Christmas Joys!

So Nate, Jess and their family were the first ones who came to my house. And with my new camera that I got from Nu

Skin's christmas party (Nikon SLR D3100) I was so excited to take all sorts of pictures! But Gus is the cutest kid you have ever seen so I'm

still trying to figure out which picture I should put in here of him, cause they are all far too cute!! Okay, so I just added one, but don’t worry, if you want to see more of this ADORABLE little boy, let me know and I can add all sorts of pictures of the cutest little boy on earth!

Then the next ones who came to stay at my house were Aaron and Kim’s family. Lilly and Emma

had not seen each other in a long time, but it didn’t seem to matter, they still were the best of friends the moment that they saw each other! But the huge Blackham family party was super fun.

At the huge Blackham family party any little kid who wants to perform can. And by perform I don’t mean just playing on the piano, or even on the marimba like Brooklynn and I did as a duet, but you can even just take the microphone and say a poem or sing a song, or just look really cute!

Then, Kate and Chad’s family came to spend the night at my house too! It was so much fun. And imagine the fun it was to have all of these little kids on Christmas morning! Anyway, that’s about it, but I thought that I probably should update my blog again for anyone who still has the insanity to read it!

Just One More Update + The Loved Tonyaisms

Well hey there folks. So I was just updating my Tonyaisms file and figured I ought to share the joy with any of you who still check back every once in a while. Then since I haven't wrote in so long, then I'll update you on my life a little bit.

So, Tonyaisms.... some of these are GREAT!!

Okay first.... We’re just sitting there and Tonya says “Freak!” me: “What?” “Nothing, I just felt like saying that.”

Then, second, Tonya was doing something really annoying (I don't even remember what now) and I had asked her to stop before so I say “Tonya, how many times do I have to tell you to stop?” Then Tonya says: “uh… 4"

One day Tonya tried to get Dad's attention “Dad” Then he said “Tonya” Then she says “What?”

The last one to update you all on is one from just yesterday. We are driving in the car, and suddenly Tonya says "It smells like.... fried broccoli!"

So anyway, that's the Tonyaisms for now. I love Tonya! Especially how she is ALWAYS saying something else that's funny. As for me, well I got the best job ever, working down at Nuskin. Best company, EVER. I did a freaking incredible job with a few different things first month I was there. (October) Then, so far, November isn't looking so good. You see, my strength lies in upsells. First month I scored a 25.19% in upsells, and they only ask you to shoot for 5%. This month however has not been going so great just yet. So I decided to great a document. In this document it has ALL of the packages, including what is contained, the price, the price if you were to buy them all individually, etc. It's 18 pages right now, and I'm not even close to being done. So that has been what I have done with most of my time lately. Which really is actually pretty dang good for me, it makes it so I don't just sulk wishing I had someone to play with. However, despite the whole Nu Skin stuff, I have absolutely no direction in life, therefore no purpose and the few things that I could do in order to give me some direction or purpose, are FAR too difficult, and frankly I'm done forcing myself to do everything that I don't want to do. So I'm kind of at the point where I'll do things that I don't mind doing. (since social life is what I enjoy doing and I have absolutely no social life.) Speaking of social lifes, let's update you on some of that. So, it's pretty rough. I am down to saying I have one person that I can truly call a friend. Someone that you can call up and just cry to or whatever. Just one. And she's been sick, doing oodles of homework, hanging out with her boyfriend, going to work, etc. So basically, I haven't even seen her in over 2 weeks. Then I have my bishop. My bishop is the most wonderful man in the world. He literally is the greatest man I have ever met. But, yesterday was also the first time I saw him in over 2 weeks, and even at that, I only barely saw him for less than 30 minutes. And yeah, I know, I always have my family, and my family's been so good to me through all of this and everything, i know. But, family is family, and they're so much different than a friend. I don't know what it is and I don't know how to describe it. They're just so different. I haven't had a real conversation with a boy in over 6 months. I have therefore decided that I'm never getting married (another reason why I have no purpose) and so I'll never have a family. I'm not going back to college. I just can't handle it. So the only thing left that I have is a job. But I can get a bunch of jobs but next to none if any careers since I'm so worn out of college. So, you see why I have no purpose? Yeah, and don't even try to tell me how I'm not seeing the big picture or whatever, in all honesty, I'll hear but I won't listen, I'll understand but I won't do.

Oh, also looking for a good car, with great gas mileage (at least 28mpg) would get good insurance rates and few miles put on it. Any options, let me know!

Tonyaisms, of course!

Dear Readers, I don't know what the last Tonyaism I put on the blog is. So I'm sorry if there are any repeats.Okay, here they are:

1. “Tonya, why are you so weird?” “Why not?”

2. We are sitting at kitchen counter finishing breakfast. Dad has finished our scripture time. Looking at the clock, we know we have to keep Tonya moving. So he says to her, "Tonya do you have your shoes on?" She says "no." I came back in the kitchen from the pantry and looked at Tonya's feet and her shoes are on. I said, "Tonya, your shoes are on! why did you say they weren't?" She looked up at me with this horrified look and then said to her Dad, "I lied. I am sorry Dad, I lied to you."

3. You can call me on my house phone that’s 801-XXX-XXXX or my cell phone, that’s 801……I don’t know

4. It’s like 1:30 in the morning, and Tonya had to get up to go to the bathroom, my dad is sitting in my room talking to me and she comes in, “Dad, I have a question for you.” My dad, thinking it was something really important responded, “Yes….?” “Who won?” “BYU” “Oh good.” Then she went right back to bed.

5. “I don’t know why I was errrrrrring.”

6. Tonya sneezed in the middle of church. Followed by HER saying “bless you.”

Sometimes, good things actually do happen

Okay, I know that there's a lot of things in my life that really have not been going so great right now. But, there are a few that have. And I figure, let's celebrate those, and live as much as we can in those moments rather than the nasty ones. So, here, I am writing to inform you all.

First, on Wednesday, there was one thing that was SO SUPER AWESOME that happened. So, my brother, Nate, saw on some billboard the other day that Brian Regan was coming to Salt Lake in January. Knowing that the tickets would sell fast, and remembering the promise he made to me when he talked to me on my birthday last year, I needed to call quickly. The promise he made was that the next time he came down around my hometown, he told me I could get backstage passes to go and meet him!! On the house!!!! Anyway, so smartest thing I ever did, was when I took down the number from which he called on, on my birthday. I called that number, and I started out by saying "Hi, I'm Shannon Blackham, the girl with the tbi, who Brian Regan called last year for my birthday..." And she practically interrupted me saying, "Oh yes, I remember you, I was actually going to call you today." !!!!!! See, my dad and I had sent him a letter a little while ago, saying thank you, and also giving him a bumper sticker that I made last Christmas that says, "Be Safe, Be Smart, WEAR A HELMET." She wanted to call me to tell me that he had gotten that, he was grateful, and he got it the exact day he was planning to go get bikes and helmets for his kids!! (Can you imagine being the cashier for BRIAN REGAN???) Anyway, so I started to mention that he was coming down this direction in concert fairly soon and once again, she stopped me by saying, "oh yes and I remember that we promised you and your family tickets" !!!!!! So anyway, she told me that she would email me and that I should get back to her with the number (relatively small) of tickets I would need. So, oh my gosh! First, I get to meet Brian Regan, my favorite guy in the world, up close and personal, like in person!!! And, second, he (or at least his secretary) remembered me! And third, he totally loves some of the stuff I'm doing! (i.e. the bumper sticker!!!)

Second, on Thursday, I had an interview with the best company in the world. (they really are a GREAT company, and they generally hire from within, so if you start at the bottom, it's easy to make it your career and become super important, like the CFO such as my bishop or something!) Nuskin. Best company ever. They have one of the top i don't know what its called, but where you have people working for the same company for basically forever, rates, they work in over 60 (I think) countries, etc. Anyway, BEST COMPANY EVER!!! So, I had an interview with them, and I thought it went really well, but I wasn't sure and I was scared to say anything because then the jinx monster would come and backfire me for it! :P lol.

Third, today I got a call, saying that they were offering me that job!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG I am SO excited. Oh, and also, their starting salary, for their like low job is, 10.25 an hour!! Boo Yah!!! Anyway, so I am starting up there ASAP!!! OMG SO EXCITED!!! I'll post more later if I think of anything else, but those were the two things I was OMG SO SUPER EXCITED about so I decided to put that on here!!

Brian Regan Concert!

Hi, so I will definitely update more about this later, but right now I'm in college and I have homework to do and crap like that.... But in the meantime, my mom told me to put this on here:

http://clicks1.musictoday.com/cts/click?q=1;114684;4BrYyQJ30KH723xqhpua0g%3D%3D

people, realizations, how God works, college life, etc

So, I decided I should update my blog more often, especially after my brother (Nate) showed me how to view the stats on the blog, which means I can see how many people check it!! Woo! That's exciting cause I really didn't think that anyone read any of my posts anymore.

So, let's get started with the updates, shall we? Why yes, yes we shall. Where should we start though? Let's start with some of my realizations, which goes right along with how God works. So, yesterday, I decided that I really just cannot do some things. Let me show you an email that I sent yesterday. It says : "I don't know, I just do. It's so terrible. This is just miserable! And you know what? I know I'm being stupid about it and I'm just not willing to see God's hand in my life, because He's constantly there and everything, but you know what else? I can't help it. I really can't. I try. I really do. I try my hardest (sometimes) to be positive, to see things in a better light, to look at all the ways that the Lord has blessed my life, but honestly, I just can't. I really, just cannot see all of the good that's happening to me when I feel like there is so much more bad. Like the fact that I can't walk around campus so I had to get a disability sticker doesn't make up for the fact that once in a while I'll find a parking spot close to the building I need to go to. you know? And I won't make any friends, all my roommates are, but i'm not. not because i don't try, just because i repel people." Anyway, I hope that explains what I'm trying to talk about, cause I really don't feel like writing it again in a different way or whatever. Basically what I'm saying is, that it doesn't matter how badly I want to change, I just can't. Just can't do it. Just another thing messed up in my brain...

Okay then let's talk about college life and people. I hate college. I recently decided that second to my 7 week stay in the hospital, this is my most undesired place to be. This is for many, many reasons. But one of which is people. I decided that people are stupid. There are a few exceptions to this label, but only for those of you who are mature, and real. I HATE people who are not either of those two. First, if people are so immature, and so involved in themselves, still believing that the world revolves solely around them, then they just find it a chore to be friends with someone who actually needs a friend. They don't want to give them anything, they just want to take everything. This is what I'm talking about. I absolutely HATE that. People like that make me want to puke. Then, the second thing, the second thing is when people are fake. When they pretend, when they are frauds, when they ACT like they care, but they don't. It bugs me so bad when people pretend like they're trying to understand, and then one day, you find out that it was all a lie. They don't really care at all. And they just try to pretend that they do so that they can make themselves look better. Well you know what? Doesn't really matter all that much, because in heaven, God knows your heart, And on Earth, if you get any praise or whatever, God has repercussions for that too. Sorry, if you can't tell, I'm a little (or a lot) agitated. But basically what I'm saying is that I really, really, really dislike people who are all a lie.

Anyway, I'm sorry for being so negative, that's another thing that I literally just CANNOT change. Just like how I can't see any good in a day (as mentioned above) I can't see anything good in anything really. Anyway, so sorry if this is a depressing and horrible post, but I'm real, and this is how I feel. And my mom may make me come back and change it later, when she reads it, but whatever. In the meantime, this is it. This is the story of my life.

-Shannon

Just another Sunday

Okay friends, well today has not been anything special. Except that I'm dead tired. Just felt like I should write on here. So, one of my 3 best friends, Haley Clark, left for college yesterday. So, we all had a bunch of big celebrations and everything for her before she left. So, Thursday night, we had a sleepover. As fun as it was, not so good on my body...... We stayed up until after 6:00 AM. And I woke up around 10-10:30, everyone else woke up like an hour later, but yeah. So, I'm so majorly exhausted from that, but, I still can't even sleep. It's terrible. So terrible. Then, Friday night we went up the canyon and had a big bonfire and everything. Then last night, I got so upset with everything that I couldn't fall asleep until like 1:30 AM. And I had to be woken up at 4:00 to get more pain meds. Then, I couldn't go back to sleep. I was so mad at everything.

Oh, also thought I should mention that Tuesday, I didn't get much sleep then either. This is because I had a dying headache where I literally thought I was dying. Well not quite, cause I know a headache can't kill you, but it was one of the most painful things ever. So, eventually, we decided to take me up to the emergency room at the hospital. They basically told me that it was nothing out of the ordinary and that I should continue to expect these things for at least 2 more weeks, or one month after the surgery. And then I didn't get home from the hospital until like 3. Anyway, that's just about it, I think!

It's SHANNON!

As usual this very determined girl shows us all up!  SHE IS GOING HOME TODAY!!  Those wanting to visit Shan are welcome to come by the house!

Shan's eyes were swollen shut this morning but when we said moving around helps, sitting up more, etc., that's what she did along with her ice!  Dr. Walker was in a few minutes ago and she had the swelling down enough that both eyes were open!!  So he said she could go! She is one happy camper!  And I can't say I am disappointed, I would much rather be home!

Pheobe

Ugh! Swollen Eyes

Thought we might have escaped swollen shut eyes but that is about what Shan's eyes are this morning.  She is so disappointed and a bit discouraged.  She has been so faithful about packing herself in ice in hopes that it would stop the excessive swelling.  But her poor little head went through a lot and needs to heal its way.

Slept pretty well--got about 7 hours of sleep with interruptions for meds and vitals at midnight, IV change at 2:30 and awake at 5 ready for pain meds.  That's when she realized how swollen she was.  So after all the necessary meds adn the likes, we went for an early morning walk which brings us back to now, resting in her room.

Yes, visitors are more than welcome.
Pheobe

Friday into Saturday update

It's about 2:30 am (Saturday morning) and they just finished putting in a new IV for Shannon.  Not counting the ones for surgery, this is the third IV.  For whatever reason, her IVs have been very painful and end up blowing the vein.  Hopefully this one will do better.  They use the IV for some of her meds.

Friday was a good day!  Shannon had lots of visitors -- thanks to all who came yesterday, it did a lot of good for her and helped to fill the long day.  She also had a couple phone calls as well and she enjoyed those.  Thanks!  She loves you all!!

Shannon has continued to swell which was to be expected.  The doctors don't expect the swelling to peak until day 3.  So by the end of today--but there is a lot of day left to go.  Her poor little face is getting bigger and rounder. Her left eye is swollen nearly shut and is getting more black and blue.  Interestingly, the area around the temples is really swollen, looking like she has 2 small eggs under her skin on both sides of her face.  One doctor said that was because of a pocket area we have there and so it is a good place for the swelling to flow into.

By the time Dr. Walker made his rounds, we had talked with the residents of neurosurgery and from plastic surgery and the plastic surgeon as well.  Each had their opinion about how long the drains should stay in her head and none of them were anxious to get them out too soon.  Also, one resident said that she couldn't wash her hair for 5 days.  She was quite dismayed.  Then the plastic surgeon came in and said, oh no, you can wash your hair after 48 hours.  She was thrilled.  He wanted to wait until Saturday to pull either of the drains and then only if the output was small enough.  And then, Dr. Walker came in--the one with the final say on everything and rightfully so with his vast knowledge, expertise and experience!  We asked about washing the hair, stating we had been told 48 hours.  He shook his head and said no way!  5 days at least.  When it came to the drains, he said, let's get them both out of there today!  The reason, he stated simply was his concern for any chance of infection.  He said, the plastic surgeons aren't the ones that have to deal with an infection if she gets one!  Although disappointed, we all have great faith, trust and respect for Dr. Walker and we will abide by his word.  The bad part...can't wash her hair for 5 days, the good part, he said to take both drains out.

Well, that was about 10 or 11 yesterday morning.  Dr. Walker stopped by 2 other times throughout the day just to see how Shannon was doing.  Who sees their surgeon 3 times a day unless there is something wrong?  The nuerosurgical team was swamped yesterday (probably because they had bumped at least one surgury that was scheduled for Wednesday to later in the week).  Evenso, Dr. Walker kept checking in.  The second time he came in, he brought Shannon a CD with pictures of her skull he had taken during surgery.  They aren't for the faint-hearted either but they are definitely educational and certainly show us the extent of the surgery.  He had saved some of the plates and screws they had taken out for Shannon.  The resident brought those in early in the day.  They are TINY!  I don't know where I got my perceptions of what they would look like but they are a lot smaller than I could have imagined.  Then when we looked at the pictures from the surgery and saw where the plates and screws were, it was really incredible.  Modern science never ceases to amaze me.  Our bodies are such miracles!  I can't even begin to express the profound respect I have for our bodies and how they repair themselves and are so resilient through so many things.  I don't think we stop and consider that very often and what a blessing our bodies really are.

The third time Dr. Walker came by, he was just looking in on her and said he was sorry that they hadn't gotten the drains out yet, but that they had been back to back in surgery.  I commented that I figured it would be one of the residents and not him to which he responded, they have been there right with me!"  So the drains didn't come up until 9:15 pm.  A resident did do it, but he wasn't freed up until then.  When they take the drains out, they say it is a very weird sensation but not necessarily painful.  Shannon begs to disagree!  They had loaded her up on her pain meds right before but still she was very uncomfortable when they pulled the drains.  I think the resident was really tired because most generally after taking the drain out, will deaden the area where the tube was inserted and put a stitch or two in the hole.  He taped one side and pressed a guaze to the other side and said that should do it but that if it continued to drain tomorrow, he would come back and stitch it!  Fortunately, they haven't seemed to drain or bleed much since.  So the drains are gone and Shannon's comment was, now there is only one thing left invading my body (referring to the IV).  It's a count down for her! :) 

It is still Shannon's greatest desire to leave the hosptial Saturday night but when I asked Dr. Walker tonight what he thought the time table would be, he said, MAYBE Sunday.  I reminded him that she had this farewell she really really wants to go to.  He kind of shook his head in his own way and said, "we will see how she is doing tomorrow."  At this point, I am sure he was thinking that we needed to see how the swelling was doing.  So we keep hoping for Saturday night but we want what is really best for Shannon and so she may not be home as soon as she would like.

The packing of the head in ice continues to be quite the ordeal and a great time consumer!  Fortunate for Shannon some of her visitors yesterday were willing to try all kinds of options to find ways to make the ice packs stay where Shannon wants them.  She is determined to keep ice on continually to decrease any possible swelling.  I am sure that it has helped immensely but the body has a right to swell and pull fluids and other resources to the injured area!  Contemplating the complexity of the surgery Shannon had, I can't see how the body could not need some swelling time! 

Pain management has been better but it is still taken some heavy duty pain killers to keep her even close to comfortable.  It really does help to have her distracted by company.  The swelling , saw just a few minutes ago when they were changing the IV, was definitely quite a bit more than she has had up to this point. 

Well, I have given much more detail than any one might want but it is still the easiest way for me to send information out to the many that are following Shannon's progress.  Thank you all once again for your faith and prayers on Shannon's behalf.  We certianly know that God is in control!

Pheobe

Friday morning update

We mentioned we were having some challenges keeping Shannon's pain under control.  We were successful in her getting a few hours of sleep which helped.  So this morning they are adding torodol? (ibuprofen) which she got just a few minutes ago and she is already napping!  Yeh!  She still has the 2 drains in her head and the doctors aren't in a hurry to take them out although Shannon is.  They really are uncomfortable and make it hard to be comfortable to sleep.  So when Shannon made her wishes known to the doctors, they decided that if the drains continued to decrease in the amount of fluid they are draining off, they would take one out this afternoon and one tomorrow morning.  Although the doctors say that people say it doesn't bother them at all when they take the drains out, Shannon is quite nervous about the whole ordeal.  Evenso, she wants them out as soon as possible!  (Of course, once they are out, there will not be any place for the swelling to go except into her face.)

I have to tell you how funny she looked last night.  Shannon is determined to keep the swelling down as much as possible and so she wants ice packs on her head all the time.  You may remember how she used ice packs before and no matter how we arranged them, she had to redo them.  This time, we help and sometimes they are positioned right! :)  She has SIX of the 12" long 5" wide reusable ice packs which she rearranges over and over to be sure they are covering every part of her head.  Last night, to get her set up not to be rearranging but sleeping, we added about 4 pillows that were propped up around her head to keep the ice packs from slipping off her head.  Our biggest challenge was with the one that she wanted on her forehead, coming down enough to cover the eyes but not to slide off the nose!!  She has her stuffed bear here and we used it under her chin with the bear laying on its back and its legs propped up to hold the ice bad on either side of her head.  It was hilarious!  When she pulled her covers up where she wanted them, all you could see was a little nose and a mouth inside this tunnel.  You couldn't see any other part of Shannon!!!  I know that must be hard to imagine but when we get where I can transfer some pictures over, I will post one so you all can see.  It really is funny!

So sad to say, even with all the ice, Shannon's head is swelling quite a bit.  It is nothing like when we were in the hospital before so she still looks great.  And the doctors are so pleased that her eyes are not swollen shut!!  One eye is getting a little more narrow due to swelling and turning bluish so we don't know where we might end up.  I don't think we have "peaked" yet in her swelling although we are hoping! 

Yes, Shan is still up for visitors any time.  It helps distract her from the discomfort. 
So until the next post...
Pheobe

End of Day Thursday

We are certainly grateful for the good times so we have strength for the tougher times.  This afternoon Shannon's pain began to get out of control.  She had been on morphen and tylenol.  They changed that to oxycodin and tylenol and it did nothing for her.  She had just been miserable without any relief.  So they called the doctors and they added lortab that has worked for Shannon before.  So in hopes to get her to be able to sleep, they have given her a dose of morphen, topped with benedyrl for the itching from the morphen, and then they have given her the lortab.  We will add the oxy again in a couple hours.  Our hope is to get on top of the pain and stay on top of it so her body can worry only about healing!!  Some of the pain is generated from the drains in the back of her head.  They are positioned in 3 spots across the back of her head making it impossible to lay her head back without pain.  She is generally a back sleeper but we rigged up about 5 pillows so that she could lay on her stomach with her face buried in between pillows.  Then we have 5 ice packs, one that her forehead is laying on, one right above that one and then 3 covering the back of her head.  Have you ever tried to get 5 ice packs to lay around your head?  It's not easy! :)  But I do think we may have found a combination that is going to work because she is finally sleeping. The sad part is that they will have to wake her at midnight and 4 for vitals and she isn't one that goes back to sleep easily.Please all pray for her to get some good sleep!!

Shannon's face is finally beginning to swell more. Still it is nothing like it was with the last surgery, she looks really good as compared to then.  She has had one visitor and a couple of phone calls that she truly has enjoyed. 

Thank you for all your prayers. 

Pheobe

Room and Phone

Hi all.  So this is Pheobe, not Shannon.  I wanted to give another update from my prespective.  Shan has moved to the Neurotrauma unit or NTU.  She is on the second floor as she said but she is in the E pod and not the B.  The room number is what is important--that is 2027.  That is also the phone number to her room; 1-801-662-2027.  You are welcome to call and you are welcome to visit.

Shan was doing so well last night that I left Udell here and I went home to do some of the many projects that were needed there.  I returned about 1:30 this afternoon.  The report is that she has been doing very well but it has been hard to stay on top of the pain.  The morphen doesn't last but 45-60 minutes.  So they have changed to oxycodeine which will last 3 hours and they are also giving her tylenol which they count as every 3 hours.  One would think with all that pain med that she would always be sleeping but not so.  She napped, I guess a little this morning but hasn't since I got here.  You would think with all that med that she would be loopy or something but she's not. 

Shortly after I got here, Shan wanted to get her own clothes on so she took a sponge bath and got dressed!  Sadly, we don't get phone service here or I think she would be texting a number of people.  :) 

Shannon received a blessing before coming to the hospital.  It was a beautiful, very significant blessing.  We can see by how well Shannon is doing that the blessings pronounced on her head are being fulfilled.  This is such a different experience than our last hospital stay!  Although the surroundings are the same, our feelings aren't the same.  We continue to be so grateful for the Lord's hand in our lives. 
Pheobe

Hospital Room

Hey guys! So, this is me once again, I am finally in the neurotrauma unit! (a.k.a. a room where you can visit me) I am in room 2027. So Primary Children's Hospital in SLC and in room 2027. And for those of you who don't know (such as Haley Clark, no offense!), that means I'm on the second floor. Then, I am on the D pod of the neurotrama unit. Okay, then, since we all get terrible, terrible service here, I'm giving you the hospital room number. Which means you can call, but you can't text... so it is 8016622027! Okay, once again I love you all! And remember we are all praying for me to pretty, pretty, please be out of here by Saturday night!

re: in ICU

Update: Well, we are in the ICU. Shannon looks great, so much better than I had imagined! I guess I expected her to look like she did when they did the first bone flap. But she looks good. The swelling hasn't really started much yet but it is still hard to tell how things are going to look. She has been very awake and talking to us. Her biggest complaint has been her sore dry throat (from the breathing tube) and her incision. She has her famous ice pack positioning going on and has been drinking water and eating ice chips constantly. About 20 minutes ago, they gave her more pain meds and now she is groggy and in and out of sleep. We hope she will finally settle and really sleep.


They did feel like they needed to put 2 drains in and they have been draining well. I haven't been able to tell real well yet how the shaved part of the head looks because it is pretty matted and covered with ice packs (via Shannon). The ICU doc was just in and increased the amount of moraphin to more of the appropriate size for an 18 year old. That should give her a little more comfort. But, the trooper that she is, she hasn't complained much at all. Interestingly, she even has a had time quantifying her pain levels. That will be interesting to Cindy.

If there are any developments different than what we have said, we will email again but most likely this is the last tonight. When we get moved to a permanent room tomorrow, we will let you all know. If you have questions, email is the best way to reach us. The phone does not work in all places here at the hospital.

We truly feel that the Lord has heard our prayers and accepted our fast.  I love that calm peace that comes when we know God is in control.  We have had the best of doctors, nurses and care.  We love the people at Primary Children's hospital.  We saw some of the nurses from the PICU that became friends when we were here 14 months ago.  Together, we reminisced on the miracles that have happened so that our sweet Shannon is not only here today but doing so very well!  She is such a delight in our lives.  We have much to be grateful for.

Pheobe

re: update on surgery

It's about 6 o'clock and here's the lastest update.  Dr. Walker just came out to talk to us. He said that she was fine but it was more complicated that they had anticipated. The bone was so rough and there were multiple places that needed more than a little patching, so they decided to take the entire bone flap out and smooth the bone. Then they took 3 bone pieces out of the back of her skull to use for grafting. They used them to fill in the holes, on the top of her head, the side above her ear, and on top of the forehead.


They had to cut one defective spot of the bone out completely and they put a new piece of bone in there. Dr. Suddiki had to do extra work with the bone to fill in the gap in her forehead, but it is all back in place now. They are beginning to pull the skin back together and stitch her up. That will still take an hour or so.

They are going to send her to ICU because it has taken so long. Amazingly, she has not needed a blood transfusion. Right now, her blood count was down to 29 and Dr. Walker is ok with it getting down to 20 before giving her more blood.

Dr Walker feels that it has all gone well.

While I messed with the internet, Dr. Suddeki stopped by and basically said the same things. He said that there would still be some deformity but it is much much better than before but the visble parts will look good. So we will let you know when we are set up back in ICU.

re: Surgery update

Hi All;

This is Shannon's Mom.  I am going to use the blog and will try the "real Shannon" facebook if I can get in to it to update those that check that most. 
Shannon had to be here at the hospital at 10 am and the surgery was scheduled for 11:30.  As typical for hospitals, they were a bit behind schedule.  She actually went in to surgery at 12:10 pm.  The surgery is scheduled for 6 hours!  We just got an update a few minutes ago to tell us that all was going well.  They have her opened up and are finally ready to begin the real work. 
We did ask the doctor to clarify how long he thought she would be in the hospital.  He said that to think 3 days would be overly optimistic but if all went well 5 days would be feasible.  He said she had to be feeling well enough to be eating on her own and for her digestive system to be working.  The swelling will keep her from wanting to eat.  The day after surgery could be pretty miserable.  But I will try to keep you posted here to know when she is really up to visitors.  I know she wants to see lots of folks! :)
Pheobe

Surgery Again

Alright folks, some of you may already know, but I figured this is a monumental event I need to document. So, I get to go in for surgery again this wednesday (july 27th). This is a "reconstructive surgery" to make my head look all pretty again - on the inside and the out. So, what they are doing. They are basically opening up my head again, but don't worry, I don't need to get shaved bald again, otherwise I wouldn't let them do it. They just need to shave about 1-2 inches around my original scar from the accident. Then, they get to peel open my head like a banana. Then, they take a drill, put it in reverse mode, and take out all 64 of the screws that are currently in my head. Which, in turn, then takes out the 16 plates I have in my head as well. Next, they file down the random bone spurts which have formed in my head. Finally, the last step they get to do is the scariest. This is where they carve out part of my thick skull from the area where they did NOT take it out of my head before. The reason for this, is so that they can put it in places on my head where the bone has severely dissolved, such as my forehead. See, the good thing about this, the thing I just have to trust the professionals about, is that this part of my skull won't dissolve. It dissolved before, because it was in a freezer for 4 1/2 weeks which caused some of the blood vessels and such to die. Then, the bone couldn't get the nutrients it needed, so it dissolved. But, with this, they say because its brand new and super fresh, it won't have the same effect.

Finally, visitors are strongly encouraged! Especially since 6 days after the surgery takes place, is my birthday. I will stay in the hospital from anywhere between 3-7 days. So, there is a slight possibility that I will be in the hospital for my 18th birthday. That's the worst part about it, is that it's my 18th. But anyway, so, visitors = good, good, good! And I will be up at Primary's but I don't know what room I will be in until I get there. When that happens, I will - or at least I should - post just a 2 line blurb about what hospital room I'm staying in.

Thanks everybody! I love you all!

-Shannon

rollerblading once again

So I've wanted to try out rollerblading again like all week. but this week has been so crazy hectic! But yesterday I finally got the opportunity to go out and do it again! I was super super surprised at how well I did. I went with my mom and I was circling around her, or like going far beyond her then coming back to be with her again. Dudes, i don't know man, it was just so great! :)

Another Tonyaism :)

So my brother was going through his old emails and he came across this... It's a letter that my mom sent just to give us a little laugh!

We are sitting at kitchen counter finishing breakfast. Dad has finished our scripture time. Looking at the clock, we know we have to keep Tonya moving. So he says to her, "Tonya do you have your shoes on?" She says "no." I came back in the kitchen from the pantry and looked at Tonya's feet and her shoes are on. I said, "Tonya, your shoes are on! why did you say they weren't?" She looked up at me with this horrified look and then said to her Dad, "I lied. I am sorry Dad, I lied to you."

When will my life ever go right? (song)

Okay so this is a song I started writing a little while ago, and I don't think it's finished, but I can't really add to it right now. So I'm posting what I have already (maybe all of it). So here is the song:

When will my life ever go right? –By Shannon Blackham

I am so sick and tired

Of everyone saying this is how I should be

Why can’t my old friends accept the new me?

Why haven’t I gotten close enough

to any of the new, to trust them?

When will my life finally go right?

No one thought I could do

What I’ve done.

But look at how I’ve proved them all wrong.

But, it doesn’t matter, not to anyone.

And instead, I have to continue,

In order to please those who still care at all.

When will my life ever go right?

Now I’m stuck here,

Crying on my bed.

But it doesn’t matter to anyone.

No one knows, and no one sees,

Because no one cares.

When will my life finally go right?

When will I ever get

That special kiss?

The one I so long for?

When will I ever

Have someone to just love me

For who I am?

When will my life ever go right?

Why are all the people I know

Either big lying turds

Or fake and immature?

Blog Picture

So, Shan has been bugging me to change her picture because she says that the old one doesn't depict her right before her accident. (she wanted people to see how much hair she had to loose) I finally figured out how to change it. So I did, to her request. That's all.

I'm going to post more! Promise.

Alright, so as I have gotten a whole lot of new insights, songs, (bothersome) conversations, and of course Tonyaisms, I promise I will be updating this thing SO MUCH more. Right now it is very late, but I will be posting on here much more often, I promise. I probably won't be posting everyday, so it's absolutely not necessary that you check my blog like you did when I was still in the hospital, but over the next little while I would encourage you to check it regularly, I mean if any of you still cares of course. If not, then don't even bother, obviously. But, anyway, I'll just give you a sneak peak really fast and include one really fast Tonyaism. (the next one on the list of Tonyaisms since the last time I posted one) Okay, so once upon a time, I was sitting on my bed in my room. My room is right across from mine and Tonya's bathroom. So we have this full length mirror on that door. So as I'm just chillaxing on my bed, I see Tonya. She's looking in the full length mirror just like moving her body up and down... I don't really know how to describe it. But anyway, so then we had this conversation: “Tonya, what are you doing?” “Oh, I’m just shaking my body.” “Why?” “Because I wanted to.” So, now in my household, we typically say things such as, "Are you doing that just because you wanted to?" Yeah, stuff like that! :) Anyway, tune in soon for more! :)

Senior Pictures

I just uploaded my Senior Pictures on here! You get to them the same way you got to the pictures of me in the hospital! :)

-Shannon

Term 4 and Future

Dear Fellow Readers,

So I decided I have not updated my blog in a LONG time, but for good reason. One word. School. But graduation is tomorrow! So for any of you Utah folks who are not seniors (or just are not going to the all night party) feel free to come on over tomorrow night and party! We will do something fun! But, anyway, so this term has been SO hard. To begin with, I started off this term without being there. This is the time when I was in the hospital, so I missed quite a few school days. Which did not help me out at all. So since then, I have been making up everything from when I was gone, and then as soon as I finally think I have it all done, I find out that there was something that my teacher’s didn’t tell me that I needed to do. But so even after I got all of those things done, I was still extremely discouraged. I had 2 Bs in my classes. But then I had to do all sorts of different things to finally get my grade in AP Biology up to an A. Seems good, right? But, I was still sooo scared for AP Stats, especially since this teacher is a first year teacher who has no mercy. Even with all that I had done, I still had a B. So, then I looked at what the heck could’ve gone wrong and I noticed that 2 of my test scores were not where they should be. So, I asked the teacher if I could retake those tests. And due to the 504, I was able to retake one of the tests, the other test was a test from term 3 that we transferred over to term 4 so I could not retake that one. But, I retook that one, did a whole honkin’ huge ton of extra credit, took another test to replace my lowest test score, etc, etc, etc. Then I looked at my grade last night, put in 100% of what I would get on the project today and it turned out to be a 92.25. Unfortunately, on her grading system, you need a 92.5 in order to have an A. So I was SO upset! Worst story of my life! But, when I went up to talk to her today, she was like, “Oh, I still need to put that test in for you!” (the one I retook) So after she put that in…. guess what happened?? Bumped me up to well-over the bare minimum for an A! So, yep, that’s that class. So am I really saying what you think I’m saying? OH YES!!! One more 4.0!!!!!!! Which is actually kind of ridiculous because ask my parents, all term I have been saying, I can’t get a 4.0 this term, I just can’t. I won’t be able to do it again. So, for anyone who rejoices in my triumphs, I’m sorry, but the rejoicing is over. I’m going to college next year where I will NOT get a 4.0!

So, that’s school. Next, let’s talk about….. I don’t know my most recent surgery? So last Friday (May 27^th I think) I got my wisdom teeth pulled. So yeah, my face did swell up pretty bad, and I have a gynormous bruise on my cheek. It still hurts pretty bad. You cannot touch my cheeks, and sometimes my teeth will just hurt, for no apparent reason, but yeah, whatever. My next possible surgery is me going back to my beloved Dr. Walker and Dr. Maloney. If the bone in my head is still dissolving, they are most likely going to take out my skull again, and put a plate in its place. If not that, they will at least remove all of the gross annoying loose screws. Then, hopefully either shift my bone or the plate so that it gets rid of this terrible ridge I have in my forehead.

Okay, so let’s move on, now we shall go to….. graduation? So I am graduating now in less than 28 hours! I’m so stoked! I just wanted to let out a great big thanks to those of you who have sent me a “congratulations” present. Namely, Scott and Nikki Blackham, The whole Miller Family, and Dr. Chris Maloney! Thank you SO MUCH guys!

Now, as for summer, I have NO IDEA what I’m going to do. I need to find a job. Any leads from anyone? And I’m planning lots of trips to go out and see the rest of my family (brothers who live out of state) and also my cousin and yep, other than that, I have no clue. I don't really have a very good close friend anymore so it might be a long, hard summer for me. So I’m going to spend my summer home, with my family. And then I’m going to go out to visit family. Then go visit more family. Oh and then one more member of my family. I mean, I’m not trying to complain or anything, but family literally 24/7?? Are you kiddin?!

Which actually leads me to another topic. I can’t trust anyone. After my trust has been broken SO MANY times with people who I thought would be there for me through thick and thin, they just weren’t there as soon as the thick started rolling in. Even the people who I considered essentially just like a sister/brother to me. All of them are gone now. They only speak to me on rare occasions when it would make them look rude for not talking to me. So, hence the trust issue. It makes it really hard to trust anyone anymore. That leads to my issue with ever making any new friends. I mean, how can you make a new friend if you have absolutely zero trust in them? You can’t. I just feel like I have lost all those deep relationships with the kids my age that I once had.

Okay, so I think that’s about it for now, I’m not totally sure, I can’t really think straight since I have such a terrible headache. But, I will update the blog later, and let you know if that 4.0 is a definite. Because grades are not finalized right now, so you never know what could happen at the last minute…. So, I’m sorry, no new Tonyaisms today, but I will include some more the next time I update the blog, it’s just that this time there was SOOOO much to write about!

Let me know that you are out there!

Love, Shannon

After a long, hard month

So it’s been a month since I updated the blog, and I know, it’s terrible. But I haven’t wanted to update the blog, I’ve had a really rough month and I’ve been actually extremely busy. So, when I wrote last I was in the middle of a breakup with my boyfriend. I was starting a new term at school and I ended up spending 6 days up in a hospital at the University of Utah. Then, thankfully, spring break came. So I was able to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with my family. There, it was really fun, but I got sunburned really pretty bad. I also went parasailing, that was fun. My mom and I also went bargaining at the flea market. And I tried to surf again, which just got me even more sunburned. Okay, so then we returned home, and I had to go back to school and make up all of the work that I had missed before spring break. That was a terrible time. Still is. One of my teachers was very understanding and told me to take it easy, but my other teachers, were not so sympathetic. So now, I have 2 concurrent enrollment tests I need to study for, and one AP test I need to study for. Unfortunately we just found out that a lot of my accommodations for my AP test were not accepted due to lack of paperwork, even though we sent them an ENORMOUS stack of paperwork. So, now I have to do the AP test basically like everybody else. Which really sucks, because last time I took a test in this particular class, I only barely got through half of the questions in the allotted time. The only bright spot has been my internship. I enjoy going down to NuSkin and actually doing something rather than just shadowing people. I’ve been able to actually do work the past couple of times, and it has been AWESOME. But, anyway, that updates you on my life right now. I think. Because I only just touched on some of these things, feel free to contact me about more information.

Dr. Walker, skiing 2, and of course, more Tonyaisms!

Dear bloggers, so if you actually still check my blog at all, you should REALLY let me know. Just comment on here or something, please!! Even if the only thing you comment is, “I still check your blog.” Anywho, so this blog report is here to tell you about my second adventure skiing, also about an additional Tonyaism. Actually as I just added it to my list of Tonyaisms, I found that there’s another one that I have yet to tell you guys about. Anyway, so let’s start with the first Tonyaism, then talk about me skiing then about the second Tonyaism.

Okay, so once upon a time, Tonya and I were talking and she says “I don’t like ATEC.” So I respond in, “Tonya, I thought you loved ATEC.” She then says, “I know.” Lol, I personally thought it was funny. Oh and by the way ATEC is where Tonya goes to school part time and it’s essentially a learning center for people with disabilities to go to train for a potential job and stuff.

Okay, so now, my second adventure skiing. Today, after my doctor’s appt with Dr. Walker, (which I need to tell you all about) my daddy and I went up to go skiing again. So yeah, that’s exactly what we did. We went skiing and this time I fell a whole lot more, but it’s justified because we were doing harder things, such as going on blues and stuff. Then I have 2 awesome things to tell you about. 1. I barely went off of a couple little teeny tiny jumps today and didn’t even fall! Woo! 2. I totally skied backwards today. A couple of times actually, but one time I was like turning and stuff, it was awesome!

Now, this is the time to tell you the newest, latest, almost greatest Tonyaism. So we were talking about her little baby doll that she got from child care and how she had two of them. The first one was named Zach and the second one was named Matt. So we were talking about how she would confuse them sometimes. So she says, “Daddy, I’m confused in my brain, in my head.” It’s like as opposed to what? Your brain in your butt? Lol

Okay, then now I need to tell you about the appointment at Dr. Walkers, then I just remembered yet ANOTHER Tonyaism! Okay, so Dr. Walkers; the reason why we went here was to talk about the loose screws in my head as well as this dumb, stupid ridge on my forehead. Anyway, so after we talked to him for a while he decided that what they would need to do would be to open up my whole skull again to take it all (the screws as well as the plates) out and then move the bone to get rid of the ridge. So yeah, the thing we had to make sure of though was to make sure he would NOT shave me bald again. So he agreed, it made me very happy! J The other thing we brought up to him was that I’m constantly tired. So he gave a great solution, or problem rather, just identified the problem. So what he thinks may have happened is that my hormones got all screwed up with this stupid brain injury, which he says is actually pretty common. So there must be some amount of thyroid that is not being produced enough of or something. Yeah, so hopefully that’s it, because that would be great, considering there’s an easy fix for that! (Taking medications to restore some of the lost thyroid.)

Then, the last Tonyaism I have to report today is this. It wasn’t too long ago when she just walks in the room and tells me, “Shannon, I have a new Tonyaism for you.” I don’t even remember what it was, but it was still so cute that she found these Tonyaisms as a good thing! Lol! Anyway, I love my sister!!

Shannon

TonyaismS

Okay, so here’s almost all of the Tonyaisms I have since I started recording them. One, the classic Tonyaism. Like for reals. If someone ever asks you one of the funniest things you’ve ever heard and you say Tonyaisms, this is the one to tell. So once upon a time Tonya walks in to my dad’s office and was like “Dad, can I have this candy bar, say no” So my dad, kind of confused, says “no” then she responds by SCREAMING “WHY NOT?!?!?!?!” Yes, so that’s number one.

The next one, we were randomly sitting around the table, probably playing a game or something, and Tonya just says “If I burn the house down, I will be mad.” It was so funny because it was SO random.

Next, is one that not everyone thinks it’s funny, but I for some reason, find it hilarious! So Tonya was just playing with my dad’s phone (before she had one) and dropped it in her oatmeal.

Then, next, she said “I don’t like adapted P.E.” but we all thought she said, “I don’t like dad to pee.” So we were like, “What? Why not?” and of course, she thought we had understood her, so she says things like “I just don’t, it bugs me,” things like that. It was great, but something you just kind of had to be there for.

Mom said “Why don’t you go take a cat nap?” Tonya: “I can’t take a cat nap, I’m a person!”

So one day we are just in the car, and Tonya randomly starts laughing. It was weird, anyway, so then I was like, “Tonya, what are you laughing about?” “Oh, I’m just giggling in my mind.”

This one is another one of those ones that no one else really thinks it’s funny, but I think it’s hilarious! Anywho, so we are just sitting in my mom’s study room, with my backpack facing us sort of. And there’s like 7 pens and like 2 pencils. But she said, “Shannon, I like your pencil collection, it’s really cute.”

Then once upon a time she was at Wendy’s with my daddy. So she got this Yogi Bear toy in her kid’s meal. So she was just ranting on about how funny it was going to be. She thought it would be SO funny that she said, “Daddy, when I see this movie, I’m going to laugh my laughbox right out!”

We are in North Carolina, visiting my brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephew. Then, this one, you have to know Tonya just a little bit before you really get this one. But so, she spells out a lot of things after she says them. So like almost every night she’ll be like, “I’m going to bed, B-E-D.” Okay, so this one she says to my nieces, “Girls, tomorrow I’m going home, H-O-ME.” Yeah, see you really just have to understand Tonya on this one.

Finally, she says “Shannon, I don’t like ATEC.” “Tonya, I thought you loved ATEC.” “I know.” Yeah, I know this one’s not as funny, but it’s still great. Oh, and ATEC is where she goes to school part time. It’s a training school, so you can someday work at a job. Yeah, I don’t know that much about it but whatevs.

Okay, so here you go folks, for those of you who still read my blog, you should comment on here and tell me which is your favorite. (The “I just got hit by a truck” totally still counts!)

Shannon

Skiing

I have now gotten home from skiing for the first time since my accident. I think I did pretty well actually; even though I fell 4 times. I was on the ground a lot more than that but that was mostly because of my stupid balance issues and stuff. We started out on the bunny hill. But, I thought that was stupid. So we went on up to some regular runs. (We even had to take a blue to get there, and I didn’t even fall!) I also thought I would be done after one last run after the bunny hill. I was not excited about skiing at all. In fact, I actually thought that I would probably report on here that I was not going to ski again until I had more control of my body. After we got on the normal runs though, I actually started to enjoy it. I began to think that maybe I could do it. I even thought that I could maybe even do everything I once could do. For example, I used to LOVE going on little terrains off the main trails and going on all sorts of jumps and everything. So I started to do that. That would be where my 4 falls came from. I was going off of all sorts of jumps and stuff, and that’s where I fell so many times. Even though I guess four’s really not a lot… but still. Some of the falls really hurt though. One of them took the wind out of me. A couple of the others banged my head, but was wearing a helmet, even though it still totally hurt. But, as for me being able to do everything else the same way I could do before, I think I actually did really well. I skied in parallel the WHOLE time, and I was carving like crazy! Haha. But yeah so anyway, that’s about it…. Oh and also, I am adding a video of me skiing as well.

Shannon

Sleepy Time

Dear my fellow blog readers, So once upon a time I had a huge biology term final. That was this Thursday (yesterday). So for the past like 2 weeks or so I have been studying my little butt off. So then, yesterday, I finally got to take that dreaded biology test. I say dreaded because in case you didn’t know, biology is definitely my hardest class. But anyway, so yeah, after I took it yesterday, I really just crashed. Not to mention that this week there have been 3 times where I have woken up around 4 without being able to go back to sleep. I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t. So yeah, anyway, then today was just a miserable day. I am barely keeping my eyes open, even though I’ve tried to take a nap, but just can’t. Anyway, that’s just about it for today; just kind of a lazy day. Also, I’m going to try to go skiing again tomorrow. I don’t know how well that is going to go over, but we’ll give it a shot. So yeah, if I remember, I’ll let you know how that goes, but don’t be surprised if I fall on my butt a lot.

Shannon

Faith, Prayers and Fasting

When we first started writing this blog, we would often ask you to pray and/or fast for specific things for Shan. We saw so many amazing miracles happen because of your faith and prayers. In a little over a week, it will be 10 months since Shannon's accident. Her recovery to this point has been a long and difficult process. Shan has done amazing, especially with school but she still has a long ways to go. Doctors and therapists all say she should still make a lot of progress but she has to keep working hard at it. I tell you what, this stuff isn't for sissies! I don't think any of us understand how difficult this is except for other people who have had severe brain injuries.
So tonight I am writing and asking again for your faith and prayers on Shannon's behalf. In fact, we would love it if you join us in fasting for her specifically on Sunday, March 6th.
We are so very grateful for all that has been given to us. I have learned and grown so much. I know without a doubt that God is close by and watching over us. We are grateful for the many angels (people like you) that have come to our aid when we didn't think we could make it through. We are so grateful for those that continue to pray for Shannon and go the extra mile in giving her love and support. We hope to someday be in a position to do such things for others. We do pray that God will bless each of you for that love and concern.
Pheobe

2 links take you to pictures...

Hello Everyone;

This is Pheobe...Shannon's mom, the one who started this blog. I need to start a new blog that is my own so I can tell you about the parent's perspective but even then, I want to respect Shannon's desires about what I post about her and her situation. There is so much that I have learned through this process. So many things that I would love to share and perhaps someday I will be able to. But right now what is most important is Shannon and her perceptions and feelings.

Shan has asked me for the last couple of weeks to learn how to add pictures to the blog. Well, I am doing that. Some of them are not very pretty...please know that the pictures do not do justice to how she really looked. So here we go...stop... SHIFT GEARS! I am posting the pictures on their own page and if I understand how it will work, there will be a link at the top of this posting next to the word HOME. If you click on it, it will give you a whole other posting filled with pictures. If it works like I think, then the pictures will be for those who want to see pictures from the beginning...so that will be posted in a few moments.
(Actually there are TWO links at the top that will get you to the 2 posts that have the pictures. I hope they work the way they are supposed to....

PHEOBE

pictures!

So I finally figured out how to put pictures on the blog here. So here they are! The picture of the scar is my scar originally... stapled and everything. The picture of me and my sister is just to show you where I've come from. The picture of me just looking weird (lol) is just some random picture I found. The other picture I just think is cute. I can't figure out how to take pictures with my computer just yet though so I'll update a picture of me with my glasses on here in some later time! :)

Tonyaism

Okay, so I decided that it’s not very fair for my family to keep the “tonyaisms” to ourselves. So I decided to share some of these. So I’m going to share one of them now and then hopefully continue to share them in the rest of my posts. So you have to understand that I love my sister, and I think she’s super great. It’s just so great how she can make us laugh so much so I decided to let everyone else know just a little bit of why we laugh so much! J Okay so the other day we were just sitting at the table playing cards. Then out of the complete blue, totally random, Tonya just says “I got hit by a truck.” So we all laughed and were like what?? Turns out she was trying to tell us the Brian Regan joke about show horses. Which I think is still really funny because he never says in there how he got hit by a truck. But yeah anyway, so that’s about it. So next time you see me, just let me know that you got hit by a truck! Lol J

Huge update February 7, 2011

Okay, so I guess it’s probably worse than about time to update my blog. Okay, so we’ve got a LOT to update you on today. Not because anything’s happened recently, because really nothing has, but just because I realized how little we update you on certain things because they just become a part of our everyday lives. Anyway, so let’s start with the top of my head and go down. Lol. So, my hair has gotten pretty long. It’s obviously not nearly as long as I would like it, but it’s growing, and fairly quickly most would say. But I’m still not thrilled with the length. Especially because my “bangs” I want to have cover the ridge on my forehead from when they took out my skull, and some pieces do, but the rest don’t. It’s just not thick enough all across my forehead…. L Oh, yeah and so I’m going to try to put a picture on here of me with my short hair as well as me with my glasses but I just haven’t quite figured out how to yet. So in the meantime, enjoy the writing while we try to figure it out once again how to put pictures on. Also, I feel bad that my mommy didn’t put any pictures on before because she figured I’d hate it. I probably would have before, but now I don’t really seem to care. So if you want me to, I’ll post some pictures of me in the hospital as well. But that will require some comments on this post. Okay, so that’s my hair and pictures.

Let’s move on to all the freaking bumps in my head. So the top of my head is great if you just run your hand across it. Because it’s so freaking bumpy! Your hand like almost shakes as it goes across the top of my head, right Brooklynn and Emma? (lol, those are my nieces whom I just went out to see and they felt my head a couple of times) Then, I also have a bump right above my ear. It’s the most ANNOYING thing EVER. But you must see that the reason why this would be so annoying, is not because there’s some huge bump on the side of my head but rather because that’s right where my glasses should go. So it bothers me every time I have my glasses on (which is almost always). Anywho, so yes, that’s the bumps in my head story.

The next little story I have to tell is about my clothes. (See how we’re moving from the head on down?) Lol, just kidding, well kind of, it actually kind of is….. So anyway I got an awesome, amazing internship! I intern at NuSkin, where my bishop is the CFO. He’s the one that got me this job. And it’s freaking AMAZING!! So even better than just interning at NuSkin, which in and of itself is awesome, is that I get paid. I get paid not only in money, but also in products. I get over $250 worth of product every month! It has crazy good benefits and now I’m considered part of their team, which is also totally awesome because that means I get all the amazing employee benefits! For example, their most awesome employee benefit was this past Christmas concert, which I already told you all about, but the one where BRIAN REGAN came! Woo! I love Brian Regan, so much! Anywho, so yeah they’re both good. They’re both good. (lol because it’s a Brian Regan joke but I was also referring to the employee benefits as well as just interning there!) Oh so now I have to get how this relates to clothes. It relates because I have to wear fancy schmanzy clothes when I intern which means I actually have had to get some nicer things and stuff like that but it’s still totally great. And I kind of like dressing up every once in a while, so now I have an excuse!

Okay, so now we need to get on to some other things, I can’t remember what it was that I wanted to say here, so I’m just going to talk about something else! My balance. My balance has always been an issue. And I mean granted it is slowly improving, it just is still slow…

Anywho, so then my “friends.” I really only have one person at school who I feel like loves me the same way before the accident as they do now. In fact, even more. But anyway, I have made 3 new friends essentially. I mean I knew all of them before the accident but not super well. And since the accident it’s just been amazing that they have come into my life the way they have and I’m so grateful for them. So thanks to Michelle Madruga, Haley Clark, and Lauren Burraston! And yeah, yeah, yeah, I still have my friends like Haley Stoker, Emily, and Shireen, it’s just been weird. I’ve felt SO distanced from them ever since the accident. Anyway, so the real reason why I even mentioned friends is because I wanted to share with you the exciting news I have for you. Ok so first of all, I met a girl at Primary’s who had a brain injury too! That was super cool. And I also met a guy from New Jersey who had a brain injury as well. He’s taught me a lot of things. Like one of the things he’s taught me or rather just made me realize, that I’ve grown a whole freaking TON emotionally. That’s why a lot of my friends don’t necessarily like the new Shannon, because she’s so different than she used to be; so much more emotionally mature. Anywho, I’ve dropped mentally probably as much as I gained emotionally. So I sometimes randomly act like a 3 year old or something. But I am still so much more emotionally mature. So my physical body obviously stayed the same, my emotional body gained a few years and my mental body dropped a few years. Idk if that makes any sense but if not, let me know and I will explain better.

Next on the agenda is crashing. Or really rather just how tired I always get. I’m like always exhausted. If I could sleep (which I can’t because of insomnia) I swear I could sleep all day long. Anyway, so I’ve got to hurry because it’s almost 10 and I need to get to sleep but I still have homework I need to get done. But yeah so, sleep, I love sleep. I just wish I could do it more.

Okay, so next, short term memory. My short term memory is HORRIBLE. Okay so if you tell me something I need to be writing it down as you say it or else I forget. I just forget my memory is that bad. Like even if you tell me something, then ask me right after, I could probably only tell you the last sentence that you just said. Anywho, so that’s about it for that. (At least for now.)

Shannon

my song

Okay guys, so I wrote a song describing how I feel, especially the past little while. And I decided to share it on here. Just know that it's written to almost all of you. It also probably needs some tweaking in the placement of things, but I didn't really care. So yeah, anyway, here it is.....

We once had a relationship so strong,

But where did it go?

You’ve abandoned me,

And I’m not sure why.

All I know, is that I wish,

We could be friends again.

You’ve hurt me more than you may ever know.

Even if you say you’re here,

It doesn’t really matter, because you’re really not.

I must be in the middle of the ocean,

With no ships around to save me.

When before, I was the captain of our ship.

But now I am sinking,

And you’re not here to rescue me,

I feel like I am drowning,

Why have you left me?

I remember when I felt that deep love,

And now I just have to wonder where it went.

I must replace you now,

Even though you once promised you’d always be here for me.

I believed you then,

Turns out that was a mistake,

What can I believe now?

Shannon

School once again

Hey there guys, so I’m sorry I haven’t been updating my blog recently. But anywho, I’m here to tell you about school. So I’m so incredibly excited to say, thanks to Mr. Louder (my AP Bio teacher), that I now have another 4.0! This happened by the kindness of Mr. Louder, because I was supposed to get an A- in that class but he added a few free extra credit points to me, just so I could get my straight As! Oh man, he’s AMAZING! Okay, so that’s last semester. Then as for this upcoming semester, I’m totally excited about it. I really essentially only have 3 real classes. I mean hey, they’re all AP classes, but whatever. Okay, so this is how it works. On A days, I have no first period, then AP Stats, then AP Psych and then internship. You see the reason why internship doesn’t really count as a class is because I only have to go 4 times a whole term… so yeah, basically I get credit for hardly ever showing up there. Then On B days, I have no first period, then AP Biology, then seminary, then I’m done and I can just go home! It’s so exciting! Lol. But yeah, that’s basically my life right now. Any other questions?

Shannon