Alison Merrill:  

I came to visit my best friend, Sandy Richardson (from Hudson High) in Southern California (1984) then moved out here shortly after. What a difference from upstate NY! I've been here ever since. The lifestyle is very different, however I really love it here. Of course I do miss my family and long-time friends back East! The weather is great most of the time, except for the summer days when its over 100 degrees! (thankfully we have a pool!) By the way...now Sandy is back in NY again with TC! I studied at Riverside Comm. College, La Sierra College and Loma Linda University. My last degree was a Masters in Physical Therapy at Loma Linda in 1993. After graduation, I worked for an excellent company, Rehabnet for about 6 yr, doing inpatient/outpatient PT. I have been doing Home Health PT for Loma Linda Med Center since 2000. I really love what I do and feel so blessed I was directed to my profession. ( I injured my knee/ had surgery and plenty of PT, so I learned what my plan would be in kind of a painful way!) I am working on certification in Polestar Pilates exercise; hopefully I'll complete my training in Dec 2008/early 2009. I met my husband, Joe, at Ballys Holiday Health Spa in 1988 then we were married in 1992. (Joe is from Havelock, NC) We have learned what it means to go through the good and bad times together. We had a wonderful and very special 9 yr old son, Jeremy, who passed away suddenly at home in Oct 2005. He was born with a congenital heart defect and had a open heart surgery at 6 days old. Within the next few weeks following, he had 2 heart atta...Expand for more