Shawnee AEP

Cornerstone of Hope brought this program to the school last year. Please vote to help them continue reaching kids with this positive message and empowering them to stand strong. Only 3 days of voting left and they need to reach the top 40 to get the grant! PLEASE SHARE!

Students, If you did not receive your AEP schedule and/or permission form last week, you can see Mr. Hemmelgarn in room C14 during the open house to get your missing paperwork. Any student still needing paperwork as of Tuesday will get it in the morning when Mrs. Rolfes and Mr. Hemmelgarn make their way around the building. Thanks and see you soon!!

Four years ago Governor Kasich made May the month of Ehlers-Danlos awareness. Last week I scheduled important meetings with our district House Representative Jim Jordan for this week, State Senators Matt Huffman & Cupp the following week, in touch with both of our U.S. senators' Washington DC Healthcare liasons, and meeting with Gov. Kasich before the month ends. Six local schools have arranged to meet with me and educate their administration, teachers and staff. Ohio's government is focusing on Lima. I'm not just advocating for myself, but all pre-existing conditions as well as protections for children in school with IEPs and pre-existing condition pdotection under social security.
1 in 5,000 have EDS and most go undiagnosed. My graduating class had 3 patients itself.

What is Ehlers-Danlos? EDS is a genetic mutation which affects collagen. Each genetic mutation is unique and so is each patient experience. This mutation causes our collagen to be faulty. Collagen is the basic glue of the human body. This means all soft and hard tissues are affected, bone not as much, muscle is moderately involved, while collagen-based structures like ligaments, tendons, stomach/organ linings, the inside of arteries and joints are greatly affected. Onset is usually puberty and estrogen seems to be a link to symptomology because there is only 1 male affected for every 9 females, and males typically improve after puberty. EDS is traditionally thought of as rare, but it is only highly misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. A trained eye is required. It took me 3 years to find a truly accurate diagnosis. I have type 3 (types are colloquial for understanding, the condition is actually a spectrum.) This means I'm primarily hypermobile. If I sleep through the night, each morning I wake up with several vertebrae, both shoulders, my sacrum, S.I. joints and more dislocated or subluxed. The inoperable tear in my right hip's labrum and my back fracture usually hurt from being horizontal for 8 hours. Once my bones are positioned back into place I must start on my 100oz of water daily. EDS compromised my body to the point where entire systems are affected. My Autonomic Nervous System, in charge of involuntary functions such as sleep, digestion, heart rate, and temperature regulation, has dysfunction which is called dysautonomia. Eventually a Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome diagnosis came along because I'm affected most each time my body changes position. I also battle another secondary condition primarily caused by EDS, gastropareisis, which is the delayed emptying or paralyzation of the stomach organ. Each time I eat, the same enzymes digesting my food are also digesting the lining of my stomach. About once a month my stomach can no longer take it and rejects food. I don't remember what it's like to be hungry, let alone eat with out stomach pain. I am fortunate, I do not share my prognosis because I don't believe it. Most patients my age, with my handful of conditions are in motorized wheelchairs, using feeding tubes, and fentanyl patches. Four years ago, I battled my way out of a wheelchair into a walker onto a cane; where today, I not only use no assistance, but I also have chosen to take no pain medicine for over a year. Eventually I will become sick, but for now I've promised myself I WILL get better and live as well as I can. Just please remember my story the next time you see someone who looks perfectly healthy using a handicap sticker or someone struggling with an illness you don't understand- both people wish to achieve something you take advantage of every single day: NORMALCY. It's usually all we want too, not pity or sympathy. The people who give me the best hugs are strangers because those who love me are plagued by the fear of "breaking me." Little things like getting dressed with out injury, eating with out going to the hospital, hugs that aren't shy, those are all I ask for

The rest of this month my goal is awareness, but I thought a personal experience was a good place to start.

Happy Birthday, Mr T. 🎈🎂 Have a great day at Science Olympiad

Mr Thomas is wondering who (parents) will be going to New Albany. No food can be taken to this competition, but help is appreciated in headquarters. Let us know if you plan to go. Thank you!!

Id say Mr. Thomas's selfie game has improved quite a bit

Good luck to everyone at New Albany today!

Are you guys coming to WSU again, this year?

Congratulations to SHS JV Quiz Bowl team. They took the prizes for best record, 10-0, and for most points scored at the Allen County HS quiz bowl tournament.

Congratulations to SHS Varsity Quiz Bowl Team for winning the Allen County High School quiz bowl tournament this week.

If anyone is interested...
https://www.facebook.com/LimaAllenCountyChamber/videos/10153168574901687/

Thanks to Meghana Chanamolu for the beautiful Get Well flowers.