Breathing Hope!

As many of you know I started writing this blog to share the journey my family is on dealing with Alpha-1  Antitrypsin Deficiency. Alpha-1 is a genetic condition that is passed on by parents to their children through their genes and can cause serious liver disease in children and liver and/or lung disease in adults. Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a protein that is produced mostly in the liver. Its primary function is to protect the lungs from neutrophil elastase. Neutrophil elastase is an enzyme that normally serves a useful purpose in lung tissue-it digests damaged or aging cells and bacteria to promote healing. However, if left unchecked, it will also attack healthy lung tissue. Alpha-1 antitrypsin, in sufficient amounts, will trap and destroy neutrophil elastase before it has a chance to begin damaging the delicate lung tissue. Consequently, if an individual doesn't have enough alpha-1 antitrypsin, the enzyme goes unchecked and attacks the lung.  My Dad was diagnosed in 2008 and...

             It’s fall in the Valley and I have been back at school for almost 6 weeks already! I have once again failed at updating you in a timely manner; I never seem to get better at this. Since returning to school things have been crazy, lots of classes, homework, and activities. My first week on campus was spent between band camp and peer mentor training for orientation weekend. It was a crazy week of going from one thing to the next but it was a lot of fun. It was time to spend with friends I had been missing all summer and work on this year’s marching show which is “LVC after Dark”. The show is great fun and also has some surprises included. While I wasn't marching I was preparing for orientation weekend through games, presentations, and many exciting activities. Once classes started everything went into my classes and the work sitting before me. This semester will be a challenge and juggling act between classes, music ensembles, and a social...

             51 days ago I posted about my first year in college. I talked about the amazing experiences and people that I met in the first fourth of my college experience. When I wrote that post I was focused on how it was such a sad moment that my first year was over and about how much I couldn't wait to return to my new home, Lebanon Valley College. In 47 days I do what 51 days ago I couldn't and still can't wait to do, return to a place I love. A place I get to experience things beyond what I ever thought I would or could experinace and spend time with people that lift me up and help me to be a better person. 51 days into my time away from LVC I have started to realize how much I have changed in my first year there. Everything about me has changed, yes I am still the same Amanda but there  is a difference in my perspective, thoughts, and actions. As most of you know who read my blog my high school years weren't exactly picture perfect or as I...

             I can't believe in 12 hours my car will be packed and I will be headed home after completing my first year at Lebanon Valley College. It seems impossible that time could have moved this quickly, after all it feels like I just was moving in for band camp a few weeks ago. Here I sit in one of my best friends rooms having our last night conversations. Conversations about how we are going to fit everything into our cars in the morning, how we can't believe we are going to be moving out tomorrow, and how the 98 days between us and moving back in for the start of sophomore year is going to be a long 98 days without seeing each other most waking hours of the day.               My first year at LVC has been one of change for me, one where I have found amazing friends, experienced so many amazing things, and found a new place to call home. I have found people who let me be me and make me drop...

In the last few weeks my Family and I have done things that just a few short months ago we were told would likely be impossible, but we beat the odds. We have been able to continue to enjoy the things we have always loved doing despite the fears that we never would be able to again. After my Dad was hospitalized over the new year we thought our days of travelling together as a family were over. We questioned what we were going to be able to do and if we were going to even be able to take short trips but a few weeks ago we over came the fear and we took a short trip to Washington D.C.! One of the things my dad has wanted to see was the Space Shuttle 'Discovery' that is now in the Air in Space Museum on display. My Dad has always loved space and been very interested in the space program. This was huge for him to be able to see. He felt he would never see it and wanted to so badly so to get him there and make sure he got to see it was extremely impo...

Over the last few years I have gone through the process of finding which people really love me, not matter what is going on and love me for who I really am, through the good and the bad. I have many friends that are just like this. Sticking things out with me when I think they shouldn't be friends with me anymore. When I don't understand why they would still want to be friends with me because I am so unlovable. But even in my most unlovable moments I have been blessed with friends who love me through the thick and thing.   Having a family that is affected by Alpha-1 sometimes makes life seem a little more difficult then normal. It brings about challenges and difficulties when you least expect them. At a moments notice everything can change. I know on many occasions I go from being a happy, loving friend to an angry, or sad, unloving friend but the people that I know are my true friends are the ones that at the roughest moments have ...

Bam. Follow it. That is what I found above this picture that was posted on my Facebook page by one of my  dear friend on Monday night. It was an eye opening statement. While in the back of my mind I always know that it's not helpful to be negative about what is going on in my life and being positive often makes things less stressful I tend to lean towards the negative side more often then not. It is a matter of me training myself to see the good in even the worst situations. The fear of what could go wrong is what tends to take over my life. I am a control freak, I want every waking moment of everyday to go off just as it is planned in my head, but we all know that doesn't work. So i need to start letting go of my control. Stop fearing the worst and think of the good. The positive things that can happen. This little piece of encouragement put a huge smile on my face and bought about some new thoughts for me. Thoughts of how I need to change, how ...

"You are exactly where God wants you to be at   this very moment. Every Experience is part of   his divine plan." This quote has hit home with me the last few days. Its words speak to me. There are so many days when I question why things are happening in my life or why things can't just work out a little bit easier but this quote reminds me that they are working out a little bit easier then I like to think they are. It reminds me that everything I do and all the experiences I go through are part of a bigger plan and a bigger picture. Some experiences I never question because they are fun and don't bring me any emotional upset or pain. It's when the difficult experiences come that I begin to forget this quote. I begin to forget what my life really is about. It is not just that bad experience that defines me. There is so much more that defines me and my life. I am defined by the way I react to the situations rather than by the situations themselves. ...

                 Have you ever had one of those days when everything just seems so beautiful and perfect even when you know that truly things are crashing all around you? Its that moment when you have no care in the world and can just sit and take in the beautiful sunshine. As I sit in my dorm room this morning I feel like nothing can bring me down, no troubles in the world can tear me apart. The sun is streaming in through the window the perfect song just came on Pandora and I am done all of my homework through tomorrow night. I got to practice flute for an extended amount of time this weekend which in the last few weeks has been difficult to fit into my ridiculous schedule. There is so much to be thankful for. So many Blessings surround me. The perfect song that came onto Pandora  well that is what changed my mood for the whole day. It was a song called Blessings by Laura Story. She is a christian vocal artist and I ...

         Happy 2013, I am only 48 days late!! It has sure been a  long time since the last time I wrote. I always promise myself that I will write more often but for whatever reason I fail to meet that goal every time I set it. So this time I am not going to set the goal and hope reverse psychology works here. Now were to begin. Since the last time I have written more then I can ever write in one post has happened. First off there was Christmas, which was fantastic. To me Christmas has become so much more important then the things I receive or the things I give. It has become a time for me to spend time with my loving family and treasure all the moments that I have with them. For me the smallest moments can be the biggest most important moments of my holidays. Simply spending time with the people I love and cherishing each day as if it is the last, and let me tell you this Christmas that was more true ...