Background story: My mom's first cousin, Jimmy Williams, has a daughter with Becky Williams. They named her Karley Sue. Unfortunately, Karley Sue has a rare genetic disorder called CARNITINE PALMITOYL TRANSFERASE DEFICIENCY Type2, or CPT2, which impairs her body's ability to burn fat. Karley Sue is now 2 and most children with this disorder don't live past 5 or 6 MONTHS, so the 2 years she now on is AMAZING. She has traveled all over to hospitals including Baylor and up in Pittsburgh (the family is up in Ohio, so Pittburgh is closer for them) doing experimental procedures so that Karley can live. Her body, however, has been slowly damaging her heart beyond repair and she has been on the heart transplant list for some time now.
The good news of this entire thing? Karley Sue recieved that heart transplant that she has been needing so desprately this morning. She went in around 10 eastern time. I haven't heard any more news concerning the operation, but hope that my mom will keep me updated on how everything went.
I'm really excited for the family and that hopefully Karley Sue will continue on the road of success with this. I really hope that everything goes well.
-----edit, 1:20-----
Just recieved a text from my mom - Karley Sue is out of surgery and everything went well!
-----end edit-----
I'm also INCREDIBLY thankful to the family that donated the heart. I'm so SO sorry for their loss, since their baby had to die in order for Karley to live, but I'm so happy that they made the choice to donate and save a life. I'm not quite sure how long she could have gone on w/o a healthy heart.
If you have the time, please check out www.karleycare.com and check out what her disorder is and what Jimmy and Becky are wanting to do for others.
My life recently? Umm... I've done my social psych presentation, got the ft scott presentations over with along with sophomore day, the orchestra concert went well, and all I have left really is to put the finishing touches on my crime scene paper and edit my research methods 2 paper. Crime Scene is due on Thursday and the final draft of RM2 is due on finals week.
It's crazy that this school year is winding down... Just in the nick of time, yet I know I'll miss everyone over the summer.
Oh yeah. Guess what? I'M TURNING 21 NEXT WEEK! On the 8th. Make sure to wish me a happy birthday! The bad news? I'm driving on my birthday. A lot. The reason? My sister graduates from college on the 9th and 10th. From OU, after 6 years of schooling. Needless to say, my entire family is happy! Ok, and when I say my entire family, I mean my close family. And when I say close family, I mean immediate family. Like as in me, my mom, and my two grandmas, one in OH and one in KS. The 4 of us are going down to celebrate with her and to watch her walk. It's going to be a blast! I'm trying to talk my mom into letting me just drive myself down so I only spend about 4 hours in a car on my b-day and not 6+... hopefully she'll let me. I haven't seen my sister in a long time and I know all of her pressures will be gone... that hasn't happened in a LONG time!! It's always something school related!
My finals schedule looks something like this:
Monday
Principles of Learning - 11 - 12:50
Research Methods 2 - 2 - 3:50
Wednesday
Abnormal Psychology - 10 - 11:50
Social Psychology - 1 - 2:50
Thursday
Crime Scene/Law of Evidence - 3:30 - 5:20
And then I think I'll move out of the dorms on Friday, probably around noon or so, if possible. I would LOVE it if my sister were up here to help me take things back home and such... I think I may need her. I accumulate too many things over the year. I really do. Of course, I'm storing the loveseat and possibly a few other large things (my fridge, tv, and possibly microwave, if she'll allow me) so maybe i'll be able to get everything in my car. Hmm... This might be difficult...
O well.
Later, loves!
Pictures can say 1,000 words...Life at Pittsburg State University is never that boring... Friends are always around and campus always has something going on. I love this campus and wouldn't change anything for the world!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Research methods rough draft fue on Wednesday. Big social psych project presentation next week. Principles of learning test on friday. Spot the Silence Stop the Violence activity tomorrow. Fort Scott presentation for SAVE next thursday. Large all day festival with little kids on saturday. Workshop for CARES on saturday. Orchestra practice coming up on sunday night, monday night, and tuesday night with a concert on wednesday. Practice which, I'll have to leave early from SAVE to attend to and to be on time. Sat the 26th is Sophomore day. the 27th is the JSSA golf tourney.
Free time? Whats that?
My prof, Dr. Townsend, says that for every hour in class, we need to spend 3 out of class studying for it. I actually don't think that's physically possible.
Let's do that math.
17 hours * 3 = 51 hours outside of class, studying for my 6 classes in two days. I'm not counting orchestra. That's a whole 'nother boat that doesn't need rocking.
Anyway.
48 hours in 2 days. I don't think 51 fits into 48, but lets count in some more things...
Once we factor in going to the actual class we're studying for and time for sleep, and heck, lets count food too, because I don't think studying is good for the digestive tract... ;)
ok. so I'm taking 6 classes. 48-6=42
8 hours of sleep is suppose to be the best amount your body needs (I never get 8 unless Iget to sleep in) 42-16=26
26 =/= 51 in fact, it's half. So I hope he counts 1 1/2 hours instead of the 3... because it's looking like 26 hours of studying in two days in the max I'll ever be able to do. That still sounds a little excessive to me.
Am I doing the right math here? It wasn't ever my best subject in school...
Like I said. Not physically possible.
Gum Chewing...
OJ Simpson...
Forensic Fingerprinting...
SAVE...
Student Ambassadors...
Cello...
SAI...
JSSA...
... I don't have a life. It's just school. lol.
I'm glad my phone has alarms and a calander. I would be lost without it reminding me where to go!
Wish me luck on not talking tomorrow. I'll need it!
Here's a lovely press statement about the Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence campaign from last year:
Wed, Apr 12, 2006
Pitt State organizations having a day of silence
By The Morning Sun
Several Pittsburg State University organizations are holding a day of silence Thursday in order to stop violence.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Students Against Violence through Education (SAVE) and the Men against Violence Program (MVP) are asking students and community members to remain silent Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to honor survivors of sexual assault and rape. People can either observe "Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence" on their own or are invited to visit the PSU Oval for a sticker that recognizes the event and a sheet of paper explaining the silence. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
"From our perspective, there's nothing louder than silence," said Julie Allison, PSU professor and SAVE advisor. "We're trying to convey a message to our community and to our friends and families that this is an important issue. And we need to make it safe for survivors to come forward, so we can support them in their healing process."
"Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence" aims at raising awareness, said Ashley Taylor, PSU student and SAVE/SART member. It represents "the silence that they (victims) feel from a society that shames them into silence once they've experienced sexual assault and rape."
Free time? Whats that?
My prof, Dr. Townsend, says that for every hour in class, we need to spend 3 out of class studying for it. I actually don't think that's physically possible.
Let's do that math.
17 hours * 3 = 51 hours outside of class, studying for my 6 classes in two days. I'm not counting orchestra. That's a whole 'nother boat that doesn't need rocking.
Anyway.
48 hours in 2 days. I don't think 51 fits into 48, but lets count in some more things...
Once we factor in going to the actual class we're studying for and time for sleep, and heck, lets count food too, because I don't think studying is good for the digestive tract... ;)
ok. so I'm taking 6 classes. 48-6=42
8 hours of sleep is suppose to be the best amount your body needs (I never get 8 unless Iget to sleep in) 42-16=26
26 =/= 51 in fact, it's half. So I hope he counts 1 1/2 hours instead of the 3... because it's looking like 26 hours of studying in two days in the max I'll ever be able to do. That still sounds a little excessive to me.
Am I doing the right math here? It wasn't ever my best subject in school...
Like I said. Not physically possible.
Gum Chewing...
OJ Simpson...
Forensic Fingerprinting...
SAVE...
Student Ambassadors...
Cello...
SAI...
JSSA...
... I don't have a life. It's just school. lol.
I'm glad my phone has alarms and a calander. I would be lost without it reminding me where to go!
Wish me luck on not talking tomorrow. I'll need it!
Here's a lovely press statement about the Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence campaign from last year:
Wed, Apr 12, 2006
Pitt State organizations having a day of silence
By The Morning Sun
Several Pittsburg State University organizations are holding a day of silence Thursday in order to stop violence.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Students Against Violence through Education (SAVE) and the Men against Violence Program (MVP) are asking students and community members to remain silent Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to honor survivors of sexual assault and rape. People can either observe "Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence" on their own or are invited to visit the PSU Oval for a sticker that recognizes the event and a sheet of paper explaining the silence. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
"From our perspective, there's nothing louder than silence," said Julie Allison, PSU professor and SAVE advisor. "We're trying to convey a message to our community and to our friends and families that this is an important issue. And we need to make it safe for survivors to come forward, so we can support them in their healing process."
"Spot the Silence, Stop the Violence" aims at raising awareness, said Ashley Taylor, PSU student and SAVE/SART member. It represents "the silence that they (victims) feel from a society that shames them into silence once they've experienced sexual assault and rape."
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Last week was a crazy week.
Tuesday. JSSA meeting. I am helping out with the golf tourny on the 27th now... from about 12 to whenever it ends. 5 maybe? 6? Then we had out monthly Ambassador meeting where we got to meet all the new kids that got accepted into the organization. They're all pretty amazing and i can't wait for next year!!
Thursday. I had my meeting with my advisor to get my code to enroll this week. I added my two minors offically and am now also offically graduating in May of '10. After that, it was a normal day until around 5:45 when a friend of mine and I went to the reception that the school was holding for incoming students. I met some great people there, talked probably a tad too much, and all in all had a good time. I like meeting new people, talking, and finding out what they're interested in!! After that, there was a wind ensemble concert at 7:30 in memorial (where the reception was as well) so Paresa and I went to that to support some of our friends in the band. Around 8, I left at intermission so I could catch the remainder of Take Back the Night, which was being organized and put on by the Woman's Studies Club here on campus. I got there in time for the speech and rap session, however didn't listen to too much of it because I was helping Jennifer, the main woman who organized it, set up candles. Was anyone here on Thursday night? There were 20+ mph winds... solid winds. Gusts were even higher. It was crazy. Unfortunately because of this, we weren't able to send them out on the University Lake. We couldn't even light them when surrounded by a wall on 2 1/2 sides. So we only ended up doing the candle light vigil out in the front of Timmons. It was still fun and enlightning, I wish we could have had them floating though. =(
These are some of the marchers with Timmon's in the background. Men and women both contributed to the march and rap sessions, providing positive feedback and support to everyone involved.
The next day, a good friend and SAI sister, Christa, had her senior recital. She was fantastic!!!
She plays the flute and is amazing at it! Her last song, Carnival of Venice, required three stands and she hardly had time to breathe! I was amazed, personally.
Yesterday. Oh yesterday. Yesterday seemed like a weekend all by itself. Getting up at 6:30, I've found, can make the day extremely long. I got up, went to starbucks, and went to set up a bake sale that SAI was putting on at the music festival. It was crazy. High school kids everywhere, noise everywhere... I'm NOT a morning person. lol. I was there, selling baked goods from around 8 am to 5 pm, taking an hour at 12 to have lunch. Getting out of McCray, I went, ate a bit, and around 7 I ended up falling asleep till 9. I usually HATE naps. Yes, college student who hates naps. I have a reason though - I can't sleep at night if I do nap. Anyway, I got up after that and hung out with my friend Melissa till like, 2. Yeah, we're that cool. I played with Dot, her cat, while she folded laundry. We're party animals. ;)
Today was tame. I went and found both Countryside, the country club on the outskirts on Pittsburg, where there's a golf tourney later this month, and also found Westside, where I'll be at the majority of Tues and Thurs, working with the CARRD program and 1st graders. Easy enough. Then my friend Megan and I went to Del Rio, a local Mexican restaurant, and shared a bowl of queso. Andrew and his friend, Chris, met us there and entertained us for an hour or two. Those two are hilarious!!
That's been my week or so... today has been recover day.
Off to the races again tomorrow!
Later, Loves!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Wow, busy weekend!!! I'm gonna do a backwards look at what went on... Starting with SAI!!
SAI is Sigma Alpha Iota, a woman's music fraternity. I do guard and play cello, yet am not a music major, so I like to stay involved with music through SAI. I love all the girls in this organization and it's a great way to maintain contacts. =)
Tonight was initiation for our new members, 7 in total. Considering our chapter before tonight consisted of about 11 women, 8 new members is amazing! lol.
This is me and my 'neo'/little, Kayla. She's another guard girl, we're the only two in SAI. Yeah, we're special. ;)
These are our newest members, Kayla, Mary, Christine, Kristin, Mary Jo, Misty, and Kayla. They are great girls and I'm incredibly glad that they joined!!
Cheerleader pose!!! lol. Christine is always so energetic, it's crazy!
Those are the only pics I have of tonight that I really want to post... We did the ceremony at Timmons Chapel and it was absolutely gorgeous!! I couldn't have been happier of how it turned out!
I visited home this weekend and was able to see my mom for what is the last time till my sister graduates in May and I won't be home till after finals. It was fun, relaxing with my mini dachshund, Max, and eating REAL food... lol.
We watched the last half of the KU v UNC game... My mom was going for KU... I wasn't. No offense, but I'm just really NOT a fan of Kansas. I know I live here and everything, but yeah... Oh well, here's to Monday night to see if Kansas is able to pull it off or if they'll fail miserably. Who are they playing? Memphis? Either them or UCLA, isn't it?
Anyway, Here's the next set of events. The White Ribbon Campaign, which went down on Friday. We set up in the oval and asked people to sign our pledge against violence against women. we did really well on informing the public! Attorney General Steven Six came down and talked to us about it. It was really fun and informative =)
This is Ashley, Topher, and Six. Ashley is our SAVE coordinator and Topher is the VP of MVP.
Jessica, me, Danielle, and Taylor. All in SAVE together. I love these girls!
Danielle, Ashley, Daniel, and Jess. I like taking pictures... lol
Whitesitt with our oval activities in the front. In here, from left to right, there's Alex, Katie, Jess, Julie, Roy, and finally Six. Lovely day, isn't it? lol
I have a normal day tomorrow... classes, classes, and more classes, topping it off with a SAVE meeting/class. Tues, I'm helping out with the CARRD program, same with Wed. I'm missing some classes on Wed, but since they're Psych classes, the profs are excusing me. Thurs I have a meeting with Julie to pick out classes to enroll in next semester, class, a student ambassador reception at Memorial, then hopefully to Take Back the Night.
Take Back the Night is something put on and sponsered by the Woman Studies Club and SAVE/MVP is always involved with this particular event, it more or less goes with what we stand for as well. It starts with a march and leads to Timmons where speakers share their stories and such. It's all very emotional and a great experience to have.
After that, on Fri, I have a friend's senior recital to attend, a music festival to work (all day, selling food and drinks to hungry and thirsty musicians) and then I start all over again. Crazy crazy crazy.
Ok, so I think I've told you all about my life that I've really done since last here. Intresting? Hopefully. It keeps me goin'!
Later, loves!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
This is currently me. In all of my glory. Meaning, hair thrown up messily like usual, Johnny Depp and a giant starbucks frappachino sign in the background... and a new addition, a heating pad on my shoulder. I actually have no clue what I did to it... I think I may have slept on it wrong and then used it incorrectly while it was hurting. Not fun. Oh well, I'll get over it. It's not like I have to use it on a daily basis right now...
Oh yeah - It's now offically Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The white Ribbon campaign was suppose to happen today, but we got notice that the Attorney General wants to come down and do a lecture with us over this basic topic, so we moved the events to Friday. In case you are wondering, The lecture will be at 11, either outside in the oval or inside in the govenors room, depending on the weather. Be there.
Hmm. What else? Oh yeah! Yesterday I went to prison. That was interesting.
Ok, so I'll admit it was the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. And it was a 'class' trip - a tour of the facilities and what they do there. I thought it was fun... Very interesting and imformative. I'm giving it a thought for possibly post schooling. woohoo!
The sunset last night, taken from my roomie's car. I thought it looked kinda cool.
Anyways, I'm out...
Later, Loves!