I'm glad I put the traffic feed up.

I am really glad I put up the Feedjit meter.

Over the last 24 hours, I've had hits from:

-- Cincinnati
-- Lebanon, TN
-- Germantown, TN
-- Oklahoma City
-- Terre Haute, IN
-- Akron, OH
-- and Valley City, OH.

No, I'm not going to stalk anyone who visited to find out who they are. In fact, I don't worry about it.

But...the interesting hit came from right here in Florence. Someone, in fact, who searched for MY NAME. (And NO, I know it wasn't me - I still show up as Chatham, Illinois even though I'm NOT in that town.)

That one, I'd like to know who they are. I find it interesting they came here via a google search, and left via my twitter link.

Hmmmm....maybe I WILL stalk that person and find out why they tracked me down...or wanted to.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Added something

I don't know about some of you, but I like knowing where my visitors came from.

On that note, check out the traffic feed to the right. It shows where visitors to my blog hail from. I know where some of you are - but not every visitor. I am thinking eventually I may move this to TSMW.

Oh and ignore the "Chatham, Illinois" posts. Those are me - but for some reason, any site I visit seems to think I'm in Illinois when...well, I'm not.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Just Over One Year.

53 weeks ago (that would be November 22, 2008), I began this blog to share the personal side of my life.

I have written blogs of frustration, blogs of joy, blogs of deep thought, blogs of sadness, and even blogs of anger.

But through it all, this blog has been my place to share my world and my perspective on it. I remain committed to sharing my life and my struggle as a 24 year old who has Spina Bifida and writes a fairly successful media blog.

I let the one year anniversary of Tri-State Media Watch slip by without really commenting on it, so as not to seem full of myself. But this blog...I did not want to let its 1 year anniversary slip too far away. (It got far enough away as it is, didn't it?)

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Hallelujah, God Is Good!!!

This morning, I was thinking Mom would not be able to go home.

Fast forward to tonight, and HALLELUJAH, SHE IS HOME!!!

As stated in an email I sent to many of you on my list, she's not 100 percent out of the woods, she does have two blockages but not serious enough to require stents. But still, she is HOME and resting.

HALLELUJAH! God is SO good, I am so glad she got to come home!

Courage + Belief = LIFE

A Brief Update

I got word last night as I was leaving to go to my sister's house then to church as far as what is next for my mom.

She will be transferred from St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas to St. Elizabeth South in Edgewood, KY sometime today, and then undergo an angioplasty.

We aren't sure when she would be able to come home - but early thinking is that it won't be today, and is about a 50/50 chance tomorrow. That, of course, assumes no complications from the angioplasty.

Continue keeping us in your dailies today and for the rest of this weekend, that mom will take it easy when she DOES come home.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

URGENT - Mom In Hospital

UPDATE 3:35 PM 11/24: An EKG was done around 1:30 PM - They have CONFIRMED she is having heart trouble and further testing is to be run this afternoon and evening. Further details will be available through my twitter and/or here on this space as soon as it is possible to do so.

My mom has been taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital Fort Thomas as of 12:30 PM ET. We have no details on what is wrong, only that her doctor has sent her there due to chest pains. She'll be there at least this afternoon and possibly overnight for observation - they want to make double sure she's going to be okay and that it's nothing serious. If all my blog friends would say a LOT of prayers, my family and I would appreciate it.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Feeling Better...Cautiously Optimistic, Anyway

After a good night's sleep...I feel better.

Yesterday was pretty tough, I will admit. But...after venting my frustrations, my doubts and my fears...I feel a lot better than I have in the last 7 days.

So, I'll move forward, cautiously optimistic that life is going to be better. Thanks everyone for the support which was much needed.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

I Don't Say This Often..

...but, why me?

Why is it that I'm going through these issues with my spine? The doctor thinks the Harrington rods implanted during my 1998 scoliosis correction are likely the cause of my back pains.

It has gotten to the point this year I am on Flexeril up to 3 times a day to just FUNCTION. Yes, to function, let alone SLEEP.

Again, I do not often say this stuff. You almost never hear me saying "Why Me?". But...knowing I have a spinal column that is LIKELY going straight to you know where is really frustrating as hell.

Maybe I just needed to vent this frustration so I can stop saying "Why Me?", but, I'm just...not sure. No knowledge of what I'll need to do next if the new chair doesn't help the matter. No idea if I'll need more surgery. No clue how bad this is going to get.

God, I hope this winds up getting better very soon. Because if it gets worse, I fear I'll be permanently damaged.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

The Update After the Appointment...Plus Thanks...

Well, I promised an update, and here it is.

I had my appointment at 2 ET. It went okay. They've put me on Flexeril for my back pains. It's thought that the scoliosis MAY be worsening once again. If you recall, I had my spine straightened in 1998. That won't be known until we figure out if the new chair will help matters.

Speaking of the new chair - I will be going to the Drake Center in Cincinnati sometime this winter for an evaluation. They'll determine what will work best for me in terms of a wheelchair.

Finally, as to my depression, I'll be monitored closely to see what happens with that.

And, they're setting me up with a pulmonary doctor and an adult urologist.

Now, some thanks need to go out to Cliff of WIXY's Gone Bananas fame as well as Frasypoo (Joyce) of This and That fame and Jen of Unglazed fame for the prayers throughout the afternoon. They were, and remain, much needed at this time.

The hardest part of the week is over. Now...to return to "normal" - if I can call being in pain and yet not depressed "normal"...

Courage + Belief = LIFE

New Doctor, Same Frustrations

Well...I go to my new Spina Bifida doctor this afternoon around 2. This doctor will be seeing me about every year from now on for Spina Bifida-related care. This is good news, as I've needed a doctor of some kind for the last 3 months thanks to Children's Hospital's sudden change of policy last August with regards to my care.

However...there's a lot of the same frustrations that I've dealt with for the last 3+ months still. I'll list them all here...

1) My headaches continue. I have dealt with headaches for some time. Occasionally, when I go a day or two without caffeine, if I get the standard "bi-weekly" headaches in the midst of that stretch, they get 10 times worse. I'm not kidding about this one.

2) My wheelchair problems. Needless to say, the first thing this doctor is likely to do is take one look at my wheelchair and say, "What are you DOING in something that small?" The problem is...because of the above sudden change by Children's, I was unable to secure a new chair. See where this is going?? Possibly for this reason, but more likely others as well...

3) ...my back continues to give me hell. This week might have been the WORST in terms of my back pain. I literally was screaming at one point on Tuesday night, it was THAT bad. I didn't sleep that night. Because of that...

4) ...my problems with sleep cycle continue. Sure, I'll sleep 8 hours, but...it's never a certainty that that 8 hours occurs at nighttime. I get on track once in a while for a couple days...then something will happen to me and I'll be thrown off. It's frustrating. In fact, I slept from 11 Wednesday morning through most of the day.

Hopefully this doctor can solve at least problems 2 and 3. I'll be even happier if he can solve problem 1. Problem 4...well that might not be so bad once the other two major issues are solved.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Clearing the Brain

I needed to write something to clear my brain tonight. So, let's see what flows out...and by the way - I had to edit it, my appointment is Thursday. For about 10 seconds that it was published, it said Monday. See what I mean???

This is a little thing
To clear my big brain
Going through a lot right now
And lot runnin through my head

Goin to the doc on Thursday
Not sure what to expect
Is he going to want X-Rays?
Hope my back isn't too messed up

Need to be somewhere else
About 14 hours away
What's going on I dunno
I worry about her a lot

People around me struggling
I ain't gonna lie, it takes a toll
I want to help, but yet, I either
Can't, or am not sure how

I guess what I'm trying to say
Is there's just too much happening around me
I need this world to just STOP
And let me catch my breath!

Courage + Belief = LIFE

What Are You Thinking? - Not Removing Funds Until Too Late

Here we go with a "What are you thinking" post...for the uninitiated I got this idea from Alex Shebar, who worked at the Enquirer until layoffs earlier this year sent him out the door. He posted several things about local quirks...I started out with the same thing, but for this post, I'm transitioning to a more broad-brush idea.

Recently, I took a trip to a local bar/eating establishment on KY 18 in Florence. (Here's a hint: it features some hot women in distinguishable uniforms.) I was there for lunch with my stepfather and brother on a Tuesday afternoon.

As was my custom, I paid with my credit card when the bill came around and needed settled. I didn't think twice about it, expecting the money would be withdrawn right away, so there would not be an issue with me not knowing how much I had left in the account.

How stupid I was.

Turns out, they did NOT withdraw the funds from the account for 3 days! Big, big problem...I didn't have the funds there by this point (I was short by JUST less than 4 bucks) - and consequently was hit with darn near 40 bucks in overage fees! Boom. I was now 47 bucks in the red.

Luckily, my mom came to the rescue and bailed my fat out of the fire.

But...the fact remains that the money didn't come out of my account for 3 days. Had it come out right away, I would have been a LOT smarter.

I know where I'd have been. Had the funds come out on the 3rd as soon as I spent them, it would have left me with just over $85. I wouldn't have spent much else past that at that point.

Still, the fact that places are ALLOWED to wait up to THREE DAYS before taking funds...it's frustrating. Especially since ATM's take the cash automatically...

Bottom line, to those businesses that wait 3 days or more to take funds out of accounts...WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Friday Freestyle - Saturday Early Morning Not-so-sleepy J Edition

It's time now for one more go
The freestyle's back, and it's been awhile
But y'all, that's okay, that's quite alright
We're gonna get this thing started after a long night

Been trying to relax for much of the week
I feel like I'm just getting very weak
But that's probably due to the small chair I'm in
Y'all, don't take it as though I'm complainin'
I wouldn't wish this on any worst enemy

It isn't a picnic for this 24 year old
But y'all, I somehow manage it anyway
Everyone chill, y'all I GOT THIS
It hopefully won't be long before it's licked

Nor'easter went through the eastern coast
My forecasting abilities, of them I shall not boast
I didn't do that great calling the track
But that's alright, I'll learn as I look back

Listenin to early morning music on the Q
Good mix to get this Saturday AM goin'
Thought I heard Holly'll be at the mall later
If she is, there I'm definitely headin'

So, I just thought I'd throw out this random thing
Don't have a lot, for sure no real bling
But I'll be back in 7 days, till then stay blessed
Don't even trip, y'all, don't be stressed

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Two Dollar Bills...I've Never Seen One Till Now.

I was at church yesterday evening, and was playing Wii Bowling. I had played 2 or three practice games when I was approached by Jonathan Kirk, one of the other guys in the young adults ministry. He wanted to challenge me to a game.

Of course, I accepted the challenge. He then raised the stakes as we got started with a 2 dollar bill up for grabs to the winner of the game.

I soundly defeated him, 204-132 (or somewhere in that neighborhood anyway), and he paid up.

I've never seen a $2 bill before...so I took these pictures.




I'm hesitant to spend it...but, money is money, right?? ;=)

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Random Sunday Thoughts

Just a couple thoughts on a Sunday afternoon, following a Bengals win...

Watched some Strikeforce MMA last night. Fedor Emelianenko is a BEAST! The right hand he threw to win that bout was SICK! They call him the best, last night he proved it...

I'm so tired lately it isn't even funny. Seriously, it sucks bad. I'm always yawning, never feel like doing anything.

I've got an appointment on 11/19 with a doctor who's taking on all the patients from the Cincinnati adult Spina Bifida clinic. That clinic closed this year. Hopefully, this doctor can get the ball rolling on getting me a new wheelchair.

Speaking of that, I do need a new wheelchair. I first got this one in June 2004, after a car crash destroyed the previous one which had been purchased in 2003. That accident, on April 26, 2004, may have destroyed the wheelchair, but obviously, didn't destroy my spirit. Anyway, I'm supposed to get a new chair every 5 years - and in fact, I asked my previous doctor to send in some paperwork confirming medical necessity...but that didn't happen. Thus, I'm currently sitting in a wheelchair that has become too small for me, due to my increased weight (120 pounds) and height(5'6").

Bengals and Bearcats both win which I'm highly pleased with. Bearcats go to 9-0, Bengals are 6-2. Double WIN in my book...

Ok, my brain is empty so I'm gonna go...just remember...

Courage + Belief = LIFE