20, 10, 5, 3, 1, and so on . . .

SO, I saw this on a friend's blog and thought, "Ooooh, fun." Yes, I am one of the ones who actually likes filling out forms and those semi-obnoxious "get-to-know-you" email forwards. So here you go:

20 Years Ago: 9 years old, Charlottesville, VA. I had just started my first year at Woodbrook Elementary school because my family was finally able to buy a house. I had no friends. My original teacher, Ms.Price, only taught me for about a week and a half. Her replacement, Ms. Cleveland, almost made me quit school. I had gone from being a gifted, creative student, to needing encouragement to complete homework in less than 4 months.

10 Years Ago: 19 years old, Provo, UT. I had just been offered the job of resident assistant at Brigham Young University. I had applied in the spring, but hadn't been selected. However, one of the RAs was leaving, so they needed a replacement, and I was chosen. At the time I was living south of campus in the Miller Apartments with 5 other girls, 4 of whom had been on my freshman floor in Hinckley Hall. It was also at this time that I declared my major as English after going through about five other majors (Music, Anthropology, Political Science, Food Science & Nutrition, etc.).

5 Years Ago: 24 years old, Chino, CA. I was serving as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Arcadia Mission. It was my second stint in Chino (I had started there, gone to Arcadia, then Rowland Heights, and then back to Chino) and the great foothill fires of 2003 were in full force. We would go out to our car in the mornings, having to brush off the ash. Our clothes smelled of fire, but we were sharing the gospel. Most people just thought we were crazy for being out in the fires, but that didn't keep them from not letting us in their homes. And really, those same people would have thought we were crazy even if it hadn't been all fire and brimstone outside.

3 Years Ago: 26, Charlottesville, VA. I was working full time at the University of Virginia Medical Center as a Health Unit Coordinator of 3 Central, a general medicine unit. I was also working part time as a mommy's helper for a beautiful family whose 22 month old son had just been diagnosed with autism. They were expecting their second child at the end of October, and wanted someone to help out with the son's therapies & playgroups, the around the house stuff, and the new baby. That job began my career in special education and I am forever indebted to that family.

1 Year Ago: 28, Hudson, MA. Starting my second year as a teacher at a private school for children with autism, as well as my second year in a masters degree program in Special Need Eduction through Simmons College. I had also just moved to Hudson after living too far away from my job in Somerville, MA.

So Far This Year: Turned 29 on March 14th, still in Hudson, MA. I have had physical therapy, chiropractic care, and now one epidural steroid injection for an injury sustained at work last December. Gone to Mexico with my mom to visit my sister who was teaching English there. While in Mexico, I walked the streets of Teotihuacan and climbed the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon. Visited Charlottesville, and, even though I lived there for most of my life, went to the Farmer's Market on Water Street for the first time. In July, I finished, presented, and received a perfect score on my masters' thesis which studied a concurrent-chain method of assessing the preference for sameness and routine in children with autism. I have also started my two semesters of practicum in order to finish my master's degree.

Yesterday: Still 29 and still in Hudson, MA. Worked with three students at school after being cleared to work with students again on Tuesday. After work I got money orders for my bills, did a little grocery shopping and finally filled my gas tank ($3.10/gallon). I then went home and watched CSI season 8 on Netflix.

Today: 29, Hudson, MA. Slept in 'til 10am, watched the last few episodes of CSI season 8 and the first episode of season 9 (cried too much when Warrick died). Went to Walmart to finish grocery shopping. Came home and watched Dave In Real Life (cried again). And now I've been blogging and catching up on friends' blogs.

Tomorrow: Plan to go to Stake Conference in Weston, MA (I'm a member of the Boston Stake). I'll call my mom as per usual on Sundays and probably rest.

In the Next Year: Graduate with a masters in Special Education-Moderate/Severe Need. Turn 30 (GASP!!!!). Land a higher paying teaching job either at the school where I currently am or a near by public school. Possibly meet the man of my dreams and get married. Finally write my Tony award winning musical and be set financially. Big dreams, my friends. Big dreams.

Pain in the Butt

So, for the last nine months I have been dealing with a major pain in my butt, literally. In December I sustained an injury while at work and I've been trying to heal ever since. I started with physical therapy which helped to a point, but then my pain plateaued and I was sent to a chiropractor. He helped a lot, and in April it seemed as if things were back to normal. But in mid July I had a relapse, pain causing me to awake several times a night to take pain meds. I was sent to a physiatrist (it took over a month and a half to actually see him) who suggested epidural steroid injections (ESI). I had had them before for a previous injury with almost instant relief, so I consented. It took another two weeks before I could get the first injection. I was hoping for results similar to my previous experience with ESI, but no such luck. My pain actually got worse and has stayed worse. I am waiting for the physiatist's billing department and the worker's compensation insurance to negotiate a price for a second injection that will cover more epidural space in hopes that it will help. If not I get to look forward to a wonderful procedure called electromyography, EMG, where they will stick solid metal needles into my muscles near the nerves that run through them and see what they do when they are electrically shocked by reading the sound waves they produce when voltage is applied. Yahoo!!! Let's hope it doesn't come to that.