Sunday's Miracle Worker

I took yesterday off to go to a pool party, but am back with yet another miracle worker. This time it's going to be a little strange -- I can't remember the person's name. How horrible, right? This person helped me to the point of changing my life, and I can't even remember his name.

Anyway ....

The person who I want to acknolwedge was my Speech Comm professor at Penn State. The only reason I took the class was because it was required, and I had put it off as long as humanly possible. I even took it over the summer so the class would hopefully be small (which it wasn't) -- I knew I was gonna have to stand up and talk in front of the class, which absolutely terrified me.

When I got to the class, I learned that not only would I have to stand up and talk to the class, but I'd have to do it every single class period. Each class alternated planned and impromptu speeches. ACK!!!!! Seriously, I wanted to drop out right then and there. But I didn't.

Now some of you who know me are probably surprised by this -- you know I'm not exactly shy. Or mousy. Or afraid to tell you my opinion. Or nervous about speaking up.

For the first 12 years of my education, I NEVER said one word in my classes. I always felt like the dumbest kid in the room, and was terrified of saying something stupid or giving a wrong answer. I have no idea why ... I was never publicly flogged for being an idiot or anything, but the idea of talking in class was incredibly intimidating to me. I never raised my hand, never volunteered to solve a problem on the board, never sat in the front half or back row of the room -- blending and becoming invisible were key.

But I could no longer hide once I got to Mr. ?'s Speech Comm class.

It may sound ridiculous, but I really do believe this teacher's course changed the course of my life. The turning point was during my "visual aids" speech about the Top 10 Kinds of Feet That Gross Me Out, where I had drawn pictures and did a Letterman-esque countdown. I had the class rolling with laughter. For me, it was cathartic. In fact, I don't think I've shut up since then!!

I'm convinced that if I hadn't taken that class ... if I hadn't given a funny speech about gross feet .... I could never have been so successful in my career. I went on to teach training classes in one of my first jobs -- a job standing up talking in front of a room of people!! I NEVER could have done that job without that class. I doubt I would have gone on to hold a leadership position in my company -- I talk in front of people all the time now and it doesn't even phase me.

Knowing how my first 17 years were, I think this teacher performed a miracle on me. Now I can't shut up, and you all have him to thank!!

I interrupt these miracles to bring you a public service message:

Don't turn on channel 6 right now!!! Maroon 5 is on Good Morning America singing the same friggin whiny ass song they've been overplaying on the radio for the last year.

Can somebody please make them go away??? They suck.

Friday's Miracle Worker

I debated who to write about next, but can't turn away from acknowledging someone who came into my life when I was only a few weeks old, then just as quickly disappeared. We've never had a conversation, but I think about this man from time to time and wonder what my life would be like if our paths had never crossed.

Now I kinda hate to recognize another doctor because I think many of them are already way too arrogant, but let's face it .... they DO save lives, and they do things the rest of us just can't do. I've had 3 doctors in my life that, without them, I just can't imagine what my life would be like. So without further adieu ......

Meet Dr. Hans Wilhelmsen

(Dr. Wilhelmsen is the 2nd from the left)

What you may not know about me is that I was born with a cleft lip. My parents were devastated that their first child ...... a little girl with a big curly head of black hair ... also had a birth defect. You've probably seen pictures of kids with cleft lips and palates -- it's grotesque to say the least. Well guess what -- that was me when I was born.


Luckily, my parents took me straight to a dental plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where a young Dr. Wilhelmsen was just in the midst of creating a program for treatment of pediatric cleft lips and palates. Dr. Wilhelmsen operated on me numerous times to fix my face and try to make me look decent enough not to have to wear a bag over my head for the rest of my life.


When I was in grade school, some kids use to call me "fat lip" and it absolutely tore me up every single time. I was so sensitive about my big secret. I don't know if it's just the passage of time or the miracles of lipstick and gloss, but when I look in the mirror I just don't notice the scar anymore. It's not huge and disfiguring, but it's there.


But I don't mind that scar. Without Dr. Wilhelmsen's gifted hands and the Cleft Lip Program he founded, I may not have a scar -- I may have a monster-face instead. I'm so thankful for him and what he did for me. I've researched him on Google and found out that he went on to win numerous awards from the Governor, Congress, and his peers for excellence in his field of medicine, and for his program that has made a difference in so many lives. He's now retired from private practice, but still teaches at Hopkins and the University of Maryland. He's also been recognized for charitable contributions to various organizations.


Even though he's probably long forgotten me, I'll never forget what Dr. Wilhelmsen did for me and how he changed my life. Not only did he get rid of the cleft lip, but he hand-made my lips (and made them nice and full!) In fact, I've gotten numerous compliments on my lips over the years, and every time it happens it catches me off guard because I know their history. When I get one of those compliments, my first thought is of the miracle that Dr. Wilhelmsen performed -- they're not compliments for me, but for him. So in my head, I "forward" those compliments along to him and say a silent "thank you" to Dr. Wilhelmsen. Nature gave me horrific lips, but he fixed them and made them beautiful.

Thursday's Miracle Worker

It's not often that you'll hear me talking religion (and I'm not gonna start now, so don't worry). I don't care if other people do, but sharing my own beliefs is just uncomfortable territory for me. Seriously ... don't worry, I'm not gonna start preaching, but I am going to share another one of my miracle workers with you. Dr. Irgau and Lori made me look better on the outside, and this person has made me better on the inside. I would call her my spiritual miracle worker.

Meet Sister R .....

I work with Sister R, and have for about 13 years. A little bit about her ..... she has dedicated her life to teaching, helping people, advocating for peace and social justice in way that isn't about giving handouts or enabling people. She is a nun, she's got a great sense of humor, she's a Senior Vice President of a large company, a beautiful orator, a writer, and an inspiration for thousands of people.

Often times, she is asked to open a meeting, and always does so with a "reflection." Over the years, I've come to look forward to her relfections. They're not sermons, prayers, preachings, bible recitations. But she has an unbelievable gift of being able to deliver a message that can truly touch every person in the room in a very personal way. (No, people do not bust out in tears and fall on the floor!) Last year when my Mom got sick and so many people around me were dying, she made a point to come visit me, talk to me, offer encouraging words .... I really feel like she cared about me and wanted to make sure I was okay so I could be supportive to others. She was just what I needed.

Her words miraculously soothe, comfort, guide, inspire ..... she doesn't sugarcoat or paint rosy pictures when they aren't appropriate. She has a gentle way of keeping me (and others I'm sure) grounded and with a healthy perspective on life.

I'll admit, this all seemed a little too kumbaya-ish for me when I first started with my company. Mission? Values? A corporate nun? But over the years I've really come to know her and love her. She is a brilliant star in my life, and never fails to inspire me to try to be a good person and do the right thing.

Have you ever felt humbled by a person because they are soooooo "good?" That's how I feel around her ..... I'm truly humbled by her greatness.

Wednesday's Miracle Worker

Time to share another miracle worker in my life (this is exciting). This time I'm talking about my friend and fabulous hairdresser, Ms. Lori Ann McCloskey. Here she is:

Linda & Lori

Lori is the daughter of my friends Linda and Richie, which is how I met her. I knew the minute I heard she was going to be cutting hair that I wanted to break up with my old hairdresser (sorry Henry!), and have her whip this lid into shape! Her own hair always looks stunning, and she makes Linda's hair look beautiful too. I knew this would be good ... and I was right!!

See my new do .... (and this is after I got rained on)



She's talented, creative, stylish, and best of all she's a very sweet person. She always makes me feel good about myself after a visit. I first went to see her after I had lost a bunch of hair due to a protein deficiency (which is over now, thank heavens!). I couldn't face Henry, and I really felt self-conscious about my thinning hair. I knew it was going to take more than just talent to make this mess look good -- I needed a bonafide miracle worker, and that's exactly what I found with Lori.

In fact I went to see her last week for the first time in her new salon, and I'm convinced when I left that EVERYBODY on the street was looking at me and my knockout hair!! I mean, crowds were forming and the paparazzi was taking pictures .... that's how gorgeous my hair looked.

So don't pass go, don't collect $200 ..... call immediately (215-925-2211) to make an appointment with Lori at Salon Vanity (1126 Walnut Street) in Philadelphia!! You too can add her to your own collection of miracle workers!!!

A Week of Miracle Workers

This week, I have an anniversary which got me to thinking about people who have made a difference in my life. So this week, I'm going to write about my own personal "miracle workers" and share with the world what they've done for me.

Today, June 24 is the 3 year anniversary of me having a life-changing gastric bypass surgery. I mulled this decision over for years -- I mean, it's pretty drastic to get your stomach carved up and part of your intestine removed .... voluntarily. Irreversible. Forever. Mortality rate 1 in 800. Dozens of doctor appointments, psych evaluations (how the hell'd I pass that?). Blood work ... ugh!!!!

Anyway, I am still kicking myself for not doing it 10 years earlier. It's the best thing I ever did for myself. Now, 140 pounds lighter, I have this man to thank:

Meet, Dr. Isaias Irgau

He is my miracle worker, and I am so thankful for his skilled hands and for putting up with me when I went into a complete Defcon 5 meltdown in his office when he told me I'd have to give myself a needle at home every day for a month or I couldn't have the surgery. He is patient, smart, caring, and a God-send. (And my friend Kat gave me the needles ... oy! Codeine, xanax and percocets with a pillow over my head .... that's the only way I got through it. Everyday .. for a month!)

I'd be remiss not to mention the staff at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington. It was a highly unlikely place for me to have the surgery considering I live in Philadelphia where there are numerous world-renowned hospitals. But ... I wanted Dr. Irgau to do the surgery and St. Francis guaranteed me a private room. They put me in ICU, and I was surprisingly shocked at how incredibly cared for I felt. These people were absolutely fabulous. I didn't worry for one minute about whether or not I'd be okay because I knew that I was in good hands.

Anyway, that's the story of how I went from looking like this:

To this:

What did I do this weekend?

I'm just gonna let the pictures do the talking .....

THE GRADUATION PARTY (this was a party for Linda & Richie's youngest son, Sean)

Mary Jane & I

Maggie

Maize & Midget

Linda & Lori

Maggie, Eddie, Kate

And then, the luau on Saturday night. I think one picture will sum this up just fine .....

Davey Dogs ... he's all mine!

Hope you had a good weekend too!