Time to say good bye,sorry I'm bad-until we meet again

I would tell someone who was just starting to write their first draft to work on the paper every week and try to learn from the other students and Professor, all that is humanly possible. Attend all seminars, be open to maybe changing thesis statment and participate in discussion. Also choose a subject that is of interest to you, and above all commit to it. I have enjoyed my time with you all and hope to be in future classes with you. Barbs

Final paper-finally done

At about 11:30P.M. I finished my paper on dietary fiber. I've learnt quite a bit about fiber, maybe too much! The hardest part for me was citing and the reference page. I just relized it is almost 2:30 A.M., and I am still at this computer. Well at least all reports are in, now the hard part, waiting for the grades. It was my pleasure being in class with you all. Barbs

A Milestone

It is now 8:48 P.M. on Sunday evening. I made it through today, a definite milestone in my life. Today I gave a going away party for my granddaughter. She is moving to California on Thursday to start a new life for herself. She is one of three children I have raised for about thirteen years. She has been living with her boyfriend for two years, since she graduated from high school. She is the oldest of my daughter's children, the boys and I will miss her. She looks just like my daughter did, with her fire red hair that is very long. She was so happy and got quite a bit of money for her trip. I feel like Palliache(I think I spelled his name wrong), anyway he is the clown that is laughing on the outside, crying on the inside. We took lots of pictures, everyone was so happy. Dear Blog, I feel better now, thanks.

An "Ah ha", moment

My "Ah ha" moment came about twelve hours ago when my Dr. said, "Four more weeks of rehab." On the way back from the hospital I said to myself, "How am I going to finish this semester?" I think I am a little discouraged. I have been in rehab for ten weeks with a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder, we have been trying to put off surgery. It is very hard to type, and in discussion by the time I type in my answer, everyone is on to the next question, so I just erase my answer, or type in yes. Sounds rather silly doesn't it? Well, I guess I've had another "Ah ha" moment. After reading what I just wrote, it doesn't even sound like me, I have never been a quitter, and I'm not going to start now. I never knew writing a blog could be therapy. Barbs

The last six weeks

My oh my, the last six weeks has really been six weeks I will never forget, we'll start at the top. The man I love asked me to marry him, I said yes, and we have started to look for a home on Cape Cod where he lives, of course one with an office so I can do my work, and a music room for all my instruments. That was a highlight, now back to reality. My grandaughter who I raised for eleven years is moving to California to find herself. My youngest son, who is also a student at Kaplan, started a really good job in the field he is going to school for, computers. I live in Templeton Ma., and after my husband passed away, three years ago, I started to have financial troubles, and on February 10th, my birthday, my house was to go up for auction at 12 noon. On the day before around four in the afternoon, my lawyer called and told me,"The bank has accepted our offer, and will lower the morgage rate for each month, your home is out of forclosure." Even though I will eventually be moving out of Templeton, I wanted to go with my head held high. I also wanted my two boys (grandsons) to finish their high school with the friends they have started school with ten and eleven years ago, I felt I was letting them down. Now for school-this is my fourth semester, and my hardest. I love to write, and one day I want to write a book, but this APA, I do not understand, but I keep trying. Also this wonderful word called plagerism, how are you suppose to learn about a subject, write a report, and not use the subject matter you just learned about? So, I try different ways to write what I read about, is that right? I hope so! To leave on a high note, I sold one of my Pomeranians this week, and also one of my "RIP" quilts. OH yes, life is good!

Being a student @ Kaplan has meant the world to me. I am so proud of myself, I cannot stand it. It has given me pride in myself where there has not been any for a long time. I feel normal and whole and I can communicate with anyone, without closing my eyes. You see, four years ago, after my husband had been in a nursing home for six years, I changed my downstairs dining room into a bedroom for me, and I did not know you are suppose to put some special screws in the wall when you hang shelves, and I put nails in. I put all my religious ceramic statues that my Dad made for me,on the shelves.It was five in the morning, and the kids said it sounded like an explosion, and when they came in my room, I was on the floor with all the shelves and broken statues on my head. I was a week in the hospital in a comma, but it was one of the best weeks of my life. I spent it with my daughter who's children I have been raising for thirteen years, and my Mother who died a year earlier in my arms. They were together and so very happy. We laughed and were so happy together, and as quick as they came, they were gone, and I woke up in the hospital unable to talk, read or walk. I had a right frontal lobe brain injury, with bleeding into the left side of my brain ,that caused a stroke. I was able to communicate through singing only with my eyes closed, so I could find the words to sing. I could not walk, and unable to read. After months in the hospital I started to communicate, but most things and people were new to me. They would not let me go home, and they were going to take my boys (grandsons) away, and put me in a nursing home, because I needed 24 hour care. My twenty year old son came home, giving up his college in Boston, and his apartment to take care of the boys and I. I could not get in and out of bed, and wash myself, so I had nursing care for everything, and therapists to help bring me back. My husband passed away two and a half years ago, and as for me, no one knows I ever had a stroke, except when I get tired my left eye droops. The picture in my blog space was taken about six months ago. I can talk and communicate with anyone, and I walk with no cane, walker, or wheel chair, they are all put away. To be on the President's list is a true honor for me, and sometimes I sit here and cry just to be considered a good student. When one of my classmates responds to me, I feel very proud. This is my fourth semester at Kaplan, and when I graduate, which I will, and am going to walk with my class. Kaplan has also brought back a lot of words that were lost to me, so as you see, I have a lot to be thankful for and I thank God every day for the wonderful people he has brought into my life. Barbs
I truly thank you all.