My life began on June 23, 1956 at a.m. in Shore Memorial Hospital that is located in Somers Point, NJ, which is right across the bay from Ocean City, NJ.
From what I've been told right after I came into this world I let out the loudest scream (can't imagine why). The nurses took me away from my mother at this time. For the next two weeks I spent the beginning of my life in an incubator with numerous brain taps to relieve pressure.
Parts of my life are in a fog because of a stroke that I suffered in August of '82. Or maybe I'm in a fog.
So here is what I remember; I remember falling when I was 5; my mother had to take me everywhere in a little red wagon. This lasted a couple of weeks doctors orders. I remember having a pretty normal childhood after this fall till I was 13.From the age of 5 till I was 13 I was a regular tomboy. My best friend Steve and I were like peanut butter and jelly. Where ever you found Steve you were sure to find me close by. In trees, on rooftops, on bikes, at the beach, everywhere. When I was eight I had an accident on my bike. I flew over the handlebars landing face first in the street.
At the age of ten, I developed a limp. I remember this like it was yesterday because the other kids would make fun of me except Steve. At this time my mother took me to the orthopedic dr. They told my mother that my hip was dislocated. Which at birth mom was told that the hip would heal by itself. The surgery that I needed was not done in our area, so, finally when I was 13 I went to Children Hospital in Philadelphia. I had a shelf put in my hip to hold the socket in place. I then spent that summer in Children
Seashore House, which was located in Atlantic City, NJ. I then went back to being a tomboy, but three years later at the age of 16 the hip came out of place again.
Well, back to the hospital but this time to Jefferson in Philadelphia. This caused me to spend an other summer in CSH in Atlantic City, NJ for rehab. At this time the physical therapist noticed neurological symptoms. But the drs said no everything was fine. So, home I went.
Senior year, to many steps at Ocean City High. So, I had a tutor come to the house. Despite this set back I still graduated with my class in June of 1974.
After graduation I moved to North Carolina. I attempted to go to Morehead Vocational School, so that I could major in Accounting.
In the spring of 1975 I went to Duke University because the pain in my hip was to the point that I could not stand it. After many tests the drs found a cyst at the base of my spine causing all of my problems. There was fluid on my brain, which was also causing problems.
Now at the beginning of my life, remember, my mother was told that I was NOT.
So now I go from orthopedic to neurosurgeon. At this time there was a vp shunt put in my head to keep the hydrocephalus drained.
Again I moved this time back to Jersey in the summer of 1975. Everything seemed to be going fine till 1979 at this time I finally had to have a total hip put in. There is arthritis that is deteriorating the bones.
The following year on May 4, I gave birth to a very healthy little boy. 5lbs 4 oz is tiny in our family, the average baby is 6lb 7 oz.
Everything was going along real smooth, in fact we moved to Michigan when my son was 4 months old.
In the spring of 81 I became sick so I went to the dr in Michigan, well they could not find my shunt so I went back to Duke in NC. Well the dr had transferred to New Bern, NC. So we drove there. Dr Wilfong had to replace the shunt, the dr found that the further along I went in my pregnancy the more the shunt was pulled out of place. Finally found the original shunt wrapped around my ovaries. So again we moved back to Jersey.
On June 21, 1982 I fell down a flight of steps, so back to the hospital I went. I was treated for cuts and bruises and a concussion. I was sent home and told to take it easy. Well my birthday was in 2 days and how you take it easy with an active 2 year old is beyond my understanding. During the following weeks my headaches increased to the point that I was going to the drs and getting shots of Demerol. I was taking blood thinners because I had developed three clots from the fall. The medication was not helping so on August 6, I walked into the hospital for surgery to remove the clots. Well during the surgery I had a stroke which left me paralysis from the neck down. A few weeks later I ran a very high fever that did something to me.
After the fever was bought down I could use my right side. At this time I went to Betty Bacharach Rehab which is outside of Atlantic City NJ. After rehab I went back to my mothers where my son was. My brother (10), and 1 of my sisters (12), and two step brothers 5 and 6 were there (full house).
Well, I decided that I was rehabilitated enough that I could take care of my son and myself so we got our own place. When Wes was six some friends set me up with a blind date (literally).
Well that October we were married. In 1988 my shunt became dislodged again because of weight gain. The weight gain came about because I had quit smoking. When I got out of the hospital again, we moved back to my hometown. After we moved back to Ocean City I had my right hip replaced. Another hospital stay and more rehab. There were some falls in the late 80's and early 90's but nothing to serious, I had knee surgery to stretch the hamstrings and a bout with fibiutist.
We again moved back to my mothers in the spring of 1997, then to a little house in the country.
At this time I began having lots of pain in my neck, shoulders, legs and head. It was becoming more difficult to breathe because of the high humidity so on August 12th we moved to Colorado. I know it gets real cold out here and snows but that is fine. I lived in Michigan for a winter and Colorado is the same type of climate. It is dry so the cold is not felt like Jersey.
So there you have it, my life as best as I can remember it.
Yes, it was rough but I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a loving husband of 12 years, 
My Hubby and Me. A great son (my young man 18 now, who has been there with me every minute). 
Our Wedding
I also have a very loving and caring mother who has always been there, even though she didn't have to be. I have three sisters, one brother, five nieces and five nephews.
Most of all I have my God and my life.
(Note From Mom) P.S. June met her hubby Rene on a blind date through her church. Rene is legally blind and has been a wonderful son-in-law! I'm so very proud of them both for ALL thier accomplishments and for their combined spirit and courage.
Rene sings and plays just about the best guitar country music I've ever heard.
RENE WITH HIS GUITAR!
Disclaimer: A lot of graphics you might find here were collected from about 1998 and fortunately stored onto floppy disks. Unfortunately since my computer has changed several times since then, I have searched and not been able to track some of those urls down again. Those that I do know where they came from, I make sure credit is given. Apologies are extended for any inconvenience. Now, if you do know where they "originally" came from, please let me know.