• T 21

    Amusement Parks and Accessibility Services: A Moms POV

    It finally happened yesterday.  Rowens disability was attached to his capability to participate in fun like all other kids his age.  Hershey Park has a rule that miniatures (0-36”) can ride some rides with an adult (where weight limits permit) but no hand held lap infants. Rowen clearly wasn’t a 6 month old baby who could barely sit-up. That’s what “no handheld lap infants” means. A baby that doesn’t have the ability to control muscles or understand what’s going on.  All because Rowen can’t walk yet, we had to get an accessibility pass to be able ride said rides he couldn’t ride with me because he couldn’t walk. Labeling him…

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  • T 21

    The 3 Longest and Scariest Weeks of my Life

    Now that a couple weeks have passed, things have calmed down and I was able to process those 3 weeks in hospitals — I feel ready to talk about the scariest, most tiresome and blurry 3 weeks of my life.  I’ve been battling with doctors for answers on Rowens GI issues since he was born. Our entire life was dictated by his reflux/vomiting. Packing 20 bibs to go on a trip or 6 just for a few hour outing. I’ve had to buy extra pjs on vacation bc he threw up on 2 pairs in one night. I wore crappy clothes for months and didn’t bother getting ready because I’d…

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  • Mental Health + Wellness

    Pro Choice Does Not Mean I’m Pro Abortion: It Means I’m Pro “Minding My Business”

    When people hear my story and that I didn’t know I was pregnant for 4 months, often times the conversation switches to abortion. People who are anti abortion suddenly question their belief, because before talking to me, they didn’t understand or believe a woman couldn’t know she was pregnant for so long. I didn’t think for one second I was pregnant up until the day I found out. What I now know is PCOS, caused irregular periods all my life. Sometimes going months without them. I have issues with food and gluten intolerances. Anything I eat makes me bloat. Put those two together and how could I know?? I looked…

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  • Mom Life

    Rowan for Rowen

    At the end of April, Rowen and I traveled back to NJ for a project we were doing with Rowan University. I had received an e-mail survey about being a transfer student. The questions essentially were focused around your average 21/22 year old college junior/senior. I couldn’t really answer any of them or felt like they fit. I reached back out to point out that not every college student has taken the traditional path. A lot of us fought like hell to get into and stay in college. Some of us didn’t get to live comfortably in a dorm and not have to worry about working to pay for classes…

  • Mental Health + Wellness

    A Quick Update

    I figured this was an appropriate time to come back and fill you in on what’s been going in our lives since May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The beginning of this semester was easy for me to push out a bunch of content but as the semester went on school required all my brain power. And taking care of Rowen’s needs. As a lot of you know by now, Rowen is with me 99% of the time. His dad is 100% involved, his job just has a difficult work schedule and he lives in Atlanta. But if it weren’t for his job, I wouldn’t be able to stay home…

  • Mental Health + Wellness

    How Breaking Up With Alcohol Changed My Life

    Every day, you have a choice. You can wake up and make it a good day, or you can find something to be pissed off about. For most of my late teens and early 20’s, I woke up pissed off. Automatically hating the world and everything in it. I was drowning in a victim mentality and drowning my sorrows in alcohol because of trauma. By 23, I started to wise up. I still don’t know if it was a maturity thing or events in my life that drove me there and doing therapy. I realized I didn’t have to be such an asshole all the time just because my life…

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  • T 21

    What To Do After A Down Syndrome Diagnosis: Prenatal Or At Birth

    Being hit with a Down Syndrome diagnosis prenatally or at birth is equally as stressful. Prenatally you have a bit more time to prepare but it doesn’t make finding resources any easier. When I got a positive NIPT for Trisomy 21, I was never given any resources on Down Syndrome, until Rowen was diagnosed at birth. Even then they just throw a bunch of information at you and you’re left to fend for yourself. I never got a CVS/Amnio to confirm diagnosis, but I still did my research to prepare. It helped the news at birth not sting so much but it was still overwhelming. I spent the first 4…

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  • T 21

    Our Down Syndrome Diagnosis Story

    Last Valentine’s Day I had a boy steal my heart. My joy of my first pregnancy was stolen for a moment too. Two weeks prior I had my first OB appointment. I had found out recently I was 4 months pregnant & it was my first prenatal visit. I had tons of testing to catch up on I missed in the first trimester. I had saw my 17 week old baby for the first time the week before. My doctor asked if I wanted to do genetic testing since my parents insurance covered it. My parents drove out to jersey to go to the appointment with me & my mom…

  • Mental Health + Wellness

    Trauma Explained: How Trauma Affects Us All Differently & How Healing Is Possible

    We’ve all probably been through some type of traumatic event in our life. Whether it be the tragic death of a young friend in high school, a family member passing, a car accident, natural disaster, sexual abuse, an abusive relationship, losing a job, rape, COVID — the list is long. A lot of us don’t even realize we’ve experienced trauma until years have gone by and we realize we’ve just been on autopilot. Not really “living.”, just going through the motions. It wasn’t until the last couple years I had my “aha” moment and wanted to stop feeling numb from trauma all the time. Everyone’s ability to handle stress and…

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  • Mental Health + Wellness,  Mom Life

    Self Love After Giving Life

    I grew up being taught that appearance was everything. Which is true, until it becomes a toxic mindset in adult life. I was constantly ridiculed by people I love for my weight, when I indulged in foods, what I wore and how I did my makeup. I feared having children in my early 20’s because I was scared my body would be wrecked. Most of my young adult life I’ve fluctuated between 130-180 pounds. I go through phases were I’m dropping weight and starving because of stress/anxiety. Then I go through phases that I binge eat as a means of emotional comfort. Now my body is stuck in survival mode…