The basic jist to start us off...

I am just starting to write this story down...it'll take awhile to get all of the specifics out, but I only hope to help & encourage (& maybe even educate??) others by sharing the crazy year that Joel & I have had...

Basically, here's the jist:
-May 28, 2008: I had a stroke.
-the next week I am in the hospital & the doctors find out that I had a hole in my heart (I did not know I had a hole in my heart up until this point & the hole is something docs are learning are a major cause of strokes)
-so, we learn we have to fix the hole
-Oct 3, 2008: we fix the hole with an 'umbrella' (aka: Amplatzer Septal Occluder - something that has been invented to help avoid having to do open heart surgery)
-Jan 21, 2009: we have to remove the umbrella, after finding it went terribly wrong.
-Spring 2009: we know we still have to fix the hole in the heart to help prevent future strokes
-Eventually: we decide we do not want to try the umbrella again.
-we then know that we want the best of the best of the best after having the previous complication, so I push & push to get Dr. Oz to operate on me.
-June 15, 2009: Dr. Oz performs minimally invasive open heart surgery on me.

now, I'm all better!
Joel & I are so incredibly thankful for the good Lord's protection through all of this & for prayer from folks all over the world...we couldn't have done it otherwise.

I will update this more....so, please check back for more specifics...about other things like: warning signs of a stroke, birth control, listening to your body, being pushy with the insurance even though they told me they won't cover Dr. Oz since he's not on our plan, physical & occupational thearapy, very minimal residual effects from the stroke.

what a year!

Me & the Wizard...

So, from the encouragement of my huz, some friends & a little doc we call Oz, I have decided to start blogging again to share my story. I will update this over time, but here's a little taste of it all....

Yup, that's me & Dr. Oz. I LOVE him! he's a wonderful, sympathetic doctor & you know he's trying his hardest to make the world of medicine a much better place. I feel so blessed that we were able to get him. :)

Rambo

While watching Rambo in Spanish tonight (a language my husband doesn't speak), he says "some movies just don't need words".
So true.

It's a hard-knock life...

There was a guy in Staples the other day yelling many things...it was hilarious:
-can someone help me here!
-I need to make a copy & I don't know how to use these machines, you [the sales clerk] need to help me.
-It used to be so easy in the old days! You'd hand them a piece of paper, tell them how many copies you wanted made & it was done!
-What does someone have to do to get a copy made around here!!!

I wish I had a video.

Madonna

Last time I checked...Madonna was from Michigan.
So, uh...why is she speaking with an English accent?
(Also here.)

Notes from a flight...

Ok, so it's been QUITE awhile since I've posted...but the holidays gave me plenty of fodder.

Here goes:
I love to observe, watch, notice, take note, & of course make fun of folks on flights...it's the best place to people watch.
On my & Joel's flight to El Paso for Christmas on December 18, 2007 we had an early morning flight to Chicago for a quick layover & then proceeded to El Paso. Our flight left at 7:55am & arrived in Chicago at about 9am, getting all of the 'suits' on the flight into Chicago just in time for that 10am business meeting.
Joel & I were quite tired & planned on getting a nice cat nap on the way to Chicago...yet, we couldn't really plan on that. There was one Suit who liked to talk quite loudly, making sure that everyone else on the flight knew she was there & what she thought of everyone she worked with, along with her other thoughts on life, love, politics, and cashmere.
She was just two rows behind us.
Just as the Flight Attendant was about to close the door & we would be requested to put on our seatbelts, I asked Joel if he could help me get a blanket from the overhead compartment. Joel, being the wonderful helper & chivalrous husband he is, got up & retreived a blanket, just above Ms. Suit. As he reached up & grabbed the item that would keep me warm & cozy for the first leg that began our holiday vacation, Ms. Suit made note of this & said to her friend in a low, hushed voice yet certain that she was loud enough that we could hear her:
(Picture her with me -- a well dressed woman, perfect hair, make-up, pumps, & Coach bag with that nice Upper East Side 'I can purchase anything I want' attitude & way of speaking...similar to Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada)
"You know, I can't use THOSE blankets anymore & I travel SO much that I bring my own. A $325 cashmere Vanity Fair blanket. Cashmere, it's SO soft & nice!!!"
I was about to turn around & ask Ms. Suit if I could borrow the aforementioned blanket, but instead I warmed up with my non-cashmere blanket & got some nice quick shut eye to begin what was a wonderful Christmas vacation with my new in-laws in TX.

What's in a name?

Women get married, women take their husband's name.
It happens all the time.
OH!

Except when you live in Queens, NY or Vegas...then, there are special rules.
Our government Social Security offices have decided that if you live in Queens, NY or in Vegas... that there are special rules to submit your paper work.
It seems as if anywhere else in the country you can change your name with some ease.
But not when you live in Queens or Vegas....we're special here & have to do it the special way.

Let me tell you a bit about my journey:
~Joel & I go to get our marriage license.
~on the marriage license you tell them what name you want.
-keep your maiden name
-take your husband's name
-hyphenate the 2 names
-do something else.
this is suppose to make it easier when you change everything with Social Security & all the other peeps.
~I chose to keep my maiden name (as a middle name) and add my husband's name (as my last name) , without the hyphen.
~this is recorded on the license, we get married (YAY!), now I'm all set to go to Social Security & change it all....
~I go to the Social Security office, during my lunch break, wait for about an hour & 15 minutes
~I observe how easy it is for the other "name changers" in line as they submit their paper work.
~I get to the front of the line, submit my papers and.....
WAIT! They tell me I'm not supposed to be there! I live in Queens & I have to go to the special office.
~ok, not such a big deal, I only wasted my lunch break waiting in line to do nothing!
then......
~I take a day off work (because the SS office is only open during office hours) -- fortunately my husband was able to come with me, it was nice to have the company.
~we buy a train ticket to Jamaica, Queens -- really far out in Queens & WAY too far to try & ride the subway to.
~I wait in line for an hour at the SS office in Queens, all my paperwork filled out & ready to go!
~I get to the front of the line, only to be told that I can't have my maiden name as my middle name (WHAT! I have other friends who have done this with NO problem!)
~I am told I have to go to the "Name Change Office" to officially change my name.
(which seems a little odd since, according to the Social Security website, your marriage certificate/license is enough proof for the name change)
~ok, we got to the Name Change Office, fill out all the paper work, & have to submit a fee (yes, I had to pay to do all of this....)
~so, now......
~I am waiting for the judge to approve my name change & tell me "it's ok" for me to have my husband's name & keep something I already have (my maiden name)
~it takes "about 8 weeks" for my paperwork to even reach the judge's hands
~then I have to put a note in the paper telling the world I have a new name:
the gal formerly known as "Megan middle name last name" will now be known as "Megan middle name last name married name"

It all seems like a lot of work.
yes, I know I'm making it a little harder on myself by not just dropping my maiden name, but that name means a lot to me & even tho I can't 'officially' carry on the family name, we only have a couple of gents who can do so.
So, I wanna help keep the name alive.

Did I mention that the "customer service" at the SS & Name Change offices weren't too helpful either?
I just wanted to ask questions to make sure I was doing the right thing!

So, now I wait for the judge....
Oh, how I pray it'll all work out ok.

For now I feel like I don't have a real last name.
& don't get me started on trying to book travel (flights, car rental, hotels) through all of this!!!
Sheesh!

You'd think that by now with the millions of women who get married every year, that the government would know how to handle this & make it easier!
Lord help us.

Any words from the wise who have done this run around before?

Jail Time.

I heard this on the subway the other day:
"Sometimes I think they let me outta jail too early!"

yeah, me too.

A little morning show & a little print work...

Matt Lauer is now doing print work for CVS.AWSOME!

addendum: and...in doing some 'research', seems as if I'm not the first person to notice this.

OUCH!

Note to self:
be careful with the new waffle iron.
ouch!

Working...

Hum....
I guess I can't work today!









I forgot my hat.
dag.

Just tell the truth.

This morning I was walking to work & passed by a cute little man (about 9 years old) & his father.
The little guy said "I want a donut."
To which the dad (older & wiser) replied, "There is not a place to get a donut around here, let's go."
Kid: "Yes there is, right there!"
(the child pointing to the New Yorker's ever faithful coffee, bagel, & donut cart.)
Dad: "No, there's not."
Kid: "Yes there is Dad! I saw one right there!"
(again, pointing to the coffee, bagel, & donut cart.)
Dad: "No, there's not, now let's Go!"
(dad, obviously in a rush & trying to get the cart out of view of the child).

I heard them bicker like this a few more times & it just made me want to go over to the kid & say:
"You're not crazy, you could have gotten a donut back there, I saw it too. But your dad was in a rush & probably on a diet & didn't want you to have a donut. So instead of telling you the truth & saying, 'no we can't have one daddy's dieting & in a rush, lets get fruit or something instead'....he said: NO DUNUTS HERE JUNIOR!"

ah...this poor child.
If only dad would've told him the truth.
Then the kid probably wouldn't be questioning his sight.

Makes me wonder sometimes...am I really crazy, thinking I see things?
or do people just lie a lot?

But! What if I'm on Fire?!

Today I was in a building.
I walked down the hall to the restroom.
On my way, I walked past the fire escape.
Then I stopped & looked:
-there was yellow caution tape laid lazily across the door & taped up with some office scotch tape.
then, there was a sign:
-on 8 x 11 white office paper
-written with a black sharpie
-with the printing of a 4th grader
it read:
"Fire Escape is under construction, please do not use."

Well that's just great!
What if I leave my hot pocket in the toaster too long & the kitchen is on fire & we have to RUN!
then what?
not very convenient folks.

(ps-- bonus points for whoever can tell me where I stole the hot pockets fire ref from)

I love it when...

I love it when:
I push the elevator button & it's all lit up & ready to roll, then...someone will come up behind me & push the button again hard, many times.
As if I didn't push the button hard enough.

We're Back!

The Wedding & Honeymoon were AWESOME!
now, back to reality...

:)

The Blind Man

This morning, I helped a blind man cross the street.

As we got near the curb on the other side I said:

"Watch your step!"
-oops.

Influenza Campaign

I started to write about this before, but I didn't have the pictures to go with the story. Now, you can see the goofiness for yourself...thank you MTA.

Here we go............
Influenza is just a fancy way to say 'the flu'.
This past winter the MTA started a 'campaign' to warn us to be careful of catching the flu.
They showed us darling pictures of family & friends, with a scare tactic tag line on the side that said "INFLUENZA KILLS!!!" (insert evil scary music here)
While running this campaign they told us to be careful, take necessary precautions, & not be around too many sick people...all while tainting our view of precious moments spent with family & friends....it was pretty funny.

See pictures below:

PICTURE #1

"Influenza Spreads by word of mouth"

I like to call this, "don't spend time with your friends, they could make you sick"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PICTURE #2

"Influenza likes to keep it in the family"

I call this one, "& don't spend time with your family either"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PICTURE #3

"Influenza loves private moments"

or as it read on another train "Even moments like this can cause influenza"

And this (my favorite one of all...) I call "don't read with Gramps, he's sick & you might die."

A little crazy...

I went to the stationary store yesterday to buy 6 pieces of cardstock paper.
I needed the paper cut in 4's.
They wanted to charge me $1/cut to cut the paper.
yes, one Dollar PER cut!
(for 6 pieces of paper, 2 cuts per peice of paper...that's 12 cuts & a bargain of $12 to CUT PAPER!)
a little out of control...ya think?

So, I went to Staples & used their paper cutter to cut the paper myself.
Where the paper cutter with the big sharp blade was left out in the open for anyone (sane or not) to use.
Well, at least I cut the paper for free!

Fun Facts....

ok, I dunno how true these "fun facts" are, but I was cleaning out some old emails & thought I would share this info:
Weird Things You Would Never Know!!
* Butterflies taste with their feet.
* A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
* In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of theworld's nuclear weapons combined.
* On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.
* On average people fear spiders more than they do death.
* Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrivedimmigrants.
*Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating arealready married.
*Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
* Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
* It's possible to lead a cow upstairs... but not downstairs.
* Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
* It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.
*The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every yearbecause when it was built, engineers failed to take into account theweight of all the books that would occupy the building.
* A snail can sleep for three years.
* No word in the English language rhymes with "MONTH."
* Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
* Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and earsnever stop growing. - SCARY!!!
* The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
* All polar bears are left-handed.
* In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
* An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
* TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters onlyon one row of the keyboard.
* "Go," is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
* If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. Shewould stand seven feet, two inches tall.
* A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
* The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
* Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
* Almost everyone who reads this will try to lick their elbow. (You tried to lick your elbow, didn't you?!)

You Can't Trust the Irish!

One day early last fall, Joel & I were leaving church & there was a woman standing outside asking for money & food. Well, neither of us are too comfortable giving out money, so Joel said "hey, there is a deli around the corner, why don't I buy you some food!"
The woman kindly took Joel up on his offer & he bought her a nice healthy chicken breast. We chatted with her for awhile, as she told us how she got to be in her situation (an uncle took the family wealth...or something) & then we were on our way.

A few months had passed & I was on my way to work one morning (across town from where we go to church) & I saw the same woman.
I walked up to her & I said "Hi, I remember you! My boyfriend bought you food one day outside of our church ____."
She said "Yes! That is my church! Are you able to help me out?"
Again, being uncomfortable with giving money out, I said "Well, I have some of my lunch in my bag, you can have some of that!" and the woman took it with a smile.
After taking the food from me she said "Do you possibly know of any place that can help me get a job? I really need a job right now."
I said "I know lots of places & temp agencies, there's actually a really great temp agency right down the street & they can probably help you pretty quickly."
Immediately after I finished telling her where she could go to look for a job, she asked me "Are you possibly Irish?"
I thought to myself, what kind of question is that!?
But replied with a grin full of Irish pride..."Why, yes I am!"
As I said yes, the woman grabbed the food I had given her out of her bag & handed it back to me while saying "I'm sorry, but the Irish always seem to steer me in the wrong direction, I'm going to have to give this back to you."
I said "No, please I am trying to bless you!"
She said "No, thank you, I've just been steered wrong by the Irish."
I said "Ok, well, God Bless!" & walked away.
But as I was starting to walk away she asked me if I had any money.
I said "No, sorry." & walked off...chuckling to myself.
She couldn't take my advice or my food since I was Irish, but she could take my money...interesting!

Of course, I immediately told this story to Joel & we laughed about it...eventually forgetting what had happened.
Until this past Sunday.....
Again, we were leaving church & again the same woman was outside asking for money or food.
As I saw her I pointed her out to Joel telling him "LOOK! It's the lady who doesn't trust the Irish!"
So, as we walked past her & she asked for money Joel said to her "I'm sorry, we can't help you...we're both Irish."
Then I heard the woman say something like "OH, ok."

Now, I couldn't help but laugh at this.
I'm not laughing at the woman being in her position & needing to beg (I pray that I never have to go through that.)
But...to have prejudice against someone because they are Irish? When you are in need of help?
That is just silly.

So, if you do see our friend & would like to help her, please do...I would like to, but I'm Irish.