Friday, May 27, 2011

Let the moving process begin

For all of the readers who have been following my blog for updates on my brother, there is an update in the green section below. However, before his accident, I blogged about my life, and I have decided to continue on. I will still post random updates about him whenever I have something to say, but I will continue to blog my "journey" on here again. 
This blog is about what has been going on lately with Ross and I finishing this school year, and getting ready to move to West Virginia. While at home, my family asked about my reasoning for wanting to give up meat, and though I have not done so completely quite yet, I explained my reasoning for slowly doing so below. I hope you enjoy!


Today...

-Ross and I are packing up all of the non essentials for my remaining two-three weeks of living in this apartment. (I have dreamed of this day, well the one when I wouldn't be living in this memorable first apartment any longer!)


-I did my worst ever on my spanish oral quiz. Thank you photography class for taking all the time out of my life this quarter.


-Wait, I want to only write positive things, so thank you for that quiz being over! ;)


-We are going out to dinner tonight whenever Ross finishes moving things to our storage unit. (Yes all of our things not going to West Virginia for the summer, which is pretty much everything besides make-up, school books and clothes, are going in a storage unit.) 


-I am officially taking a study break. This quarter, like the rest, has been full of hard work. I still want to make the Dean's list, not gonna lie. It will be my third time, and I can still pull it off if I study hard enough for my spanish final!


-am helping a friend make plans for where to get hair, nails, etc. done the day before and of her wedding and rehearsal. (boy prices for all that stuff is ridiculous!)


-Ross and I tried out a new Japanese steak house and got sushi. Yum! California is one of my favorites!


-Then we went to Wal-Mart (we don't have a target near us) and I stocked up on vegetarian meals for while Ross is away. He is a meat eater, but I prefer to not eat meat as much as I can help it.


so...a little explanation on that...(You can skip this part if you care less about my specific detailed reasons for slowly giving up meat)


The food I eat...


-It's more of a taste, texture and smell thing than it is a save the environment and those poor furry friends sort of thing, thought I am way pro earth friendly everything possible, and I am way pro furry friends. However, lately in the past year, I become nauseous when I smell meat, and I don't like the taste of most eat, or the texture of it. I have pretty much never eaten steak through out my childhood. I couldn't stand how it seemed that you could chew and chew on a piece of steak, but it would never break down. Gross. But I always ate chicken. Now, when Ross cooks chicken on the George Forman, I get sick to my stomach. I just can't stand the smell and I literally have to open a window, spray room spray, and go into another room. I know, dramatic right? :( I honestly just can't help it. I pretty much feel the same way about pork. I used to always be able to eat breakfast sausage, but ever since I bit into what I thought was a bone in a Mcdonalds sausage egg McMuffin, I pretty much avoid them. I started getting Jimmy Dean's breakfast sandwiches, the sausage ones, sometimes the bacon, but the sausage began to give me that same, "yuck I can't eat this" feeling, and the bacon tasted so processed. (probably because it was lol) So I tried some other brands, before realizing, I am really starting to not like meat anymore, at all. 


However, today while grocery shopping, I came across the Morning Star section, with "no meat, meat". Sausage that isn't really sausage in little breakfast sandwiches, (Score!) Buffalo chicken that isn't really chicken...(What is it then?) Spinach lasagna and some other pastas with no meat. While Ross is gone, I plan to eat all the vegetarian meals I can eat! I know to most people it seems ridiculous, or childish,  but I am guessing that as an adult, they wouldn't eat something they knew they didn't like either. I eat pretty healthy on a regular basis, I am going to start incorporating exercise into my daily routine, and there are other ways to get the protein and vitamins I need. Ways like, taking multivitamins, fish oil, protein bars and shakes, nuts, and all kinds of food that doesn't contain meat, but has protein and vitamins. It may seem like a silly life change, but it's one I am still figuring out. Ross doesn't want to give up meat, so when my parents give us meat for free, I don't refuse it, and every know and then I eat whatever he wants, but sometimes I just can't do it, so I make myself something else. It's not a big deal, and we adjust to it just fine. Everyone has to find what works for them. 


Also, I have always been a seafood lover, but I never really eat fish except for salmon, and tonight, I realized I can only consume a small amount of shrimp before I get the same reaction I have to meat. Shrimp is a lot like meat, and many vegetarians don't eat seafood either. I am more of a shellfish eater I guess than all seafood, though I like scallops too. 


This weekend...


-Ross is going to Put In Bay for a bachelor party, leaving me all to my lonesome, which means, he won't be distracting me with Dexter, trying to tempt me away from my studies.


-I plan to write all of my papers for English, which includes a 15 page paper, and fixing up everything I have written during the class...fun. 


-I have to get together all of my pictures for my final photography assignment of portraits. I went home last weekend to photograph "family" pictures of my family and a friend of mine who has the cutest little boy. I got to see so many people last weekend while I was home and it was sooo nice!


Will make it in my final photography
assignment. 




Yes...(And if you are a reader who likes updates about my brother)...


-This blog is pretty much all about me, so if you are one of the readers who follows to hear news about my brother....here is some updates.


-He is staying with my Dad right now.
-He is still in his neck brace and not enjoying it.
-He has learned he is getting more aches and pains from the accident everyday and it's not fun. (for any of us.)
-He is still in a lot of pain.
-He is going stir crazy but it worries the heck of my parents and I to let him go places with broken ribs and a broken vertebrae. I understand his desire to get out of the house, but being safe is the first priority. However, I did let some old friends take him to Target to get some new sunglasses. His eyes are extra sensitive to light now for some reason since the accident. 


On the good side...
-He is lucky to be alive, lucky to have so many family and friends who care, love and are good to him.
-He is talking to me more.
-I am hoping this will change his life for the better, some day.





Ryan James




I...


-am excited to be going to West Virginia for the summer and getting out of Ada finally! Wooohooo!
-hope this nasty weather stays away and never comes back! (I bought a radio today since we have no cable and I want to be safe when Ross is gone.)
-Can't wait to ride my new bike more! (Ross and I both got new bikes recently, and are going to be taking them to WV for the summer! Thanks Dad for the birthday gift!)


Our new bikes! :)

my bike




-Am so ready to be done with school, this quarter in particular, though graduating finally would be great too!
-Can't wait for the stress of finals to pass, and final projects!
-Already miss my friends from home even though I haven't moved yet.
-Can't wait to move into our new apartment next year!
-Wonder if we will ever get a cat or a dog next year?
(Siberian kitten or Havanese puppy?) Or dog or cat? Boy or girl?


-need to start studying tomorrow until everything is finished!
-wish I could go party and hang out with my friends this weekend, but I know I have too much stuff to get done! Boo! 
-Wish I could have that "college experience" more and not have to study ALL the time! :(
-Hope I make the dean's list again this quarter! 
-Want to do really well on all my final projects and exams!
-Am about to go to bed and spend just a little bit more time with Ross before he leaves for the weekend! 
Goodnight! 
xoxoxo


Yup, our air conditioning only reaches the family room,
so that is now where we sleep.









Let the moving process begin.

Today...

-Ross and I are packing up all of the non essentials for my remaining two-three weeks of living in this apartment. (I have dreamed of this day, well the one when I wouldn't be living in this memorable first apartment any longer!)


-I did my worst ever on my spanish oral quiz. Thank you photography class for taking all the time out of my life this quarter.


-Wait, I want to only write positive things, so thank you for that quiz being over! ;)


-We are going out to dinner tonight whenever Ross finishes moving things to our storage unit. (Yes all of our things not going to West Virginia for the summer, which is pretty much everything besides make-up, school books and clothes, are going in a storage unit.) 


-I am officially taking a study break. This quarter, like the rest, has been full of hard work. I still want to make the Dean's list, not gonna lie. It will be my third time, and I can still pull it off if I study hard enough for my spanish final!


This weekend...


-Ross is going to Put In Bay for a bachelor party, leaving me all to my lonesome, which means, he won't be distracting me with Dexter, trying to tempt me away from my studies.


-I plan to write all of my papers for English, which includes a 15 page paper, and fixing up everything I have written during the class...fun. 


-I have to get together all of my pictures for my final photography assignment of portraits. I went home last weekend to photograph "family" pictures of my family and a friend of mine who has the cutest little boy. I got to see so many people last weekend while I was home and it was sooo nice!





Monday, May 16, 2011

Updated news articles on the accident.

I found these posted on a couple of news websites that give details of the car accident my brother was in. There are some pretty horrifying pictures of the remains of the cars, so if you don't want to see them, don't follow the links.

Highway Patrol Investigating Fatal Medina County Crash - WJW

If you click on this above it takes you to a video of the aftermath of the crash site. This was on Fox 8 news.


Car crash death toll rises to two - The Post Newspapers

This is one of the most up to date articles on the wreck.

Two-car crash leaves one dead - The North Royalton Post

An update on my brother:

He is staying at home with my mom right now who is retired and is more available to care for him at this time. He was living with my Dad at the time of the accident. My dad comes over to my mom's house everyday and takes my brother on a walk with his dog Marley. My brother can walk but because of the pain from breaking 7 ribs, bruising a lung, and breaking a vertebra in his neck, he is in a lot of pain and currently is using the aid of a wheel chair. Please continue to lift up in prayer the other survivors of the accident and their families as they heal and care for their loved ones, as well as the two families who have lost their children in this terrible accident. Thank you all again for your continuos support. Ryan is allowed to have visitors now.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Great News!!

We got the results back today from Ryan's CT scan, and he fractured his C1 bone in his neck attached to his spine, so that means he will not need surgery, and he will not be paralyzed! The bone will heal on it's own in time.

My mom told me today that there were actually six guys in the car along with the two girls, so there were 8 people total in the car.

The young man who was seated next to my brother has similar injuries. The two guys in the seats in front of them broke their femurs due to the bucket type seats from the front seats of the car. So far, everyone is hanging in there.

We are not sure when Ryan will be out of the hospital yet. As long as he is on the trauma floor, he will not be allowed to go home. They are not letting any of them walk yet.

Please keep them and all of their families in your thoughts and prayers. We hope to see them all make a full recovery.

On another happy little note, when my mom was in the elevator yesterday after getting herself a lovely bottle of pop and bag of popcorn for her mother's day lunch, a priest stepped on the elevator with two roses in his hand. He wished her a happy mother's day, and when he got off at his floor, he turned around and handed her one of the roses. So sweet.

I hope all of the mothers had a nice day yesterday. Hold your children close, you never know how long you have with them.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Say a prayer

Please say a prayer for one of the girls in the car accident with my brother. She passed away tonight. She was at the same hospital as Ryan. The driver is doing better, and another boy in the accident is a couple rooms down the hall from my brother. He has a broken femur, a punctured lung and is on a breathing machine. But now my mom can talk to his mom and they are getting through this together.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the young girl who passed away today.

Sunday night update:

Ryan went for his C T Scan around 3p.m. today, and we won't get results back until tomorrow afternoon.

I am not looking forward to being at school tomorrow when we find out, but I can only miss so many classes or I fail them all and lose my money...not good, so I have to go.

Oh the joy of playing the waiting game.

I did discover today that the crash made Fox 8 news,  It's bit graphic in a way, and some people might not want to see it. Though, it's already been on the news, so some people may have already seen it.

Just a reminder, as of right now, Ryan doesn't know the details of the wreck, and seeing as he is not allowed to move, we don't want he having the chance to become upset and react to anything, so please no texting him questions.

As a side note, my parents are also not ready to talk to people about the incident. Some have been texting me thoughts and prayers messages and we appreciate them greatly, but they are simply not ready to talk to anyone right now. Thank you so much for all of your consideration.

I will be glad to keep whoever wants to know updated on here. It keeps it more personal. Thanks.

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-medina-county-granger-township-fatal-accident,0,5091657.story

Link about the accident

http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com/2011/05/07/medina-man-dies-in-two-car-crash-on-route-18/

Mother's Day Update:

Via text with my mom at the Cleveland Clinic this morning, they have decided not do perform surgery today on Ryan. They will be running a CTI later today.

My dad has gone home FINALLY to sleep. (he hasn't slept in two days!) Not that I'm happy about him driving home so tired. So keep praying for all of the families with the loss of one driver, possibly the driver of the car Ryan was in, and two other passengers who's conditions remain unknown to us. If anyone does hear about the other passengers. My family would like to know how they are doing as well. We are praying for them too.

Pretty sad mother's day.

I will update more news as It comes.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I love you so much little brother. You can make it through this.

So, hardest blog I hope I ever have to write for a long time.

My dad called me this morning and told me my brother had been in a bad accident last night.  He told me, the other driver lost control of his car, and hit the car being driven by a friend of my brother along with three other passengers. They were in a Yukon, and the other driver was in a small sports car. Like I said, the other driver didn't make it. He was only 26. My hear immediately felt for him and his loved ones.

So I asked, "Is the alive?"
   "Yes." My dad said.
    "Does he have all of his limbs?"
    "Yes."

My dad went on to tell me that he broke all of his ribs, and may have damaged his lungs or other organs so they were doing tests to see what else might be wrong.

My mom was notified, and I called her and talked to her, and she told me to stay put for now, until they found out what was going on. (If you don't know, I live over two hours away.")

Ross had a final exam early this morning so I spent the first three hours pacing my apt. and talking to some close friends and family.

My mom sent me a picture of Ryan sitting up in bed with his eyes closed and it said, "VVerry much pain." Poor guy, he looked like it.

At this point Ryan had no memory of the accident, but began to complain of pain in his neck. They checked it out, and sure enough. His neck was broken. Yes, they let him sit up and everything else for hours without even knowing his neck was broken. (I am livid at finding this out, and dating a law student all that is running through my head is, malpractice.) How could they not have checked his neck right away?

So, they talked about life flighting him to either Toledo or Cleveland Clinic from Medina hospital (which is very close to where the wreck happened.) So I was told to stay put while they waited to decide where to take him. Where I live, it would be very close to just drive to Toledo, so I didn't want to drive all the way back home just to turn around and come back.

They day went on, and I called my mom and heard my brother mumble something to my mom in the background. Yes he is talking and can feel his fingers and toes. This is very very good. But it broke my heart to hear him sound like he was in so much pain, and to hear my mom's voice barely break and say "you are going to be okay hunny." I knew I couldn't wait around anymore.

I finally ate at around 3:30, (I can't eat when I'm really upset.) and Ross and I packed our bags and headed to the hospital.

My mom called me about 10 minutes from the hospital to tell me they were moving him.

Side note, everyone was driving like maniacs today and it was scaring the crap out of me. I've noticed after today that everyone drives way to fast, talks and texts on their phones way to much while driving, are constantly not looking at the road for other reasons. PEOPLE, KNOCK IT OFF! The guy in the other car was not drunk or under the influence as far as we know when he lost control of his car.

So he may have simply been distracted, and he died. The girl driving and the girl in the passenger seat are not doing well. They may not make it. All because for whatever reason that guy was distracted by something. We have got to start making a conscious effort to pay attention and be more kind when we are all driving. People tailgate, and get road rage like crazy people! Everyone needs to chill. You won't get there at all if you die in the process driving like maniac!

But back to my little brother. He is not allowed to move. He drinks from a sponge, and was on a board when we got there preparing to be moved to Cleveland Clinic. He had his head and neck in a brace and tapped down to the board. It was a sad sight. I've never seen my mom and dad look so sad and scared in all of my life. Ryan looked sad, and in pain. He was in a lot of pain. It killed me to see him hurting so much. He may have bruised his head. We won't know everything for sure until they run more tests.

From there, they will decide if they need to operate on his neck. I don't know what all of it entails, but they are being cautions when they move him. I was able to kiss him when I got there, and kiss him goodbye. My mom, stepdad, Ross and I all got to ride in the elevator with him while he was on the stretcher before being taken to Cle.

Now we just have to pray they can fix his neck, and he will be alright. He was allergic to some kind of pain medicine after a past shoulder surgery, and we don't know what it was, and the clinic he had his surgery at before is closed for the weekend. So lets hope, they don't give him that one.

So by now he is at Cleveland Clinic, getting tests run, and surgery may happen overnight or in the morning. My mom is planning on letting me know how things are in the morning. At this point we have no idea how long he will be in the hospital, or the other things to come.

I just need as many prayers as we can get. I should mention, he doesn't remember anything about the accident and we don't want him to know right now. So please don't let any details get back to him. He does have his phone, but he can't talk to anyone right now. He just has to stay very still. My mom, dad and his girlfriend will be with him all night and into the morning. Ross and I will most likely visit him tomorrow before we have to head back home.

I am just waiting to hear how everything is going. The story is in the Medina newspaper and it was on interstate 18. I did see pictures of the wreck, but I am not going to post them. Ryan can choose to do that later if he wants to, but it was bad. There was hardly anything left of either cars. He is lucky to even be alive.

On a second note, the two girls may not survive that were in the car with him, so please especially being mother's day, pray for them and their families. No mom wants to spend mother's day in the hospital with one of their babies, hoping that will survive. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

I know I ranted and raved about the crazy drivers, but we all forget that lives hang in the balance when we drive. We drive so often that we forget how dangerous it can really be.

Leave early, so you don't have to spend.
Don't drink and drive.
Try your hardest not to have road rage.
Don't tailgate.
Always say I love you.
Drive slow, save a life.

Thank you everyone. I will write more tomorrow. God bless and goodnight.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

10 Things on Thursday

1. What is the weather like in your city today?
Believe it or not, it was cloudy at first and a bit chilly, only getting to be about 55. Then the sun came out, and I saw a decent sunset. Too bad the sunsets weren't that nice when I had to take pics for my photography class. (Sigh)

2. Do you like the zoo?
I Love the zoo! I have gone there for many birthdays even in recent years. (I secretly wanted to work there just a few years ago. Oh and I still wish I could work there every time I visit, until I watch the keepers cleaning up elephant poop.) lol


3. Do you eat coconut?
Yes! Last week for Easter, I bit into a chocolate egg, only to discover, it was filled with coconut! It made my day (well actually it was night), but anyways, I was only sad I only grabbed one egg! If only I had known they had yummy coconut in them!


4. Have you ever hammered a nail? Are you good at it?
Yes I have, and No. I typically hand the job over to the nearest male. I love the feminist movement and all, but there are some jobs I would rather leave to men. 


5. Does your family have a vacation destination that you visit often?
Yes. Every year my mom and stepdad visit his family who all live in New Jersey. For a few years, we rented a shore house every summer. Now that I have been taking summer classes the past few years, we have just been staying with my grandma and driving to the beach on certain days. I <3 the beach!

6. How many pillows do you sleep with?
One. Unless I'm sick and having trouble breathing. Then I prop myself up with two. 


7. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Hit Snooze. Then drag myself out to the kitchen to eat breakfast while I check my e-mail. (Class canceled today? Fingers crossed) lol.


8. Will you send your kids to summer camp?
Yes! Hello! Where do you think I met Ross? Summer camp is one of my favorite experiences ever! I have been to so many since I was little, and I loved them all! So so so much fun!


9. What do you put in your baked potatoes?
On a normal day, Omega-3 fat free butter, sour cream, and maybe some sea salt. One a good day, broccoli and cheese as well as sour cream and butter. (Mantequilla and crema agria) I used this on my spanish test today! :)


10. Did you take swimming lessons as a kid?
Yes! Every year the neighbor kids and I took swimming lessons in the winter at a Natatorium.  p.s. Once, I slipped off the diving board (high dive) at the end of a lesson when a giant puddle had accumulated in the middle of the board. Luckily, my leg was caught on the medal railing and I hung from it with one leg until someone kindly got me down. I actually remember looking at the crowd next to the pool upside down. Needless to say, I have been accident prone as far back as I can remember. Good times. lol
 

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