Meanwhile her sister Tracy, was having the same symptoms, and she also had three kids. See my family is one of the rare cases where HD strikes early. It was devastating to see them like that. When I was 16 I got work experience looking after mom and other patients, just to see her every day I could. I loved my mom very much, and there will always be a special place in my heart for her. Even at my wedding I had a picture of her at a table. It broke my heart, but I knew deep down inside that I did all I could to make her life better. She passed away at an age when most people that get huntingtons first begin to to show signs.She was forty years old and I was only seventeen.
Not only was I looking after my brothers too, with my Grandparents. At 19 I wanted to be part of the WWE, and got accepted to two wrestling schools. UPW in Florida and Stampede in Calgary. That's when I decided to go to testing. If I had it I would go to school and if I didn't, I would fulfill my dream.
Right after that was a month of despair when my Aunt died from the very thing that I found out I had. That's when I started writing 2 positive poems for the Horizon Magazine in Southern Alberta. They wanted me to read them at an HD conference in Calgary. I had no ride.I have been dancing all of my life. After I found out I decided to go dance out my problems. No drugs or alcohol like other people take care of their problems. If you have HD, it brings it on faster. More damage.I was the best dancer in Calgary. My Social Worker thought it was funny. I will be dancing all of my life. Everyone thought I was a professional dancer. I did not want to be one because I am a feminist. I respect myself too much too. I was filmed once dancing too at a club. I would go there every night with my bottle of water, just dance. With my best Miranda. We used to do routines at clubs. She helped raise awareness about HD with me. We had an art auction. Sold my graphics.I know every dance. I don't even have to know it. I have never been taught either. They are the best dancers. Every different club's music would make me dance another style. I also thought about school. I wanted to become a Nurse that had the most patient care. I went to ABES2000, and got a Personal Care Assistant Degree(Long Term Care Aide) and my Practicum involved a Group Home, Senior's Home, and a Daycare. It was fun, I loved all my patients. They started to call me their angel. In the group home I worked with kids that have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. One of them had Autism. They were the sweetest kids ever. They loved it when I sang for them. I graduated top of my class.I worked in an Alzheimer’s ward, in a nice senior’s home. When my praticum was over, I want to see my kids. I also got 1 semester at SAIT(Southern Alberta Institute Of Technology) in Digital Graphics Communications(Graphic and Web Design). That is when I started showing my mental symptoms. Then came the Government movie I made about suicide. I wrote, acted, and did costume and Hair Design. Dedicated to my friend that killed himself. Don't ever think about hurting yourself. Life is worth it. Call someone. You will always leave a viod in your families life. They show it in some schools. I won an award for that movie. My Husband went to SAIT too. He is Certified Network Analyst. He just needs his certificate. He also knows how to build, and troubleshoot computers. He made me a computer. He has started a computer business. He also wants to become a Care Aide, like I was. He will start in January. After that he wants to become an LPN. He wants to learn how to look after me better. After dating my husband for 6 months, I started showing mental symptoms. He married me any way.We speed up the wedding.
Trevor and I also volunteered at the Calgary HD Chapter. We helped put with a garage sale for HD. We raised a lot of money for them. Whenever anyone there asked about HD. I told I have it. They were another sweet volunteer that had it too. We both symptomatic.My best friend and I Miranda, Held an art auction for people who have HD. She helped with every rally went together too. I sold my art there. Some of my graphics. Miranda got me volunteering at a local homeless shelter. We have done all of our humane work together.
If I did not have HD another thing I wanted to be was a Politian. I was politically active since birth. We have foster kids in our family with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. My Aunt and Uncle have them. They had to adopt one, Shelby. They wanted to send her home, her Mom was not ready.They have two more little miracles they adopted. They had them when I was 13. They told me that any Mom can throw a baby and face jail time. For any Mom that poisons their child. They get nothing. No charges at all. They basically ruin their lives. At 13 I made a petition to change that. I passed it all over Rimbey. It did not go well. I was so young.
I started an environmental rights group in my school in Grade 6. We walked and picked up garbage. When I moved to Calgary. That’s when I stated going to protests. The first one I went to was anti child labor. I went to an anti war rally’s. Take back the night. It is a feminist rally. I worked tireless for Gay Marriage. I emailed every MP. They wanted me to become a board member of EGALE. The National Gay Rights Orginataion of Canada. It involved a move to Toronto. Trevor and I did not want to move.I was with Trevor when we got their rights I was so happy. Ask Trevor he was there. I was jumping around. We did it! We saved the gays! Then when Harper took over and wanted to reevaluate this. I was mortified. We had to do it again. This was scary there was 10000 Church groups that were going to storm Ottawa. That time we had more MP’s than the other vote. Victory. I am on their side. We all need basic rights. They needed basic rights too. That is what I believe; it hurts me to see people mistreated. Disabled, children, gays, mentally ill, and elderly.My friends came out with a plan to make a gay youth safehouse. It was going to be made in Calgary. I helped them make flyers. I thought it was an excellent idea. The gays get kicked out and have to leave. Where do they go? Sadly the founder died. We are trying to carry on without him. Where are they going to go? I will tell you have how I tried to help HD and all illnesses. This was another instance Harper being cruel. He wanted to get rid of stem cells for all of us for 3 years. I got so upset. I put a sign in my yard. It said the Conservatives are killing millions. Ask me how. Tons of people were interested. I then made a shirt. It said the PC’s are killing me. I walked around with that on. Then came voting time. I was in the same district as Harper, Shawnessy. This was not planned I showed up to vote with my shirt, ten in the morning. Guess who else was there. Harper. You should of seen his face. It was total shock on everyone’s face. No one said I word. Priceless. When he got elected I seriously wanted to move. I met a girl Elyssia here. She wants to be a Politian. I told her to fulfill my dream. We were thinking of starting a Gay Rights and Stem Cell Party. What do you think Harper would do?
There is a religion in China that has horrible treatment in their country. China is scared because this group has more members then the communist party. They said this group of sweet peace loving people Falun Gong, they are a cult. It is an offshoot of Buddhism. They go around torturing members of this group. If they found any members they would be persecuted. They made it illegal to practice. They will get tortured and killed in that system. I was on the c train in Calgary when I ran into one of the Falon Gong ladies. They had flyers to free the other members in China. They did not speak good English. I ran into her and said I know your cause. I know the evil government. I said it in a way they could understand. I said I will pass out flyers to the English people. I did that all day for them. Most of the people were English speaking so I helped them spread their word. They loved me for helping them out. I got the message out. They stories were horrifying.
I went to take back the night in Calgary. It is a feminist rally. I went there twice. We needed that there. I always had to walk with pepperspray around Calgary. They went down one of the streets where we had the most problems. There were men there swearing at us.
Remember Terry Schiavo? He husband killed her and stopped her treatments. She could have got better. I made candle light vigil in Calgary. I was so upset that her husband killed her. I thought the rights should have gone to her parents. He said that she had no life. She did. I am pro life if you are sick. I made an order where I can be recesitatded.
We now have a baby boy…No he is our dog, Lucky. He is a Yorkie Terror. My husband bought him for me as a Christmas present. We weren’t allowed pets here. Trevor had to write the landlords a nice letter on how sick I was, and how it would be or kid. The rest is history.
Right now I am volunteering at the Gleaners in the toy section. They are a group that gives to orginizations. They give to Children’s SOS and special Olympics. They now give toys to Nursing homes here. They also have a food bank here. They help give toys to the animal shelter here. They are doing everything to help me work with my HD there.
I have got into the Cancer cause here. My favourite Nurse Shriley's family suffer's from Breast Cancer. My Grandma and little Kaiden both died from cancer. I am doing Relay For Life this summer. I am going to get a couple of candles for the vigile. I clocked in 4 and a half hours and 25 laps. At one point we thought this might run in our family, like HD. Little Kaiden died of Leukimia. He got sick when he got 3 and a half. He died at age 7. My Grandma died of Lung Cancer. I have joined the British Columbia Special Olympics. I am loving doing it. It is fun. Get out and join me. They are adding Floor Hockey, Boccice, and Teeball. I am doing tee ball until June, then Swimming starts. It is now fall. I am going Bowling, Rythmic Gymnastics, and Floor Hockey. My bowling team one first plce, last year in a bowling tournament.
I also help out with WEAREHD.ORG. They approached me. I believe in what they are doing on there. I could not say no. It is an online support group. I am the Site Leader rght now. Check it and make friends. I am helping out the Creston New Democrats Party(NDP). They are a social helping party. They want to end poverty, fix our health system, helping the disablied and other worth while causes.
Trevor is going to be a home care aide. He wants to learn how to look after me. He also, wants too keep me out of a home. He is doing volunteer at the Dementia ward, I am back working at. We both chose it, no one wants to volunteer there. They all know Alice, Trevor's Mom and Dad. I worked with Alice. Trevor needs to finish, his hours by Dec 1. He has to get funding for the course. We are back, because of Jack, telling us that it is crazy in there. I came in today with Trevor. He was doing recreation. Worked, with a Nurse called Kerry, when I looked after Molly. She was my reference, when we got these condos. She gave me one of the hardest patients, Elouise. She was a walker. She walked, me for hours! She is a machine! I will be going back, on Sunday at anytime. At Swan Valley, you can make your hours. I want to help, the people that society, does not want. I am doing this for my Grandma and Trevor's Grandma too. I started into the dementia ward to look after my Grandma. Trevor will make a good Nurse. He loves his patients and is good to them. I always know how, to calm them down at Sun Dowing. I used to work and looked after Molly, at Sun Dowing. They get realy upset and anxious. |