Vote for Lynchburg City Council Canidate....

Jayna Sykes? Or maybe Anthony but I think he may be too she for such big shoes to have to fill at this point.
This summer at my kid's summer camp through our city's Park and Rec Dept Mr. Gary organized 101 amazing trips, activities and experiences for my kids. This has been their second summer and they also attended a winter camp with Mr. Gary. I can't say enough good about Mr. Gary and his support of these kids and all the time and talent I KNOW it takes to organize and plan let alone carry out such plans.


This summer the kids visited the Lynchburg City Counsel Chambers. First they sat where the audience does and learned a bit about it. Jayna and Anthony are in the front row beside the boy with the orange shirt.

Jayna sat in at Mr. Ceasar Johnson
Anthony Sat in as Dr. Gillette
Then they had a mock council session. Jayna sure looks cute and seems to be having fun <3.


This Sept. Mr. Gary hosted a Night Out and we attended and I couldn't help but get Jayna's picture with one of our guests: Mr. Johnson who she had been in her city council for a day trip!

Where were you...

The song is so popular, Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

Back track 6 years earlier... I was at Logan Elementary School in Altoona, Pa in Ms. Susan Richardella's 5th grade class when O.J. Simpson was found " Not Guilty". I remember her telling us this would likely be one of the most high profile cases we would have in our lifetimes and we would always remember where we were on that day when the verdict came in on Oct 3td, 1995. She was right. I still remember having the current event discussions with her. I remember the school bus ride home, with bus driver Leo, and ALL the talk on the bus even for us elementary school kids was whether we agreed with that verdict. Little would I have ever imagined the magnitude of a much more life changing event to follow 6 years later that the O.J. Simpson high profile case would have NO comparison to.

I was in my 2nd, maybe 3rd but I still remember it as week 2 at E.C. Glass High School after transferring from a pretty horrible school. It was a normal day.

I was in 2nd period work study class. It had a longer name that year, but the following year the name changed. However it is the class I got double credits in for having a job plus attending the class. It was taught by the Home Ec teacher, Renee Stephens. We had tvs in each class room. An announcement came over the speaker to turn the tvs on.
Mrs. Stephens allowed us to watch the scenes playing on the tv as they were occurring live. I remember thinking it had some connection to maybe the rapture (Christian reference to like the world's end). I was in a small class of about 13 fellow students. Several were already parents or would become parents that year. I am still facebook friends with one of the classmates I had in that class. It was a Tuesday.

The following day was a Wednesday and like most days in my 11th and 12th grade years of school, after school I went straight to work at Pizza Hut. The same occurred that day. We were allowed to wear patriotic shirts that day, and several days there after. My RGM (boss) Renee', affectionately called Ne-Ne but her employees allowed us to participate in the one minute of silence. I don't know the exact time it was, but this was basically "fast food". All the employees went outside (as was part of this moment of silence, the afternoon/evening after the attacks) in our flag, eagle, patriotic shirts ignoring the ringing phones of orders being made, ignoring the make board where we had pizzas needing made but most suprising ignoring the conveyor oven that continues to move the pizzas out awaiting an employee to catch and cut them before they hit the floor. Amazingly none of the pizzas hit the floor during that 90 seconds of silence. It was deffinitely backed up and took two employees to catch it back up instead of the typical one, but I was impressed to be allowed to participate in that moment and I remember it as clearly as the footage on the tv the day before.

Luckily, I was rather non-affected by this tragedy. Sure it has crushed in our safety guard feeling and allowed us to see we are not safe. But I did not loose a loved one. I am sorry for their pain and tremendous loss. I can't begin to imagine!

September, September...

Yes I FAILED my blogging goal. Sorry August, I failed to post anything!

The muncherkins are back in school at what I feel to be a stellar elementary school in this city. They hit their summer goals by surpassing MY minimal reading requirements and hitting our summer reading goal. On the last day of school each year they get an optional, yet encouraged packet of summer homework of about 100 pages. The first is a list of educational- yet fun placee to visit both near and far, then a reading list for them to keep track on. There are about 35 spots a page and two pages and for the second year in a row we have needed and used a third page. I think we read more last summer, but that's ok. We read at least 1 book day this summer (86) and hit our personal goal of 100. In addition we finished every page in the book. That's nearly 200 pages of homework and endless pages of children's books!

CSI Up close and personal...

http://www2.wrbl.com/news/2011/jul/15/8/cpd-investigating-shooting-sleep-inn-ar-2131093/
COLUMBUS, Ga. --

At about 11:30am, first responders were summoned to the Sleep Inn on Armor Road, just west of the Columbus airport, to investigate a shooting.

WRBL News 3 crews on the scene say police and EMS technicians are on the scene.

Coroner Bill Thrower did come to the scene; however, no crime scene tape was ever used.

WRBL has calls into the coroner for an update.

This would be no special news story... except we are at this hotel!!


One of the detectives didn't appreciate my enjoyment but in my world you have to enjoy life. I am not about to be sad and scared for the remainder of my vacay I embraced the chance to get a few likely once in a lifetime photos. I didn't cross any lines or go anywhere I wasn't allowed or even go anywhere I wouldn't have if they wouldn't have been there. However the chic detective say me and my camera in hand.
She hollars "I know you didn't take my picture" Ummm NO you aren't worth my film... I replied "nope not yet". She says if you did I will take your camera and so I replied come check it. So she comes up and checks it. I was headed towards our room on floor two looking down (it had like a balcony area). Of course I didn't have her picture or anything not allowed (LAME!) So she says you must li9ve in a really boring town. I reply YUP (but realistically the avg mid class citizen prob will never see a crime potential murder scene-- especially not at their hotel on vacay and even if it was suicide I was still intrigued. Then she says Well didn't you at least get your fill on tv of enough crime scenes. I replied I don't have cable. She had nothing further to say and me and my camera continued on our happy way to the hotel room where the coroner van was pulling in :-)

June Patient Profile: Meet Joy

MEET JOY... REGULAR PEOPLE ARE EFFECTED
Meet my mom, Joy. Like us, she lives here in Lynchburg, VA. She is a stay at home mom and home maker. Formerly she was a foster mother for about 10 years, but after adopting my sister Karlee about years ago they "retired" from foster parenting.
Mom is about to be 54 years old. She has been married to dad for over 30 years. She has 6 children; Zac, Missy, Beth, Karlee, Joe and Mark and 26 former foster children.

dad, mom, sons Joe and Mark, son-in law Marko, Daughter Beth and Grandkids Anthony and Jayna- May 2011

DIAGNOSIS
Although formally diagnosed about 18 months ago, mom has been having symptoms for about 15 years that we can now link to MS since getting the definite diagnosis. Mom's first unknown symptom was her hands feeling like they were wrapped with yarn, not numb but rather restrained or tingly even. Her doctor at the time tested her for diabetes but never gave her any explanations. Her 1st diagnosed symptom was diagnosed about 8-9 years ago and is a common MS link. (although the link is unknown until the big diagnosis. She had/has Optic Neuritis:

Optic neuritis is the inflammation of the optic nerve, the nerve that transmits light and visual images to the brain, and is responsible for vision.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 55% of people with MS will have an episode of optic neuritis. Frequently, it's the first symptom of the disease. Although having optic neuritis is very suggestive of MS, it does not mean that a person has or will get MS.

3-4 years ago she did a church weight lo9ss group but if not really concentrating on her footing she'd trip/almost fall/ loose her balance.

What led her to a larger diagnosis beyond just the optic neuritis and "clumsiness" was when she started having rather major balance issues, fatigue and obvious weakness about 2.5 years ago. She was more fatigued than usual, but that is easy to blame on "being in the 50plus" category. Howevery the rubbery feeling, lazy legs that would make her loose her balance, sometimes falling and made walking difficult were not so easily diagnosed, nor was the rather extreme (sudden- in a matter of 3 months) weakness.

Possibly, due to dad and I doing the MS Bike ride, mom came across some National MS writing about some symptoms and links. She had found the missing piece to all her weird symptoms over the last 15 years. She took it to her family doctor, who previously was unable to explain her issues and gave her a referral to a neurologist. She had an MRI done. She had two small brain legions and a larger legion on her neck. She had MS.

Mom Christmas Eve 2010

POST DIAGNOSIS
Joy was told she has remitting/relapsing MS. However she is thinking maybe she has Progressive as she is yet to have a "break" which is typically what you would expect with relapsing MS; times with several (often more severe) symptoms and then times without many symptoms. Since getting her diagnosis, she has had several falls. However one in her backyard in Feb 2011 takes the cake and has caused her to loose more mobility, this time in her arm. She has hurt her rotator cuff in her shoulder and now has very liminited arm movement for that arm. She is in Physical therapy once a week to attempt to regain that arms strength and mobility, so far with very limited results. In May 2011 she had a shoulder MRI and Xrays done, but is still waiting the full results and treatment. Unfortunately falls have become a part of life now.

SYMPTOMS
Currently moms main three issues are severe weakness, fatigue and lack of balance. In addition she has the Optic Neuritis, bowel and bladder issues- which she found out are also common MS issues, and lazy legs.

Christmas Day fun with Grandson Anthony

MEDICATIONS
Joy is currently is a trial study. She drives an hour away every month to take part in this drug test trial. Every three months she gets a brain MRI. It is a year long study that will end in August. At this point we do not know if mom's medicine is "the real thing" or just a saline/water solution. Half the patients in this study are given "fake" meds and half are given the real thing. Although unknown, it is thought she has the real thing due to a reaction she had one night. Every other day mom gets an injection in either her arm, hip or belly. They rotate spots. In August she will find out which "med" she had and the results and effects, if it helped her improve, if she got worse. Then she will continue to receive her meds free until the FDA approves it, at least one year. The side effects of this medicine include lots of bruising, bumps and lumps.

Anthony and Grandma on Anthony's 7th birthday he got a matching shirt: Feb 2011

EMOTIONAL SIDE OF MS
PI did not ask mom specifically what her feelings were on the emotional side of MS, however I see her somewhat fustrated with this disease. It's hard to go from being very independent and a hands on worker (she's queen of do it your self home improvements) to slowly loosing the ability to do much of the activities she has enjoyed. She now has to walk very slowly and concentrate on each step as to not fall and to maintain her balance. It's fustrating to remember how much strength and and care-freeness you had and watch MS slowly steal it from you. We used to pay mom to clean for us at one point now cleaning a room in her house wears her out, She used to watch her grandkids several hours a day, now we try to limit it to no more than a few as she is weaker and more tired. Even if/when they behave well, it is a lot on her now. The other emotional side I see is one she hasn't fully dealt with yet, but is preparing to. This spring and summer the have/are making their home fully handicap friendly. They have installed very sturdy hand rails for the front steps as she struggles with those and then they have added a paved, level, entrance around back. She has a walker she can use as needed. Some of this is not fully needed yet, but it is better to prepare now before it is needed and not there.

Christmas Day 2011... moms in the right hand corner :-)

CAN YOU HELP US FIND A CURE?
IN honor of Joy, and other MS victims like her, will you please consider making a donation to the National MS Society. I am specifically asking you support our bike team as we raise awareness about MS, and raise funds to find a cure and erase MS. If you are able to donate please visit our MS 150 bike ride page
We are riding in a 150 mile bicycle ride to raise awareness and funds for those struggling with MS. Thank you for your financial support as well as for your thoughts and prayers for us as we train for this bike ride and for those struggling each day with MS.

Coutdown is on,..

My fundraising is now in full gear since in my not-so-official ruling June makes it officially summer. The countdown is on for bike training and fund raising and the nerves officially begin!!
If you have not yest donated on my behalf to the National MS Society, I hope you will do so here
If you have already made a contribution or would just enjoy following our fund raising and training progress- you can also do so here
Thank you again to all who have helped me raise funds, and for those who are keeping us in your thoughts as we start this 2011 biking journey.

National Bike to Work Day

OF COURSE I participated in this and I tried to get my fellow team members to as well... but yeah only I did it. I left my house about 9:20am...would have been a tad earlier at 9am but the neighbor and I chatted about my bike ride season so no biggie but I was slightly delayed.
Most of the ride to work is ok, a little hilly but manageable... but hot hot hot outside it was. This was my first time this season biking in the heat. The last mile to work is the killer though biking up the semi steep semi long road to work but 7 miles later, hot as fire, feeling dehydrated I made it to work at 9:56am. After an orange juice I was feeling oh so much better! I worked from 10am until 7:21pm. The dumb truck was 2 hours late so it really held me up. I still had to leave before it left because I needed to get home before dark. The ride home was easier. Maybe because I was trying to rush to get the kids, maybe because it was cooler, maybe because I had an oj with me? My chain popped going up the biggest hill of my ride home but I easily fixed it gulped some oj and continued on. I got home in record time.. 31 minutes! I was amused the only rude driver had a bike rack on the back of their van... really man? You should know pedestrian/biking rules and kill the rudeness and attitude. All in all a great ride I'd love to repeat several times this summer. by Bethany Sykes on Sat, May 28, 2011 @ 1:47 AM