Staci Baldwin:
CLASS OF 1995
Whitmer High SchoolClass of 1995
Toledo, OH
Staci's Story
Staci is from Toledo, Ohio. Staci's schools include Whitmer High School. Staci works(ed) at Currently Disabled, Avon Products, Inc..
Staci's interests include Education, Food, LOL. Music Staci likes includes WARRANT, The Green Children, Sel Gomez. Books Staci likes include Anything by Nora Roberts, Sylvia Browne. Movies Staci likes include Piglet, Princess Aurora, Disney Family Movies. TV shows Staci likes include ABC Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Family Guy.
One of Staci's favorite quotes is:""When God created man she was only kidding! When God created woman it was wonderful!"~Unknown
"Live life to the fullest!"~Unknown".
More about Staci:"To love and be loved is a wonderful feeling. It is good for the soul.
For those of you that have known me, I am still the same caring and easy going person I have always been, however after all I have been through I am done letting people walk all over me and make me feel like I am less of a person. I no longer care who likes or doesn't like me at this point. I am not changing the way I am at all I am just going to be smart about it from here on out. I will still be nice to everyone or if I can't be I just won't say anything about that person directly. I am human so if I am asked about someone I dislike I will be honest, but I still won't slander or be vendictive. I figure either Karma or God will get those that have purposely hurt me or any of those I truly care about. As for those that haven't meant to hurt, but have without meaning to or even realized it have more than likely already been forgiven or will be forgiven so no worries. Just to know, no matter what has happened, I still love everyone I know and care about everyone even those I don't know there are just some people that I don't like how they act. It isn't even that I don't like them, because I feel everyone has some good in them, I just don't like some of the things these people have done. I am far from perfect and have never claimed to be, nor am I an angel. I am just me nothing more nothing less. I have made mistakes and probably still will as my mom gave me my voice and I have yet to figure out who I can say what to anymore, but I am learning. I'm just sad because I have never told anyone else that they are wrong for believing what they believe, but yet I've been told I am wrong quite a bit. My beliefs are just that and very strong, but they have never hurt anyone. I may voice them to everyone and anyone that will listen but I don't push them on anyone. I just want to be heard. This doesn't make me crazy or dellusional as I don't see things that aren't really there and I don't hear voices other than my own which usually tends to be my subconscious or what I feel my mom would be saying to me when things are good or bad. But yet I've been hospitalized recently and in the past because people only listen to what they want to hear and because I have been labeled they don't bother to ask the right questions and take the time to figure out what is really going on. I just wish if I'm so unclear and "crazy" to some they would just walk away because after almost 13 years it would be so nice if the best woman I have ever known could finally just REST IN PEACE! I have proven I can live with out her, I just miss her just like most who knew her do.
In 2009 I was diagnosed with Hodgkinson's Lymphoma and have managed to get into remission. I also fought Congestive Heart Failure and Pericarditis and developed what is called drop foot. In August and December of 09 as well as January of 2010 I was told that there was no guarantee that I would ever stand or walk on my own again that only hard work and time would tell. To take you back a little bit, I used to way 385 lbs and at some point I started shedding weight for no apparent reason. I'm sure in the very beginning that some of it came off because I had been taken off of the massive amounts of medications I had been on and I was always on the run and even though I didn't always eat the way I should I was eating smaller portions more often so it was just easier to take it off. Then at one point my father had gotten a YMCA family membership and I did take advantage of that on a regular basis either by taking my kids swimming or by going on my own to just hang out and ride one of their exercise bikes. I would like to get back into that, but we will wait and see as I continue to become more independent. Then, I would have to ask the parents of those my kids went to school with, but I think it was when Michaela was in 4th or 5th grade I had really started to shed the pounds but it wasn't coming of that fast and for the longest time it seemed to be healthy. Next I was struck by the loss of my father on August 10, 2007. This is when I found almost just about how many people truly cared about me because friends and family just surrounded me and my children and we just knew that people cared. It wasn't long after this that Michaela happened to be tickling my back, yes thanks Dad I still love it after over 34 years, but she had noticed two or more dime to quarter size lumps in my ribs on my left since but close to my back. Because these lumps were not sore or tender I just told her that it was probably nothing more than some cysts that would probably go away. At that point she started begging me to see a doctor. For those that know me fairly well, I have never been the best patient except for when I came to visiting the midwifes that delievered my children as they are not doctors and I felt I could trust them. Even they weren't told about the lumps because I seriously didn't think they were anything to worry about. That October, the last day that Cedar Point was open for the season I took my children along with two girls (Heather and Stacy) that I really cared about to just have a great day. At the park we were also going to meet up with the Kowalski Family at so...Expand for more
me point. It was a beautiful day and I don't remember if I wore long or short sleeves, but I know I didn't wear a jacket. Within the first 1/2 hour or so after entering the park I was injured getting onto the Matterhorn of all rides. I was getting on and held onto the arm that holds the cars onto the ride and as I stepped into the car it tipped and my hand slipped down the arm and was sliced wide open. I tried to stay on the ride till it ended but I started to loose consciousness and got them to get me off the ride. My children stayed in the park with the girls and got help from the wonderful Kowalski family as was taken to a local hospital for proper medical treatment. Once I got back to the park we still managed to have a nice day as it was a great day. Later that evening as it started to cool down I developed a cough and just figured I caught a cold or maybe even bronchitis because of the unpredictable weather we had been having plus not wearing a jacket that day didn't help. We had even caught up with my children's aunt and her youngest daughter that day and ended up hanging out with her for a bit too. It was just an awesome day and even with the mishap I just remember it being such a blast.
As time went on I continued to lose weight and the cough remained persistant but it didn't seem to be anything worth worrying about. In late Spring or Summer of 2008 the weight loss was still happening, the cough still didn't seem major but still persistant, and then I had developed a low grade fever on a daily basis (no higer than 100), and all of my hair growth (legs, underarms, head) had stopped, as well as my monthly cycle for no apparent reason. Still I didn't seek the help of a medical professional because I figured it would work itself out. At this point I hadn't fallen into a depression or anything like that I just figured I'd come out of it on my own in time. Then it started getting to the point that everyday things got to be a challenge because I would get worn out easily. Just a trip to the store soon became unbearable and climbing up the stairs or down them to get in and out of my apartment was a chore. I made it to Thanksgiving of 2008 and was approached by my children's paternal grandfather and he told me iI if I didn't see a doctor soon I would probably be gone within a year, but it fell onto deaf ears. A few weeks later my children and I went to our family Christmas where I have been told one of my close cousins asked me to go see a doctor, but at this point I had started slipping into a servere depression where I felt that I was no longer needed nor did I really have a purpose for being here anymore so I told her I already had, but she asked me to get a second opinion and I don't remember what I told her. Then my aunt, my dad's sister, saw me and said she didn't even recognize me anymore and I did my best to convince her that I was fine. It wasn't long before this that I had noticed two massive lumps between my legs and with all the other symptoms I knew I was dealing with something more serious than I ever thought but at that point I was severely depressed and thought whatever it was it was to advanced to even bother to treat so I had planned to just let it run its course and let whatever was going to happen happen. Then in January of 2009 we had a bad snow storm and I had to go sell somethings as well as borrow money from my children's paternal grandparents so I could keep current with my rent and everything and I also needed to go to the store to stock up for the month. This would be the last time I made it out of the apartment unassisted and I barely made it out at that. In February, when we were in need of groceries again I called my good friend Cindy and convinced her that I had just twisted my ankles on my stairs and wasn't able to get out of my apartment until I recovered and went on to threaten Michaela to go along with the story so that Cindy would take her to the store and think nothing else. It wasn't till February 19th, the day before Michaela's 13th birthday, that I got up to go to the restroom after my children came home from school and I was too weak to stand back up. I got down on the floor and craweled into the hall and asked Michaela for help and then told her to call her dad and her grandma. She got very scared and did as I asked. The rest is history as a higher power and the prayers of good friends and loved ones kept me here when I had totally given up. I now know how wrong I was, but let several deserving people make me believe otherwise. Along my road to recovery I have met a lot of wonderful people that have either just taken on short amounts of time in my life and quite a few that have become life-long friends. I am so greatful to everyone both new and old. I wouldn't be here or where I am without you today.
Today I am about 80% and still working hard to come back the rest of the way. I am out of the nursing home/rehab after 23 long months. I am working on my Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at NCU and set to graduate in Spring/Summer of 2014. Once I get started in my career I won't be done there as I hope to open my own Mental Health Practice, where ever my little heart desires as it probably won't be anywhere near the Toledo, Ohio areas, and then I plan to continue on to my Doctorate in Psychology or maybe even my medical degree in Psychiatry. As for now, my plan is to continue on with my education, just as my mother did, till the day I die.
If a day goes by that I don't at least learn something new and make at least one person smile then I haven't done my job. I have finally gotten a small taste of what I truly deserve and been able to reciprocate the same and I now refuse to settle for less. I will be single the rest of my life before I do. I'll be happy either way as I know I have those that love me and that is all that matters.".
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