January 2021
We celebrated Milo's birthday and Jared's birthday. The pandemic was making me feel very out of control so I got braids just to feel I can control something. I have learned that everything is out of my control.
February 2021
The braids were cute but they were so heavy. I still felt like doing something impulsive; I went to the salon and I lightened my hair. It has been a fun year "being blonde". We tried our best to stay sane and healthy. We were just waiting for the vaccine to be available to us.
The boys were doing online school. I kept trying to protect my mental health, but my anxiety and OCD were out of control. I had to up my medications. Jared bought me a stationary bike for his birthday. The boys put it together for me.
Milo had a school report. He chose a historical figure that was inspirational to him: Helen Keller. He is very committed when he does anything.
March 2021
I got my covid shot earlier because I am immunocompromised. We went to the aquarium in Draper, Utah. We visited Mario's middle school and got him ready to go back to school. The isolation was affecting both Mario and Milo in many aspects. We went to the Hogle Zoo and Milo found an acquaintance there. He was so happy to see other people
The boys also saved enough money to buy their VR headset. Mario didn't like it as much, which made Milo become a VR bruh.
After I got my vaccine, I was ready to go. I couldn't wait to leave the house and see people. I hosted our neighborhood Easter party at the church on March 27th.
April 2021
We are lucky enough to have our own heated pool. I also went out with Meghan. This was the first time going to a restaurant with a friend since the pandemic began, and I also think that was the last time. I personally worked on the landscape of my house. My flowers look amazing every year. Spring time in Utah is lovely. My OCD and anxiety was calming down a little bit. For a few weeks, it felt like life before the pandemic. We went to Ashley Furniture to buy a new couch for our family room which took almost six months to show up due to supply chain issues! I also changed all the decorations in my bedroom. I really tried to love having color in my room, but I hated it. I love neutral colors. I bought new blackout shades in a white gray-ish color. I know, it takes longer to clean a white room, but I feel much calmer now. We went to Draper to an arcade place. I believe I had food poisoning and I spent the last hour throwing up and sitting on the toilet, at the arcade place. Yes, it was worth mentioning it 🤢!
Jared got his vaccine. My sister sent the boys boxes for Easter. We had a wonderful Easter and watched conference. We played our favorite game which is "find the POC singing in the choir".
May 2021
I went to school to get another degree. I went back to school as a suggestion from my therapist in 2019. He told me that maybe taking a class in school would help me to focus all my energy with my OCD. My mind was supposed to be challenged and I was going to trick my brain. The truth is that going to school helped for a while, but it really didn't aliviate the OCD. It was a great experience, and I met so many amazing people. I graduated in May 2020 but the pandemic hit. When they called me a year later and asked me if I wanted to walk, I said yes!
I have been working out like an insane person to help me cope with the pandemic, and because I like it. Well, when you are obssessive about things and you don't want to take too many medications, exercise is the way to go. The issue I had was that I was losing weight but my loose skin wasn't improving. I had been playing with the idea of getting surgery to fix it but I didn't feel brave enough. A few months back, I went to my wacko doctor in Utah and he thought I might have leukemia...😱! Long story short, I was angry that I work out, watch what I eat, and I got cancer! How is that fair?! I said "Screw this. I am getting this surgery done. If I die, I will die doing what I want".
All the doctors in Utah were booked for almost 6 months ahead. I didn't want to wait that long. I had already done my research (I have folders of prospective doctors who are certified. I also called the association of plastic surgery in Mexico and double checked the doctors I liked). Dr. Gaxiola was in my top 5. I didn't want to travel too far, and Dr. Gaxiola is located 15 minutes from San Diego. It takes 45 minutes to get there from Utah. I went and I got my skin removal and mommy makeover in Tijuana, Mexico. I won't post photos, but let me tell you something: that surgery wasn't for the faint of heart. The first five days were the worst. I wasn't in pain but I was in discomfort, like being sore after a triathlon. I had a private nurse (who is my great friend now, Scarlet) that lived with me for almost three weeks until I got better. Thank you, Jared. My body looks amazing!
I am sharing this because I have met so many people who shame people for getting cosmetic surgery and that is not cool. Are you 100% natural and happy with your body? If yes, good for you! Do you get other less invasive procedures? If yes, good for you too! If not, good for you too! I do what makes me happy and helps me be a better mom and wife. This is how I see it: my body is my temple. My temple needs some renovations to keep up with the holy work. You can only take care of others when you first take care of your own needs. Happy mom, happy life. That's the secret of why I look younger now than I did in my late 20s.
When I came back, I was still on hold to see a hematologist. My appointment was in October 2021. I was going a little insane. I made an appointment with the Utah Cancer Center people. After my referrals were cleared up, I saw them in August 2021. I didn't have cancer at all, just chronic anemia from extreme dieting!
The boys and Jared returned to Utah after my surgery. I stayed in Mexico for around 3 weeks because I understood that I needed to rest. Oh my gosh, I ate so much. Thanks to Uber Eats. I stayed at a really fancy hotel that had special medical beds. I had lymphatic massages twice a week. They were pricey but my body needed them. I even had a hairstylist coming to my room to do my hair and Scarlet's hair.
Mario also received his first vaccine in May. He went on a hike with the young men to the Living Room in the Uintah mountains. Below are pictures of the place where I was staying and how beautiful everything was. It honestly was better care than I have ever received in the United States.
June 2021
The boys were done with their school year! Mario got two awards for academic excellency signed by president Biden. We were proud of both of them and bought them electric bikes. They were so happy. Mario doesn't like them because he has some neurological and physical issues with his legs. Mario also got his first real credit card with us. We are helping him build credit.
Mario and the young men went to an archery range. Milo is a great artist. He likes the paint by numbers activities. Milo is always popular with the girls: Maribel and Eliza (Milo's best friend).
