thing I did say HI to the parental then run to the mall because I had to work that night. I had been working at the Disney Store since I turned 16, so for me it was a joy to be back. Although I only knew the manager and two past employees everyone else was new. I walked in went straight to the back and a girl runs to me and grabs me tells me I can't go back there I was like yes I can she goes no its only for employees I just laughed and walked in she followed me in and everyone I knew was back there. I was greeted with open arms. Then they ask the girl who had stopped me before what she was doing there she just said I was stopping her from coming in they all laughed and said she works her silly now go back to work! That night I was introduced to everyone that was working and I showed off my skills with what stuff meant while everyone else was like what how does she know that. Not knowing I was training to be a Lead in a San Antonio location. They were even madder when they found out I was opening and working all day Black Friday and had lead register. Oh how I loved that job. Once the holiday was over I planned with the manager that I would come back for Christmas break to work while I was in town.
Yeah that didn't happened the weekend before final my smart ass decides to volunteer with a few friends at a camp called CAMPCAMP for people with disabilities giving the parents a rest for the weekend. Well they certainly put the CAMP in camp we didn't stay in tents we had these cabins were the girls stayed in one side while the boys stayed in the other I was in charge of a young girl who was a quadriplegic, had a feeding tube, needing changing every hour in a half, and non verbal. As we ate I'd feed her some food in her mouth, but then feed her threw her peg tube. On Saturday night we had some type of strew with sausage and beans it was really good most of us volunteers ate two bowls. After we had a visit from Santa for the campers since it was just a few weeks away from Christmas. Anyhow I got my camper in bed and got to hang out with my friends and some of the volunteers, but all of a sudden I started to get pain on the lower right side of my abdomen. I just though of it as gas since of the strew. The following day we said our goodbyes and head back to school, but we were starving and for FOOD not camp food. We went to Wendy's and ate there. That night the pain came back again I just though I've been eating bad all this weekend it just might be that. The following day I didn't have any finals and neither did Crystal so we decided to do some Christmas shopping and headed to the mall, but just before I went to the school doctors office just to make sure my pain was nothing big. Well I had a bit of a fever and the section where the pain was, was tender to touch, so they told me I could be having gastritis or even appendicitis. They were worried but I told them about my weekend I said I might have carried the girl I was watching over wrong or just plain gasses, and I went off my way to the mall. As the day progressed so did the pain, but I wasn't about to throw in the towel it was finals week. Once we got back Natalie saw how I was and told me we are going back to the doctors office. As they started to check me over again they were certain it was my appendix, and I had to go to the hospital but stubborn me left to my dorm were we started to study in the hall because some of us had the same test the following day. As it became night time and me sitting on the floor I just fall over to my side in pain. Natalie says that's it we are going to the hospital, but my roommate and Ann were like she's faking to get out of her tests. To prove them wrong I held on to the pain as much as possible till Natalie said lets go to the Library to study I agree she tells me to take my computer, books, and keys. At first I was hesitant to take my keys because I knew Crystal would be in the room, but I got them any ways. Once down stairs she tells me we are not studying we are going to the hospital at this point there was no fighting her, but I did as can't I just go to the Texas Med clinic just in case its not that why do you want to wait in a hospital waiting room. She agrees so we head out I get to the clinic and tell me they don't take my insurance, but at that one second the doctor passed by saw me and said just let her in. He looked me over was certain to that it was my appendix he did a sonogram just to make sure, and first thing he does grabs his note bad and write down, " This girls appendix is about to burst no waiting room call a surgeon!" That's when I'm like oh shit what have I done... I get to the hospital it was like pass go and go directly back. I bet if I would have gone to the hospital first it would have burst while I was in the waiting room. As we are there I tell Natalie that I feel much better, they had giving me pain meds by then, because he had a test in the morning and still needed to study I'd be fine at the hospital alone my parents had already been told and were on their way. So she does well this next part I don't really know how it happened but I'll just tell you how I remember... Once Nat headed back she open the door to my room with my keys the girls expected me to be with Natalie and they ask were I am apparently she went off on them on how they can call themselves my friends, since I was in the hospital getting ready for surgery. She threw them my keys and said here her keys just in case you care enough to go check on her. Crystal had my hospital bag well that what we called it, it was a bag with a change of clothes and PJs, since I hate wearing the hospital gowns and apparently there were more exchange of words and lets just say that they didn't speak to each other after that. They both went to the hospital all three were allowed to take there finals another day since Natalie took me, Crystal and Ann stayed with me till my parents got there and I was wheeled in to the operating room. I guess I wasn't faking it after all or was it the stew! I finished the semester a little later then most but I finished. Although I wasn't able to go back to work at the Disney Store for winter break.
Once second semester started I continued with my 6 classes, Girl Scouts and AmeriCorps, but I did decide on one more thing to work at the Disney Store in San Antonio. I started weekends, then added on week days, and homework at night. I was running like a chicken with her head chopped off... Till I fell again but this time hard and wrong I broke my left. I had already broken my arms before from falls so it was nothing new. At the Disney Store in Laredo they would let me continue work but in San Antonio I wasn't allowed. So that was one less thing to do then volunteering became hard I couldn't clean parks or paint house, and that became less work for me to do on the weekends I had some free time I wasn't use to. I did volunteer doing other things like talking to youth center and that sort of stuff, but I was already use to doing more it was hard for me to slow down. Semester finally finished and I headed home to summer school! I promised my parents this time I wouldn't work, so spent a lot of time with my family and friends during that summer.
Senior year was finally around the corner and I begged my parents to let me rent an apartment till the finally said yes! Of course I had a roommate and yes it was Crystal, so school started and this year I wasn't working with the Girl Scoots I had free time in my hands. Well not even a block away from where I was living there was a Sonic Drive In, and I decided to apply. This time my schedule was even crazier if you could believe it. They would schedule me in between classes, after school, and weekends. Although crazy I with all the driving and running around I WAS HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE! And that's when it happened when everything changed... I started getting infection after infection I was ending up in ICU for 29 days and then moved to the floor for another 14 or so days. I was going round and round I ended up dropping out that semester, because the hospital visit were getting to intense.
AND that's when it all happened as I stayed in bed for weeks I started to feel pain in my legs that I had felt before but since I was always running I always said it was that, but this time I was in the hospital doing nothing... It didn't make sense
TILL NOW
So back to me starting Physical and Occupational Therapy my stiffness has reduce some what since I started. I'm walking with a walker or even cane some time with Physical Therapy, but I do have to give some credit to an awesome therapist that I have. She is able to handle someone with SPS which is not easy not to mention I'm not an easy person to put up with. And Occupational therapy is going a little slower because my back and right shoulder is so rigid that its hard to work with, but again I have such a great and amazing therapist that she too is able to work around that problem and help me get more mobility. Plus I've known my OT for a long while now that its hard not to be friends with her. That goes for my PT as well they have both put the effort not just to help me, but my family. The other therapist there and staff help like I said not just me but my family I couldn't ask for more!
Yeah that didn't happened the weekend before final my smart ass decides to volunteer with a few friends at a camp called CAMPCAMP for people with disabilities giving the parents a rest for the weekend. Well they certainly put the CAMP in camp we didn't stay in tents we had these cabins were the girls stayed in one side while the boys stayed in the other I was in charge of a young girl who was a quadriplegic, had a feeding tube, needing changing every hour in a half, and non verbal. As we ate I'd feed her some food in her mouth, but then feed her threw her peg tube. On Saturday night we had some type of strew with sausage and beans it was really good most of us volunteers ate two bowls. After we had a visit from Santa for the campers since it was just a few weeks away from Christmas. Anyhow I got my camper in bed and got to hang out with my friends and some of the volunteers, but all of a sudden I started to get pain on the lower right side of my abdomen. I just though of it as gas since of the strew. The following day we said our goodbyes and head back to school, but we were starving and for FOOD not camp food. We went to Wendy's and ate there. That night the pain came back again I just though I've been eating bad all this weekend it just might be that. The following day I didn't have any finals and neither did Crystal so we decided to do some Christmas shopping and headed to the mall, but just before I went to the school doctors office just to make sure my pain was nothing big. Well I had a bit of a fever and the section where the pain was, was tender to touch, so they told me I could be having gastritis or even appendicitis. They were worried but I told them about my weekend I said I might have carried the girl I was watching over wrong or just plain gasses, and I went off my way to the mall. As the day progressed so did the pain, but I wasn't about to throw in the towel it was finals week. Once we got back Natalie saw how I was and told me we are going back to the doctors office. As they started to check me over again they were certain it was my appendix, and I had to go to the hospital but stubborn me left to my dorm were we started to study in the hall because some of us had the same test the following day. As it became night time and me sitting on the floor I just fall over to my side in pain. Natalie says that's it we are going to the hospital, but my roommate and Ann were like she's faking to get out of her tests. To prove them wrong I held on to the pain as much as possible till Natalie said lets go to the Library to study I agree she tells me to take my computer, books, and keys. At first I was hesitant to take my keys because I knew Crystal would be in the room, but I got them any ways. Once down stairs she tells me we are not studying we are going to the hospital at this point there was no fighting her, but I did as can't I just go to the Texas Med clinic just in case its not that why do you want to wait in a hospital waiting room. She agrees so we head out I get to the clinic and tell me they don't take my insurance, but at that one second the doctor passed by saw me and said just let her in. He looked me over was certain to that it was my appendix he did a sonogram just to make sure, and first thing he does grabs his note bad and write down, " This girls appendix is about to burst no waiting room call a surgeon!" That's when I'm like oh shit what have I done... I get to the hospital it was like pass go and go directly back. I bet if I would have gone to the hospital first it would have burst while I was in the waiting room. As we are there I tell Natalie that I feel much better, they had giving me pain meds by then, because he had a test in the morning and still needed to study I'd be fine at the hospital alone my parents had already been told and were on their way. So she does well this next part I don't really know how it happened but I'll just tell you how I remember... Once Nat headed back she open the door to my room with my keys the girls expected me to be with Natalie and they ask were I am apparently she went off on them on how they can call themselves my friends, since I was in the hospital getting ready for surgery. She threw them my keys and said here her keys just in case you care enough to go check on her. Crystal had my hospital bag well that what we called it, it was a bag with a change of clothes and PJs, since I hate wearing the hospital gowns and apparently there were more exchange of words and lets just say that they didn't speak to each other after that. They both went to the hospital all three were allowed to take there finals another day since Natalie took me, Crystal and Ann stayed with me till my parents got there and I was wheeled in to the operating room. I guess I wasn't faking it after all or was it the stew! I finished the semester a little later then most but I finished. Although I wasn't able to go back to work at the Disney Store for winter break.
Once second semester started I continued with my 6 classes, Girl Scouts and AmeriCorps, but I did decide on one more thing to work at the Disney Store in San Antonio. I started weekends, then added on week days, and homework at night. I was running like a chicken with her head chopped off... Till I fell again but this time hard and wrong I broke my left. I had already broken my arms before from falls so it was nothing new. At the Disney Store in Laredo they would let me continue work but in San Antonio I wasn't allowed. So that was one less thing to do then volunteering became hard I couldn't clean parks or paint house, and that became less work for me to do on the weekends I had some free time I wasn't use to. I did volunteer doing other things like talking to youth center and that sort of stuff, but I was already use to doing more it was hard for me to slow down. Semester finally finished and I headed home to summer school! I promised my parents this time I wouldn't work, so spent a lot of time with my family and friends during that summer.
Senior year was finally around the corner and I begged my parents to let me rent an apartment till the finally said yes! Of course I had a roommate and yes it was Crystal, so school started and this year I wasn't working with the Girl Scoots I had free time in my hands. Well not even a block away from where I was living there was a Sonic Drive In, and I decided to apply. This time my schedule was even crazier if you could believe it. They would schedule me in between classes, after school, and weekends. Although crazy I with all the driving and running around I WAS HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE! And that's when it happened when everything changed... I started getting infection after infection I was ending up in ICU for 29 days and then moved to the floor for another 14 or so days. I was going round and round I ended up dropping out that semester, because the hospital visit were getting to intense.
AND that's when it all happened as I stayed in bed for weeks I started to feel pain in my legs that I had felt before but since I was always running I always said it was that, but this time I was in the hospital doing nothing... It didn't make sense
TILL NOW
So back to me starting Physical and Occupational Therapy my stiffness has reduce some what since I started. I'm walking with a walker or even cane some time with Physical Therapy, but I do have to give some credit to an awesome therapist that I have. She is able to handle someone with SPS which is not easy not to mention I'm not an easy person to put up with. And Occupational therapy is going a little slower because my back and right shoulder is so rigid that its hard to work with, but again I have such a great and amazing therapist that she too is able to work around that problem and help me get more mobility. Plus I've known my OT for a long while now that its hard not to be friends with her. That goes for my PT as well they have both put the effort not just to help me, but my family. The other therapist there and staff help like I said not just me but my family I couldn't ask for more!
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