My incision, my now FAT Ankle, and my sister's Hero!

Lazy, lazy Sunday.

I foresee football, and working on Nate's stocking on the horizon for today!

Early Morning Visit

I love that I live 1 mile away from my family!  This morning, I got a text message from my Mom and sister that they were coming over to see me.  In about 5 minutes they were knocking on my door!  There is nothing like big belly laughs fist thing in the morning!!

My Incision

I keep getting questions about my incision.  So I figured I would post a picture without the gauze.  My apologies if you get grossed out easily.  Isn't it nasty? ...and BIG?

My Ankle

So.... I rolled my ankle!  My right ankle.  The SAME ankle that my incision is on!  hahahaha!!  I can't stop laughing about it though.  People who know me, know that I am most prone to clumsy accidents and this news wouldn't surprise anyone!!  I've been trying hard to get off my crutches.  I've been trying to use one crutch (Thinking this is better than two).  In doing so, I rolled my ankle and now I'm back to two crutches!!  Fat knee AND a fat ankle now, good grief!

College Paper

My youngest sister Ali is in college.  About 4 weeks ago she told me that she was writing a paper about me.  She told me that once it was completed she would e-mail it to me.  I pressed her for more information but, she wouldn't tell me the topic or anything.

(My gorgeous sister)

About 3 weeks ago she e-mailed me.  Attached was the paper she had written!!  It touched my heart and it meant so much to me that she wrote this.  I want to share this with you all, so cut-and-pasted it below.  It's not very long, I hope you'll read it.

Hero Myth

​The Monopoli Family is truly the definition of "one in a million." From sentencing mine and my Sisters, Jennifer, 10-year stalker to prison, to my nephew having a condition that only happens to 2 babies a year, resulting in having half of his lung removed at only 3 days old, to now where my oldest sister has just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, that with all the cancers combined, hers is below the 1%. A lot of people would view this as the glass half empty, but this has only brought our family closer. My sister Jennifer is truly my hero, and she has touched so many lives and has granted people the strength and courage to fight. Her separation from society occurred when she first found out about her rare cancer living in her leg, resulting in only telling family members about the news. She began to transfer into the second stage of heroism by transitioning her view on her condition, which then changed her outlook on what is actually occurring. Jennifer has now entered the third and final stage of heroism. She has reentered into society by keeping everyone updated on her journey and progress with sarcoma cancer by posting on her blog.

​The first step in heroism is becoming separated from society. When Jen first got the news about her tumor, Doctors didn’t know what to think of it. At first, they believed it was just muscle. Her “muscle” was carefully watched and then increased to 9cm in just one month. On September 11, 2013, just one day after her three year wedding anniversary, she received the news, and she was then diagnosed with sarcoma cancer, one of the rarest cancers in the world.The news was just shocking, how could this be happening to us? Trying to be more optimistic, we continued to pray and believe that everything happens for a reason. Until she knew more about her cancer, she withheld from telling friends and posting updates about her life through social media. She began to become separated from society. She never intended to, but with life changing news like this, being with your family is the only cure.

​By being with the support of your family, your outlook on things will change. Entering the second stage, Jennifer began to transition her view on her condition, and finally declared war on cancer. When one person in your family has cancer, your whole family has cancer, and having an army like the Monopoli family is her greatest asset into this long and treacherous war with sarcoma cancer.  Her outlook on life began to change. She is now a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and you can conquer anything you set your mind too. When she explains her diagnosis and the seriousness of the cancer, she does not look worried or scared, instead all I see is a fighter in her eyes. Since she has become diagnosed with cancer, I have never seen her more at her full potential than what I do now.

​Finally, as Jen became more comfortable with her diagnosis, she had then reentered into society by sharing her blog on social media sites, and updating friends and family about her crazy past month. She keeps everyone updated with the help of technology, and her words are nothing but positive and kind words. One can tell in her writing that she is neither outraged about her circumstance nor does she look for people to feel sorry for her, but she is ready to battle a lifelong war with cancer. As she stated in her blog, she has assembled the best army, and she is ready to defeat cancer.

​When I think of a hero, I think of someone who has strength, bravery, and is ready to overcome anything. I instantly thought of my sister. To me, a hero doesn’t need super strength, but mental strength to overcome anything. They do not need bravery in a sense of saving the world, but being able to fight till the end of the world to achieve what they desire. My sister has become so many people’s inspiration to keep on fighting, no matter what you are going through. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, your journey might just be a little longer than others. I never knew what bravery was, or what it took to become a hero, until I saw it in my sister.

Isn't this the most inspiring paper?  I just love it and I will keep it forever!  I sure hope the Professor gives her and A!

Have a great day!  Thanks for reading!

Love you all!