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conception
Estimation of my conception.Detroit is bleak at this time.My mother's parent's had been killed in a violent car accident a few years earlier in France. -
Birth
Born at Mt Carmel Hospital Detroit.No complications with pregnancy or delivery.I am the fourth child.My sibings are brother, Christian(1960),sister, Jacqueline(1962),and sister ,Suzette(1966.) -
Period: to
0-2 years old
Biosocial development is grossly unrecorded.Photographs depicted me as somewhat smilely, well dressed and plump.I am short in size.By photos I can see socialization with siblings and cousins.Unclear as to how I might have fit into Erikson's stages of psychosocial development.Healthcare needs and nutritional needs were met satisfactorily. -
The play years
It is from here that I can work with some memory.My mother returns to University.I am watched by an elderly neighbor.All siblings find friend's houses to go to rather than stay with neighbor.I have scheduled naps through age four.I did not like it.I was shy and lonely.Breakfast,Lunch and Dinner are at exact times. -
Kindergarten in Detroit Public
I walk 3 or 4 blocks to school alone or with neighbor girl.My school is at public school while all my siblings go together to private.I remember it as not enjoyable.I bit someone one time and remember it being a big "No No." -
First Grade St Gerards
I beign private school at our parish.My parents are heavily involved with church/school activities.I know lots of people and was a good student.Did not have play dates because Mom either was at school or had homework.Mother cooks cleans and works.There is not much physical contact with parents. -
Period: to
robberies
My older sister is mugged Halloween night she is 9 years old.She had dressed as a gypsy and had on some of Mom's good jewelry from Equador.Mom see's jewelry on neighbor.Our house is burglarized several times by friend of my 15 year old sister. Heirloom jewelry from France gets flushed down a toilet at the polie station. -
Move to the Suburbs
Family moves to Novi, an unknown city with dirt roads. I am placed in lowest reading group and speech therapy.Mother gets teaching job and Father works 6 days a week. We are not as wealthy as others in neighborhood.I am no longer well dressed like when a baby.We travel to Europe every other summer to see family.There are still no play dates or birthday parties.There is little cuddling,soothing or hugging.Mother fights frequently and violently with my oldest sister, Jacqueline. -
stitches
I have a bad habit of climbing fences.My wrist gets hooked on top of a fence while playing at a playground.It is cut to the bone.My sister and I consider not telling my Mom. My mother is not home.Neighbor friend tells her mother who takes me to the hospital.I get 13 stitches.Scar is not pretty or girl-like. -
Period: to
Middle School
I do not enjoy middle school.The bus is horrible.I get beat up and have to change bus stops to avoid trouble.I must get myself off to school alone since my parents leave much earlier.Parents are never involved with church or school since moving to suburbs.I have friends that are on the lowest rung of social ladder. -
Brother,Christian, and Cousin,Earl, die
My brother(21) and cousin(18) die in a drunk driving accident Up North 4 miles from family cottages.It is an area where my father's family has summered for nearly 100 years.Family does not deal well with death.Silence follows. -
Sister gets Spinal Menegitis
Upon the return from a summer in France my sister gets very sick/Menengitis. Doctors have trouble identifying the illness.She is very near death and doctors fear brain damage if she lives.My mother is miserable. Suzette,my sister, survives.Suzette also hates school and is teased mercilessly for being brainy.She graduates High School in 3 years and leaves for France for a senior year abroad. Today she teaches German,French,Spanish and Arabic. -
I get sent to Private Girls School
I go reluctantly to all girl's school.I must go one hour early and wait one hour after for ride with Mother.Uniforms fix wardrobe problem.Students think Im rich since I go to France in summer.I turn out pretty and people like pretty. I still do not socialize with girls outside of school.I like science and art.I win state level awards for artwork. -
Go to College
Parents dont approve of art school or art degrees.I go to HUGE Central Michigan University.I pay for half and parents pay half. I use no loans or aid.I work 3 jobs and go to class.Pretty still goes a long way and I make some friends! -
Holding pattern after college
My Mom moves to Alpea to consider moving there with my Dad for retirement.Dad's health is not great.I stay home to care for Dad while Mom tries teching in Alpena. -
Graduate CMU
I have a Business Degree in Marketing and Advertising that I hate. It is the Gulf War Crisis and no one is hiring.I get liscensed to sell life,health insurance and stocks and bonds. I hate my life.I take extra job waiting tables at a Greek owned restaurant.Owners arrange my engagement.My husband to be's first wife has left the country leaving him with his 2 boys to raise. I choose motherhood over cold calling and pantyhose.My Mom moves back home decides winters are too harsh Up North. -
Wife and Mother
Instant wife and mother.My Husband is 13 years older than I. I am 10 years older than my my new children.My husband and I have full custody( the biological mother leaves the country).I am fulltime mom at 25. -
Son is born
My first biological son is born.We live far from my family and in a neighborhood of elderly.It is very isolating.Breastfeeding is a nightmare.Baby cries for fist 4 months straight.We now have 2 teenagers,2 adults, a baby and a dog in a 1000 square foot house.Life is tense.We are doing well financially. -
We move to Canton
My husband and I build a "McMansion" in Canton during the start of the building boom.We live there 9 months and sell for a profit.Canton is too far from family I still feel isolated.Our oldest sons joins the marines. -
Another son
Another son is born.Now there are 4 boys.Nicky is born with juandice and a hearing problem.I am a little better at breast feeding Baby doesnt cry much. Life feels cookie cutter like and I am glad to move to downtown Northville. -
Finally a community
In Northville one son starts preschool and starts sports.We join local catholic church.I finally know people and dont feel isolated. I start execising and drop a couple sizes.I learn painting,electrical,plumbing and drywall skills from husband while rehabbing our house.I tackle landscaping our acre and a half lot.There is lots to do and people to meet. -
New House floods
One week before we are due to move in a water pipe breaks and house needs gutting.Its about 2 weeks after Nicky is born. I have a 4 year old a baby and a teenager and no house to move into. -
Baby injured
In new house I fall down a flight of stairs while holding the baby.There is no handrail on the wall (from old owners.) I dont drop the baby but I do land on him. His Femur breaks in half.He is in a body cast for 6 weeks.He looks like a pinata.He doesnt fit in a highchair,stroller or car seat.I feel very badly. -
Learning problems
Though exposed to a lot of literature and public library, my first grader is not learning to read on schedule.His class has 32 kids in it with one child having a severe brain injury.Teacher suggests ritalin.My husband refuses.I stress a lot over situation. -
Dyslexia
Son is Dyslexic.The city of Northville redistricts schools because of population boom. We are placed at an excellent school that does extensive testing with my son. He has a very high IQ and starts to get real help. -
Speech delayed and dyslexic.
My youngest son has a sixty % hearing loss that is finally corrected(with surgury) at age 3 and a half. He starts speaking finally at 4.He is speech delayed and dyslexic. -
Photo Op for my guys
Taken at my sister's wedding. -
John and Angela get married
My youngest step son gets married(picture is of my youngest son and Angela).Yes the bride wore wings!He goes to work for my husband's company.Angela later gets her doctorate in physchology.She helps clients at Vista Maria and in Michign Prisons. -
Son repeats 1st grade
Despite my efforts to keep him on track my youngest repeats the first grade. It is very sad and stressful again. -
Run triathalon
I run Chicago triathalon with one of my grown sons while family watches. I am proud of my accomplishent, but won't continue to compete further. -
Teach Boxing
I get a kick boxing certifcation and begin teaching at a large gym. I also join a competitive women's soccer league. I like the way exercise makes me feel and I do it alot. -
I find a lump
I wake up at 5:00 am and feel a small lump in my left breast.Good bye long blond hair. -
Cancer
I am diagnosed with a rare and aggessive form of breast cancer (triple negative). Tumor is grade three. Powerful friends arrange for my immediate treatment.I am in a chemotherapy chair getting dense dose chemo one week later. It is reccommended they dont operate until it is shrunk.I am stressed but sleeping better than ever. -
First tumor surgery
I have shrunken(50% smaller now) tumor removed. While I'm in operating room my mother's sister dies in France of cancer at age 70. i feel sad.My doctors call to tell me I need more surgury.They finally get it all and I begin six weeks of daily radiation. -
Feel like a project/Radiation
I lay naked on a table under a huge machine while 3 people line up laser beams on my permantently tattooed dots .They walk down a long hallway and close a foot thick door.They watch me by camera because a window is too dangerous for them.Im taught a special breathing technique to raise my breast as far away from my heart as possible while they radiate. I find it mentally harder thanchemotherapy because it is a daily reminder that it is serious. -
depression
Treatment is completely done.I enter most severe depression I have ever felt. Doctor's call it post traumic stress and suggest anti depressants. I refuse and get back to exercising.Doctors order MRI becuase of headaches and weight loss.They find small(very)angioplasm in my brain.Since that is where my cancer tends to metatstize Im am ordered to MRIs every3 months. -
Inspired
An exercise client of mine inspires me to go back to school. I pursue an accelerated nursing degree.I take Philosophy and Biology in the summer and do well. I follow up in the fall with Physchology,Chemistry and Biology.My grades are good but the work load is stressful. -
We get a puppy
One year after diagnosis I finally agree to a puppy -
Father tears Aorta
My father tears his Aorta and spends a week in cardiac intensive care unit.It is the result of high blood pressure despite a healthy bodyweight and lifestyle.He will never be able to do wha he used to do.He was very active and is now very cranky. -
Most recent birthday
My youngest son and I. -
another lump
I feel another lump growing all summer but try to pretend its scarring.Finally an ultrasound confirms.It is aspirated and found to be a cyst ,they find another one at the same time.They drain and test both, they are nothing.whew! -
winter semester
I register for more chemistry and biology.I get a job tutoring biology.I just put cancer out of my mind instead of the 40% chance I have of it returning I must think about the 60% chance that I have it wont.
