My recent surgery adventure. Everyone should do it, at least once!

While sitting here in my close to frigid house (the thermostat has decided to give up the ghost, so the house is a mere 65 degrees due to the heat not being able to be running!!! Factor in the 12 degree outside temperature, and you'll understand why I call it frigid!), I decided I should finally update my blog!

To start off, let's take a ride in the life of Shari and her knees for the past while and more specifically, the past 10 days!

Somewhere down the line of my existence, my knees decided to give up on me and turn ugly. It's true! I have no recollection of when it really happened, but I do know that it happened. If you are confused, just sit back and enjoy the ride I am about to take you on.

Earlier this year, as in late February, I started experiencing knee pain. I had always had slight knee pain brought on by various activities such as dancing, running, excessive Indian-style sitting, and anything else you can imagine that has to do with bending your knees very repetitiously. Well, I decided that during Spring Break, I would finally get all the blood tests my mom had always wanted me to get and they were all good except one--Rheumatoid Arthritis! After going through a scare of having RA, which fyi I don't have...we tried to figure out what was wrong with those wretched knees of mine! I might also add that along with the pain in my knees, I had the most terrible grinding sensation in both of them. I can't even explain it. It wasn't just your normal popping of joints, mind you, it was a full-out grind that caused even the doctors to twist their faces into utter disgust.

What was there to do about this problem?

The Rhuematologist decided that it was a problem caused by my quad muscles being out of balance with the other muscles in my thighs and it could be fixed with some simple physical therapy. Two months of physical therapy later--the problem had not only refused to get better, it had worsened with almost double the pain as before. The physical therapist decided that he could do no more for me, so he sent me to an orthopedic surgeon. This is where things really got serious. My mother was bound and determined that I would not be having knee surgery because it would ruin my knees for pageants (mind you I have yet to compete in Miss Utah) and give me ugly scars! Despite this, we went to Dr. Cooley in Park City, and within 30 minutes, he knew exactly what my condition was and how to treat it (i.e. surgery to lengthen my ligaments which were apparently too tight and clean out the cartilage and bone to abolish the grinding). We scheduled surgery for December 19th, and told him goodbye for about 6 months.

As we all know, December 19th has come and gone and here I sit with 6 little incisions, swollen knees, sore ligaments, and walking abilities close to that of a newly walking infant!

Life has been very different since surgery. First came the excruciating pain when the percocet wore off and I awoke 3 hours after a scheduled dose. That was a joyful experience. Then came the nausea. OH the nausea. I never knew a little white pill could cause such a churn in one's stomach. Now that I know, I will steer clear of percocet for as long as I possibly can! Next came the adventure of being comfortable. Tell me, how does one become comfortable when your legs are in braces from the ankles to the top of the thighs? I just don't get it. The answer--one is never comfortable with braces on the legs from the ankles to the thighs! Here's the favorite adventure. Although one may be stuck with legs straight and nauseated to the top of the nauseated chart, one still has to worry about mother nature and her wonderful duties. I don't share this to be gross or racy or anything else it could be taken as. Just tell me, please, how one is supposed to relive themselves while having BOTH legs stuck straight? I'll tell you what, it's not an easy task, and thank goodness I only had 5 days of it!!!!

Finally, after living on chicken noodle soup and applesauce, I got to visit Dr. Cooley once more. The day finally came to get the oh so convenient braces off for good! I took my last walk with the braces to the car. Hobbling into the seat using every bit of strength my arms had to offer. I went to TOSH to get it all fixed. They took the staples out, covered the incisions with tape, and what was the next adventure to endure?

None other than thigh high compression socks! This has been my current adventure, and it's an adventure indeed. They look like little girl's white tights, and they feel like control top pantyhose starting from my feet all the way up. They are supposed to help with the swelling and blood circulation. They're lots of fun!

The same day that I got my staples out and braces off, I walked for the first time. At a snail's pace, I ventured across the lobby of TOSH to the physical therapy department, where I spent an hour getting told to pull this knee tighter and to go until it hurt. Little did I know that unless your face says it hurts, it doesn't hurt. Beware all future physical therapy goers. They do a number to you! My instructions for the next little while included walking only for 10-15 minutes at a time and completing 4 different exercises a day. I was also summoned to grasp the idea of patella tilts. This was utterly disgusting! Who wants to grab their knee cap and tilt it in ways knee caps just don't naturally tilt. EVER! I also had specific instructions to elevate my feet on the wall while icing for 15 minutes 3 times daily.

What fun it has been. It really keeps you busy. You think you can just rest after a surgery, oh no. Think again! It's all for the best though. I have to say 10 days of sweats has killed. Killed my pride and my promise to myself (the promise being, of course, that I would never leave the house in sweat pants). I can't wait for the swelling to go down! I want to wear jeans! JEANS are calling my name! I can get them on, don't get me wrong. It's just that they have this way of rubbing against my incisions in the most unkind manner. It really is unfair. They don't tell you that when you sign up for these things. Or perhaps they do? *gasp* I bet it was in the fine print!!! It probably said something like this. **Beware subject being operated on will not be able to wear his/her favorite jeans due to swelling and tenderness of incisions for at least two weeks. Please, mentally prepare for that moment.**

For now, I'm here, recovering, doing physical therapy, sitting around being a couch potato, and still sitting in my frigid house (the heating guy...i.e. my father, has not fixed the thermostat yet...)

I'm it again apparently?

Where is your cell phone? sitting on my belly believe it or not!
Where is your significant other? Ha-Shari will never have one of those!
Your hair color? Brunette
Your mother? Amazingly beautiful and awesome!
Your father? The best man ever!
Your favorite thing? Having fun/ random adventures
Your dream last night? don't remember
Your dream/goal? ugh! to have scholarships to pay for school--to raise enough money for Miss Utah!
The room you’re in? My room at my apt.
Your hobby? playing piano, writing music
Your fear? my knee surgery not going well...
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Well, I hope I'll be done with school, working as a news anchor somewhere that is legit, and possibly married by then?
Where were you last night? Fast asleep here in Logan
What you’re not? Healthy--stupid flu!
One of your wish-list items? All tuition and books paid for the rest of college!
Where you grew up? Roosytown, UT
The last thing you did? ate lunch, more like attempted to eat lunch..
What are you wearing? my favorite jeans, favorite hoodie and striped pink and white socks
Your TV?nonexistent!
Your pet? at home--hopefully getting taken care of by my lovely parents!
Your computer? awesome gateway laptop!
Your mood? blah/tired/frustrated
Missing someone? all the friends I used to hang out with all the time...
Your car? stella--she's great
Something you’re not wearing? my class ring--I left it in my car in the parking garage.
Favorite store? Probably Aero or American Eagle--Head over Heels is good too!
Your summer? Crazy Busy
Love someone? My family--
Your favorite color? Purple--always and Hot pink
When is the last time you laughed? about twenty minutes ago when I was reading something on the wall for "Save the Moqui" on Facebook.
Last time you cried? Saturday I do believe, when I just couldn't feel better.

I tag whoever wants to do this!

Home Sweet Home!

So, I am overjoyed. I got to leave the beautiful city of Logan EARLY! I got to come home yesterday, and now basically, I'm home for a whole week! I am getting many things done, such as decorating my tree for the enchanted forest (it's like the festival of trees on a MUCH smaller scale), working for the good ole floral, and just chilling at home! I love home so much! It's just such a nice place to be! I also love family. I sincerely believe that when you're with the ones you love, you can't be happier, and that's where I am right now. I love my parents so much, and being here with them is so much fun.

hum...

As the semester's end is drawing near, stress is building and so is my list of things to do! Although this semester is easier when it comes to homework, it's also very stressful! Keeping up with school, work, pageant, family, friends, and social life is rough!

Nonetheless, I'm doing well. I'm trucking along just fine gearing up to write a paper about Hong Kong and deciding if it could ever be a fully democratic state. I'm also getting my last programs in for the year for my residents. I think I could have done a much better job this semester as an RA, but that's why we're always learning, right?

As far as the life of Miss Uintah Basin goes, I went home and recorded some ads for Channel X94. They should start airing tomorrow, and I have to say, I'm quite stoked! I'm going to a workshop this weekend, so we'll see how things work out. I hope I learn many useful tips when it comes to interviewing, since that is the focus of the workshop.

Also, I just want to express my gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it's true without a doubt! I'm so blessed every day, and sometimes I think I really forget how blessed I am. Something in particular is just the fact that institute has been tailored to me! I love my class. I'm taking "The Miracles of Jesus" and it is so amazing. I love that class. Today and Monday we talked about forgiveness, and really forgiving others can be so easy if we just flat out do it! Something else really awesome that just has been reiterated to me throughout the past month is the fact that there is not ANYTHING that the atonement doesn't cover. Really, it can be used in EVERY aspect of our lives if we just let it! It's so amazing!

Well, I'd love to stay and write all about my life, but my bed is beckoning me to indulge myself in the soft cotton sheets and sink into my fluffy pillow--and since I've taken the "I stay up until 3 every night" road for the past who knows how long, I think that giving in to the temptation my bed has put out is the smartest thing I could do. My brain isn't even comprehending anything anymore, so studying is useless anyway!! So, really I have no reason to still be awake! Hopefully I'll update some of my adventures I've had soon...there's been some great ones as always!

Tag! I'm it!

20 years ago:

1. I was almost born.
2. My parents were probably excited to have another girl.

3. In exactly 4 months and 27 days I would have been alive for about 7 hours.

10 years ago:

1. I was in 4th grade!

2. I went to Disneyland.

3. I danced in two groups. Jazz and clogging.

5 years ago:

1. I started High School.

2. I ran cross country and track and played co-ed soccer.

3. I was learning how to speak Japanese!

3 years ago:

1. I was the Jazz singer for my High School's Jazz Band.

2. My grandmother passed away the day my family and friends threw a surprise birthday party for me.

3. Gasoline was $2.49/gallon and I drove a little green Chevy S10.

1 year ago:

1. I started College at Utah State University, and I LOVE IT.

2. I worked for USU in the International Programs Department.

3. I thought I knew my life plan, but boy, was I wrong!

This year so far:

1. I was crowned as Miss Uintah Basin 2008, and I'll be competing at Miss Utah this June!

2. I'm an RA at the LLC at Utah State.

3. I have had many trials with boys, but I'm not giving up.

Yesterday:

1. I slept in until 8:30 am.

2. I was home with my family.

3. My heart was broken slightly, and I went out on a limb and sang a song to Ben.

Today:

1. I went to class with a bad attitude, but left very happy.

2. Helped Ben with an assignment that he owes me for!

3. Committed to become thin!!!!

Tomorrow:

1. I have to get lots done.

2. I will be recording a Radio Air Check.

3. I'm going to exercise and love it.

Next Year:

1. I will not be a teenager!

2. I will be in the top ten of Miss Utah...mark my words!

3.I could be not single? or I could be single? Nobody knows?

Now I tag Tabitha

Newspaper article

So this is really blurry, but it is an article about the Ryan Shupe video. Pretty awesome. It was featured in my hometown's newspaper, the Uintah Basin Standard.

Life is okay right now. Boys suck and ruin lives, but what else is new? I just took 3 midterms yesterday, which was way intense, but now I can relax! It's finally fall break, so I'll get to have some fun at Lagoon on Friday!!

Secrets and Thursdays!

This day has been amazing. Granted, it did start off with not much sleep, but I love today. EVERYTHING about today! Beautiful weather, classes were awesome, I love the people around me, and I love what I'm here doing. I love my major. Officially. It's just stinkin' awesome.

So, I have a secret. It's something that may surprise only a few people, or maybe many.

I long to become something far greater than being a successful news broadcaster. I thought about it today, and it's all good to do that, but there's something I want more, even though I had told some people that I'm never going to get married, the truth is, I look forward to it so much. I just don't want to ever come out and say it, because I'm afraid to admit it, and I don't want to seem like a boy crazy "little girl" that I fear people would perceive me as if they knew it's something I really wanted.

So, I tribute this next little bit to my mother, my sister, and my sisters in-law. Motherhood is awesome and I give so much credit to my Mother. She is amazing!She has raised all of us so well. I love her with all my heart, and I know that she could honestly take anything on! My sister is amazing as well. She has some hard times, but she handles it. I love her so much! She's the mother of wonderful children that have a special place in my heart! And, frankly, all of my sisters in-law are awesome, because they're the mother's to my nieces and nephews, the children whom I adore with all my heart, and I would do ANYTHING in this world for.

That's the end. I hope someday I can have the chance to become as awesome as all of them. What a great role and opportunity they all have!

Better in time...

So, today is like super blog day.

So, a shout-out goes to my friend Landon for making me realize the eternal perspective, and take into consideration what really matters right now. Although things are pretty crappy and I don't love everything going on, I know I'm going to be okay, and I shouldn't let things get me down.

This is my pledge to be happy. No matter what. Nothing is going to bring me down, and I'm not going to let the little things that come up in my life ruin my day!

The end.

What next?

Here it is, October 8th. This year is flying past me faster than ever!

So, I just had a novel written about being an RA and I decided to delete it. Yep. All 500 words! jk. it wasn't that long. I figured it's not going to help the situations if this gets back to my residents! So, I will just write out my troubles one by one, that don't have to do with being an RA!

First off, I'm struggling. I don't know how I'm going to go to school this spring. I have no money. I have no loans yet, but seeing as the economy isn't doing so great, my loan-retrieving is looking pretty grim. I don't know what I'm going to do. At all. I cannot ask my parents for any more money. I can't. They've done so much for me. They have too many troubles of their own, and asking them would just be one more burden on them. I am worrying every day about this. I wish I could just magically win a million dollars. If only it was that easy. As if that's not enough, I have to keep going to school, because I'm an RA, and I have to keep being an RA!

Trouble number 2...I'm struggling even more with this one. My family is the most important thing to me ever. I have the hardest time connecting to them sometimes. I love them so much, but I don't know why I can't just enjoy being home with them. I went home and got super depressed. The reason? My brother whom I deeply love and care for is in extreme pain and it hurts me. He's going through a divorce, and I can't help but cry every time I think about how badly he hurts inside. He has four beautiful boys. Treven, Tracen, Bodie, and Casey. He's only five years older than I am, and he's already had four children, and now his wife just decided that she doesn't want the marriage anymore. This created a huge burden on my parents. Jared now lives with my parents, and when he has the kids, which is every weekend, it's hard for my family. I know my mom is worried sick about Jared. She's worried sick about tons of things, and I worry about her. I love her so much, and it's killing me inside to see her hurt about Jared. It's killing me to see Jared hurt. However, I know it will somehow all work out in the end. My Savior, Jesus Christ, will help us all through it, but right now, it hurts. Not a day goes by that I don't hurt for Jared and his beautiful children. Those children matter so much to me.

Wow, I really have needed to just get all these frustrations out, can you tell? I haven't really had a lot of people I can just say all this to. Who do you trust? You can't trust just anybody with this information.

Moving on. My #3 struggle is the fact that I want to go back. I want to go back to when I was about 14, when I first started doing things I now regret. I regret so much not taking advantage of so many things, like building a good relationship with my mom and dad. I can't talk to them about so many things. I don't know why. I just never have been close with them, and I want so badly to have that connection. I turned into this super independent person who doesn't want to let anyone in. Someone who doesn't want other people to fix her problems, but really is crying out underneath the surface. A perfect example of this was how I just plainly took off last night. I just walked around dark Logan city for a while. I was feeling so alone. I wanted someone to understand, I wanted someone to hold me and tell me it would be okay, but I never ask for that help. I never want to burden others. If I ever ask for someone to help me, I feel like a needy person who nobody likes to be around.

Often times, especially since being at school this year, I've found myself feeling very much alone. Very much like nobody understands what I'm going through, and yes, I know my Savior knows, but sometimes, I just want someone here in person to talk to.

This brings me to my next struggle...#4.
I don't know if I'm cut out for everything I'm doing. I'm Miss Uintah Basin. That's GREAT, but am I really who should have won? I'm an RA, but am I really the person for the job? I'm going into broadcast journalism, but do I really have what it takes? I feel so inadequate sometimes. I feel like it's so easy for other people in my classes, and I'm just the person in the class pretending that I know what I'm doing. Granted I do know what I'm doing. I know how to do everything, it's just that I underestimate myself. A ton! I am my own worst critic. I am hard on myself. It's never going to change. I don't take compliments well, I don't think I am capable of so many things, because I have been told so many time that I can't. That I'm not good enough. So here I sit...lonely, unsure, sad, slightly depressed, worried, hurt, crying, and afraid. Is there anyone out there? Anyone listening?

Maneater? I think not!

So, there has been an ongoing debate of whether or not I'm a maneater. I'm not. I promise. Let me outline it all for you. We'll start at the beginning of the drama.

I was dating a guy who's on a mission now, and I decided I'd start dating people finally, since I had not even talked to many guys since he had left in January. Then, I met Cylor, you can read about him in "summer fun" posted further down the page. Within short time of dating Cylor, I decided waiting for Grant wasn't right and I didn't want to feel tied down like I had loyalties to him, plus I could tell I was a HUGE distraction for him, so I dear johned him, and it wasn't pretty, but he's a better missionary now for it, at least that's what I hear from his sister... Not a maneater case #1

Anyway, Cylor and I weren't that serious, but we both decided that we were going to break up when I moved, since we both didn't want to get serious and it was looking like a serious relationship if we didn't break up. So we broke up. It hurt, because honestly I liked him, even if he wasn't the best prospect...Let me explain! He's fresh out of high school. 18 years old, he's not LDS, kinda doesn't agree with any of my standards, he wanted action. A lot.... Not a maneater case #2

Okay, pause...So honestly, maybe he was a little bit of a rebound that helped me with my decision to not wait for Grant, but it doesn't make me a maneater! I still honesty and truly cared for him. I had deep feelings for him, even though our relationship only lasted a month! Still, NOT a maneater!

Soon after moving to Logan, I decided that I would like a guy I liked early this past summer. He's from my hometown, so I figured we had something in common. I liked him forever. Seriously forever. I put him at the back of my mind, too afraid to do anything about my deep like for him. Not a maneater case to be explained later.

Next came someone who I deeply cared for. I met him when I first moved up here, and I liked him then, but it was somewhat illegal to like him, so I didn't pursue anything, plus in the back of my mind there was still the guy from my hometown. Later, I went to this guy I had met up here who just happened to live ridiculously close to me all the time. I went to him with all my frustrations and I liked him more and more. Then came the DTR talk. We decided and let it out that we liked each other. Everything was hunky dory, then things moved too fast for me. Too much too fast. I knew I had to end the relationship. I knew we were better off friends, so I did it. It hurt inside, and I didn't want to hurt him, but I did. NOT A MANEATER case #3

Next my like for the guy from my hometown resurfaced, and I ended up telling him. Bad idea, but good idea as well. Bad idea because there was complete rejection, but I needed it. Good idea, because I was too chicken to be myself around him anyway. I didn't eat him. He ate me!

The reasons for this post is the fact that every time I talk to my sister, she asks, "Who is it now?" This is not okay with me. I have some relationships issues okay? but that doesn't mean I ate them! They are all justifiable! They all had reasons to break up! I did NOT eat these men! Also, my roommates, and some of my residents call me a maneater, because of these sudden changes in my relationships with men.

I'll sum up the reasons here--I didn't have a normal dating experience in high school. I didn't date lots of people. I dated one. Long distance for a LONG time. Bad idea. The end.

This is ALL going to change though...I've met someone who is changing it all. I'm not going to eat him, just like I did not eat the other men! I just hope and pray that I don't make a fool of myself before anything can even happen. I would tell you his name, but in fear that he could actually be reading this blog I won't, although, if he still decided to even like me as a friend after reading this, it would reinforce my decision even more!

This picture is NOT ME! I know you're thinking to yourself, "she really is a maneater," but please. I'm not! The relationships all ended for good reasons, and I didn't start them just to be cruel and harsh to the men that were involved. okay? That to me constitutes maneating, not having bad luck with men. There's a difference!

CPS Training and Certification

Here it is October already! Can you believe it?

I need to update this more often!!

As far as things as Miss Uintah Basin...Last month I attended the CPS (Child Passenger Safety) training in Murray, and I am now a certified technician! The training was awesome! I learned so much about car seats, cars, how to keep kids the safest, and just things that I know will be beneficial to me when I ever grow up, get married and have my own kids!

This was during the training in the classroom.














This was during the car seat check point at
Babies R' Us at the end of the training.















Here's a picture of the check point once again, and the next is a picture of all the awesome people I got to meet and get certified with! They were so much fun to be around!

Also, coming up tomorrow (October 4th) is a check point at Ute Plaza. I am excited to do another check point. It is so rewarding to watch parents leave the stations with a better understanding of why they need to keep their kids in car seats. It also makes me feel so good inside to know that I am in a position where I get to work with children and always look out for their safety!! I LOVE IT!

Famous?

So, I randomly was searching for Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband's music video, because when they performed in Roosevelt, they were filming for a music video. Here it is....and I was in it! I felt a little bit cool. Also, Roosevelt and Duchesne are in it as well. Go Uintah Basin!!!

Love Shari!!

The joys of Logan

Hello,

Summer has come and gone and it's now time to start classes once again. I moved up to Logan about two weeks ago and I'm loving it! I had to come up here for training to be an R.A.

So far my residents haven't been horrible, but I am learning how to be a leader nonetheless.
I've met a lot of people and I am loving the fact that I live so close to campus!!

By the way I competed in the Miss UBIC pageant at the end of July and I won! It's so exciting and I am ready to start working with the community on my platform!

Things are going well overall and I am ready to take on my junior level courses!

GO AGGIES!!!

Lake fun

This is my trip to the lake with Cylor. It was the most fun date I think I've ever been on. We planned on eating fish that he was going to catch, but by the looks of it, I think you can get the idea that we didn't eat fish for dinner! It's a good thing I brought hot dogs, because we would have starved! jk.











We were eating S'mores, and they turned out absolutely perfect and melty, so I decided it would be funny to get Cylor's face with chocolate, it was quite hilarious:D

After that I was roasting some perfect marshmallows, and I got them all over my face and fingers! Seirously, everything started sticking to me and it was frustrating, because all I had to wash it off with was murky lake water!!

Summer 08 fun

So, here is a little bit of what I've been up to this summer. I have successfully completed English 2010 (Whoo hoo!), I'm in the process of taking Math 1050 and USU 1320. I'm working at the floral, which has its ups and downs! I'm also gearing up for competing in the Miss Uintah Basin pageant! I'm so excited and super ready for it! I'm planning on doing wicked awesome and having a blast!

While working at the floral, I met a great guy who works for Pepsi and stocks the pop in the store...his name is Cylor, and he is absolutely wonderful! We've only been dating almost two weeks, but I've had more fun in the past two weeks than I have in the past two months! Honestly!

I'm also getting ready for college once again. I am going to be an R.A. this school year, so I have to move up to Logan on August 9th! School doesn't even start until the 25th, so I'll be there a while before it starts! I'm way excited about the rest of my summer, and I hope you are too!!