April-27-2008

26 and finallly working!

I know it has been a month, but now that I am somewhat healthy, I haven't needed to bog down your inboxs with updates! This last weekend was pretty exciting and wanted to share with you what happened.

The most exciting event was the 5K Walk/Run that my family friend, Kathy Dolce. organized for me on Saturday April 19th. It was a gorgeous 75 degree spring day, and a lot of people showed up. The event was so well organized (thanks Kathy!!!) with an official timer, bagels, fruit, waters, water stations, numbers to wear, cop escorts, and balloons & cake, since that day was also my 26th birthday. Everyone had so much fun and Kathy raised an incredible estimate of $4,600. WOW!!! What a blessing for my medical bills! God really looks out for me! Thank you Kathy and thank you to everyone who came to the event and/or donated towards the cause. I sincerely appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness every single day! On my website I soon hope to list the the names of the donors and runner/walkers so that you all can see the incredible support I have. (Please let me know if you or someone you know is not on there so I can update my thank you page) I am one lucky girl! The rest of the weekend was full of birthday surprises and good times with my family & Ben. I have a feeling that 26 is going to be a great and healthy year!!!

On Monday, April 21st, I started my job as a Registered Nurse in the NICU (Neonatal intensive care unit). This is such a blessing because I have been down a long road! I went to six deliveries on my first day and was able to admit 2 month premature twins :) So much fun!

Just to recap, I graduated from The University of Virginia in 2004 as a premed psychology major. I was planning on going to med school, but after a year researching in the ER at UVA, I realized that nursing was what I wanted to do. Summer '04, I moved home and helped my mom take care of my elderly grandmother. During this time I babysat and cared for my grandmother until she passed away in our home in June 2005. After this wonderful experience, I realized that I wanted to apply to a second degree nursing program. After being denied to nursing programs for admission in 2005 (nursing schools are extremely short staffed, making admissions difficult), I started an accelerated one year nursing program at George Mason University in Fall of 2006. The year was pretty tough, but I did really well, and fell in love with the NICU at Virginia Hospital Center during a 5 week preceptorship. Amazingly, I was offered a position before even applying, along with tuition reimbursement. I was supposed to begin orientation on Monday September 10th 2007, yet was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer on Thursday September 6th.

Here I am 8 months later and have conquered the biggest challenge of my life (so far!) I am a stronger and better woman after everything and I strongly believe that this experience brought so much inspiration and joy to my life. Yet I have walked a long journey to finally be able to start a career in something that I have a passion for, and I FINALLY STARTED!!! And the hospital is still paying back my school loans! I was pretty nervous before I started since I have been through so much and it has been so long since school. But all it took was one glance at those little tiny babies to make me realize why I have worked so hard! It is all worth it!

Thank you for all your support, prayers, encouragement, and love. I couldn't of made it through this journey without all of you rallying around me. Attached are some recent pictures of me so you guys can see the progress on my hair! I plan to have my second surgery sometime in July, so when I find out the surgery date, I will let you all know. I hope you are enjoying this gorgeous weather as much as I am!!!

Very excitingly,

Jami

5K SUPPORT TEAM