Aug 24 Five For Friday 8/23/13

1. Medical Stuff:

• 4 Days of Home Rehab. Lots of treadmill, and floor work (joint strengthening).
• I saw Larry on Tuesday for OMM and our monthly office date.  He told me I am going back to good ol’ Physical Therapy in September.  I told him I was managing pretty well on my own, but he reminded me of the shock my body is about to undergo with going back to school.  Knowing he was right, I just smiled and said, “Yes, Larry.”
• It was a stupid insomnia week.  There’s not much I hate in this world, but not being able to sleep is definitely one of them.

2.  Teaching updates:

• My teaching partner was recalled from layoff on Tuesday.  I am so happy that it is no longer up in the air as to whom my “work spouse” will be.
• I spent Monday and Wednesday in my classroom, and it’s pretty much ready to go.  I loved being in the room this week while former (and incoming) students and their families visited. September 3rd is coming fast!
• I forgot to take more pictures, but here are a few…

3.  I went to my first Pump House Concert in East Lansing last Friday night to see singer-songwriter, Jesse Terry.  It is such a cool venue, and a local gem that I couldn’t help but wonder how I have lived in Lansing or East Lansing all my life, went to Michigan State for five years, and never once knew about it until just this year, after I met my friend Smitty who runs it.  I will definitely be going back. They have a concert every month.  Live music makes me so, so happy.

4.  I am super excited that Life as a Zebra Foundation donated $1000 this week to EDS Network C.A.R.E.S. for Kelly Hardie’s Memorial Research Grant. We LOVE that every penny goes to EDS Research! I wish we could have donated more but the rest of our funds for the year have already been allocated to Vasculitis and Dysautonomia research and EDNF. 

You can read more about the project below from EDS Network C.A.R.E.S:

“We would like to reach at least $100,000 or more by September 30, 2013. Please donate in “Memory” of Kelly Wehling Hardie. Kelly passed away from the Vascular Type of EDS on January 5, 2013. She was only 29 years old. Kelly’s husband Ryan and their friends put together this letter writing campaign to celebrate Kelly’s 30th Birthday which would have been February 27, 2013. Please help Ryan and Kelly’s friends reach their goal. Donate to the “Kelly Wehling Hardie Memorial Research Fund”. The funds raised will be a research grant, which means any researcher from around the world will be able to apply for this grant

In “Memory” of Kelly and all the other EDS friends we have lost, way too young due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Vascular Type). Please help us reach our goal!! Thank you to everyone that will donate to this very important research grant.

Dr. Nazli McDonnell and some of the medical advisors from EDS Network CARES Foundation will form a committee to pick the best vascular EDS research grant proposal. This is the wish of Ryan & Kelly Hardie. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to Kelly Wehling’s family and friends and also Ryan, Kelly’s Husband and his family and friends.

Please give Ryan Hardie family, Kelly Wehling family and all their friends who worked so hard to get this far…add your donation TODAY!!

http://www.firstgiving.com/EDSNetworkCares/InMemoryofKellyWehlingHardie

5.  I want to mention my Uncle Richie who found out he has cancer this week.  If you are interested, you can read more about his journey on his blog (link below). I would appreciate any prayers you have to give.  Cancer sucks but our family is full of fighters and I know he will use all of his testadura (Italian for hardheadedness) to persevere and overcome. (We all love you, Uncle Richie, and are cheering you on all the way!)

http://swmch.com/blog/