What if I got the same disease that made me who I am today... Well I did.

A lot has happened since my last blog post.  For instance I got diagnosed with MS. That's right in case you've been living under a rock / care to ignore my posts on facebook and instagram. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis  (MS) on August 24th 2014. After a while people stop asking how you are, stop really seeing how you're doing and don't bother to check in. Just like everything in life, things only last so long.  It's not because people don't care, it's just everyone has their own crap.  This crap, (MS)  is mine, so here goes my story.

 I've been familiar with this disease since I was in high school because my mom has it too. Lucky us!  But really, you the reader are the lucky one.  I am about to enlighten you all with my life. How it isto live with someone who has MS, and now how it is to live with MS.

"Well lets, start at the very beginning, a very good place to start"  I went to bed one night in August and woke up in the morning and was completely nauseous I couldn't see well and didn't really know what was happening. After much debate whether I was crying for attention ( per TK)  or I was hungover ( also TK) I lay on the bathroom floor and begged TK to take me to the ER, well aware that this visit would be longer than I anticipated.
 Before I left for my long hot journey through the Callahan Tunnel, I changed out of my Guinness
 t -shirt and into a Jimmy Fund shirt to seek immediate entrance because lets face it, I was hopefully that The Jimmy Fund shirt would move me along (especially at a hospital).  And it worked.
 I sat in the waiting room for 30 seconds and was immediately moved along.  I sat in a wheelchair and got pushed around and told every Dr. I met  how my mom had MS and I thought that's what I had. My hands had pins and needles in them and so did my feet and they were not going away. Before I knew it, I was awaiting an MRI, 2 hours later I was out and being moved up to the neurology floor. * This is where I will tell you about my high  praise for MGH, and all the people I know that work there or work in any hospital for that matter you are a gift from god. THANK YOU

After arriving to my room, and getting "comfortable" TK left to make some calls. This is when the Dr, came in and told me I had Multiple Sclerosis, while I was ALONE.  Lovely, that he waited until I was by myself, don't you think.* This actually wasn't so bad, as the last thing I needed was to comfort someone else

I ended up staying overnight at MGH for three nights. I had friends come by and help my look more like a pirate bringing me an eye patch and hat, braiding my hair, delivering  Helluva Good and Cape Cod Potato Chips to remind me of college, and who could forget my 7 month pregnant MOH wheeling my mom up to see me.  I saw a lot in those few days, I saw the beginning of my future and what good people had in them. Now 6 months later, here I am no eye patch and hopefully no new lesions on my brain.

I can't tell you in one blog post what Ive been doing for the past 6 months, what medicine I'm on, how sometimes I'm scared, how it is to be on the other side of the fence, or fearful I am that I will have another attack next August.  I'll have to fill you all in one post at a time.
You cant have everything all at once right, I mean that wouldn't keep you interested

In the meantime you can click here 
 http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS
  and of course here http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate

Letter from the Editor: A very special thank you to all my friends and family who have made this part of my life story so special just by being a part of it.  I would also like to say THANK YOU to  Princess Jasmine.  When we were young, you would come to my house every weekend, without fail every time you walked into my house my mom would tell you how nice you looked. Thank you for always telling me the nice things your mom says about me and for encouraging me to write about this. My hope is that someone affected by MS in any way, shape or form can find some peace through my words.

XOXO
B

He went to Jared

 The day has finally come where I can start blogging again. 

I'm engaged. FINALLY !!!!! 

This past weekend we took our annual trip to NYC. I had been shopping for this trip since January when we decided we were going to be going on vacation here. And apparently when I was purchasing for this trip I forgot that it's still cold in March so I decided last week that I need more clothes to bring along instead.  I thought since TK had been working a lot of overnights that I could just sneak the bag into the house without him knowing, but I was wrong. To my surprise when I got home from work last Monday. I was told that I needed to stop, and little did I know why. 

On Saturday morning after arriving in NYC and flipping out because I forgot my umbrella I calmed down after I got a Bloody Mary. We were hanging out in Morans bar  

[shout out to my Moran family] and TK kept asking me what I wanted to do. He suggested Top of the Rock but I declined when he told me we needed to buy tickets. Since I was spoken to a few days earlier about saving money I thought that we could do something else instead. 

We decided that we would go to Central Park and walk around even though it was  raining. Being the biggest Sex and the City fan known to man I wanted my walk in the park. Now I walk around these crappy roads in Boston all the time but I hadn't realized  exactly how big this park was. I got slightly irritated with the cold and rain and knew that TK really wanted to walk around so I kept walking in the rain anyways. And thank god I did because mid walk we stopped and before I knew it TK was down on one knee and a ring in his hand.  Screaming I grabbed the ring from him and the rest is history.  

Now some of you may be inquiring about my amazing mani. Before every vacation I get new clothes, a spray tan and a mani. This is my mothers fault because when I was younger she always got me new shoes and clothes for a trip. I was also told weeks ago that I would be engaged before our friends wedding in July so I needed to calm down. 

After I calmed down, a little but I decided in needed to begin my phone calls. 

I tried calling Marsha Jeanne and shockingly [NOT] her phone was busy. I tried calling for what seemed like forever but still not such luck so I called the hospital call center got connected to her floor and told the nurse to let her know it was an emergency and she needed to get off the phone. She finally answered and was so happy that she did. She had spent time with Patrick and TK earlier in the week where he had asked them both if he could marry he. He showed them the ring and everyone knew it was just what I had wanted and would LOVE it. [love is an understatement]

After we told our family and closest friends and my cousin finally answered my phone call we went our for some champagne and kicked off this celebratory weekend. 

I wasn't going to go here, but let's be honest. I was and always will be a daddy's girl. My dad and I had the best relationship. We share the same love of a lot of things and he will be with me throughout this whole process. Every time I hear Sinatra or Nat or smell a cigar I think of him.  After he passed away we thought about having bagpipers at his funeral but decided against it. During the service at the cemetery, bagpipers could be heard in the distance. Months later at my college graduation when I was missing him and having a hard time, bagpipers were present. Crying my friend Ashley tells me that it's my dad. [ thanks ash bay bay] A few weeks ago at my cousins fathers funeral a bag piper was outside and just this morning when I walked out of the hotel I heard what I thought was a bagpiper, but thought it couldn't be. I walked another block and across the street from me standing in Central Park, was you guessed it a bagpiper.  [and now you're crying, you're welcome]

Now for a Q and A, 

Before you all ask me when my wedding is so you can plan your pregnancies around it because you know it will be amazing. I have to tell you that I can't give all my information at once. 

This blog is back with a new name. Bridey the Bride. 

When I was little my dad called me Bridey so there ya go. 

Stay tuned and keeping watching out for what's sure to be your biggest thing to hit your screen since Kate and Will got married. 

Until then I'll be eating salad and wearing repeat clothing because I have a dress and some Manolos to be purchased. 

TK says now ill finally stop shopping, so I guess all our dreams are coming true. 

Much love 

Xoxo B 💋

Whats the irish word for family...second cousins

Most people are born into one thing FAMILY.  It’s very simple in fact. You take your family, much like you do with any plant and you water it, feed it, give it nutrient, sunlight and provide it with everything you’d want it to give back to you.  

For me, from the start my tree was always well nourished. I was born into a very loving family. Being a first born made me loved from the start. ( that’s so first child of me)  I was well wanted and prayed for at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the hopes that I would be a baby girl, and as Irish luck would have it girl I was. For I was born with red hair, and since I’m oh so special I was announced over the radio by my papa. Ah that’s right famous from birth.

Just because you are first born in your home though does not make you special to the tens of other young kids around you, most importantly the rest of your family. Sure if you’re the first grandchild everyone dotes over you and buys you tricycles and plays games with you, entertains you. If you happen to fall in the middle then the jokes on you, If you’re like me growing up with nearly all male cousins on one side of the family you may have had a Davey Crocket hat thrown at your head to make you think it was a live animal. You may have had to create your own fun like making up plays and wearing old clothes for “costumes” and being the Beatles in your nana’s basement.  But nothing, no holiday or family get together could be complete without your cousins.

Cousins, we all have them. Some we’re close with others were not, But mainly they are people who see our families for what they’re worth. They are our first friends, the only kids at our first birthday parties and the only people who have old family videos of us to make even Miley Cyrus embarrassed.  Second cousins, first cousins once removed whatever the technological word is let’s just call them for what they really are, cousins.

I have enough cousins to make Kate Middleton jealous. Every time I talk to someone  I feel like I am  always referring  to one of my cousins, so much that a colleague of mine often asks how may cousins I actually have. So I organized my cousins into categories to make it easy for my friends and co-workers to know who I am talking about.   I have the Lilly cousins, the vineyard cousins, my cousin with the new baby, my cousin getting married, my other cousin getting married, my cousin who’s my best friend “the nurse”, my cousin who lives in Maine, my cousin with the little girl that comes in here and so on and so forth,

My dad was always very close with his cousin and this made me particularly close with my “second cousins”. These second cousins of mine share the same Irish swagger that I have and have a challenging time at biting their tongue but have done so when necessary. We are opionated, we are always right but most importantly we are all Moynihans. ( I sang the song when I wrote that DKM)

This weekend is my cousins wedding OTV, That’s a fancy word for On The Vineyard. (Any of you moms out there, I know you are familiar with fancy words thanks to Fancy Nancy). I have been waiting for this wedding since I first met Karen, mainly because these two fit together like Guiliana fits Bill. They just work. I love that they aren’t over the top, or bragging how much they love each other, they are actual real people. This is as refreshing as an outdoor shower on the cape.

 

I have been thinking about this day since I got their gorgeous save the date in the mail last fall and couldn’t wait to show TK what the Vineyard was all about. I was excited to be cheesy and instagram us on the Flying Horses, and hanging out on the Island Queen.  Much to my “surprise” TK told me he would be working this wedding weekend and would be unable to attend the wedding. ( womp womp ) He reminded me multiple times that if I liked living in Boston and wanted to wear Lululemon pants and drink Starbucks he would need to work for a living and would not be able to make it. So I pulled up Boston Strong pants and moved on with my life. And now I am trying to pack all my luggage into one bag since I won’t have anyone but myself to carry it for me.

So this weekend I am going back to my roots and being “Before TK Bridget”.  I’ll be OTV with my cousins and pretending that the weekend doesn’t end of Sunday and celebrating everything that LOVE, LIFE and FAMILY has to offer.

 I may also be hoping they are doing some last minute filming of The Vineyard for ABC Family because a girl can dream can’t she? Especially someone who’s birth was announced over the radio

 

All my love C & D xoxo 

You CAN stop, and you SHOULD stop

Being born in the mid 80’s, I’m more a 90’s girl than anything else. I grew up pretending to be Stephanie from Full House, to Topanga in Boy Meets World all the way to Laura in Family Matters.  I loved keds, jelly shoes, and colored socks. I had bangs and often wore turtlenecks under my crewneck.  I listen to the New Kids with my cousins and lived for making brownies in my easy bake oven. I loved everything that the 90’s gave us except for Miley Cyrus.

 I don’t know where Miley’s house was or where she is now that she can’t turn on ABC Family and learn some valuable life lessons.  Maybe she could learn how to dress like one of her teachers, just as DJ did. She’d end up spending the day in a telephone booth, but the lessons at the end of the day was of far more value than “We Can’t Stop” . I hate stuffed animals, so I obviously hate Miley’s ridiculous video and MTV stuffed twerking fest. As far as I’m concerned the only thing stuffed should be a Turkey on Thanksgiving.

Being an oldmaid, I don’t have any kids. But I have a silly 7 year old sidekick that I often refer to as my best friend.  This little girl always makes me laugh and from day one always made my grey skys blue. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t understand that I’m a grown up because she often asks when I grow up what will I name my kids.I told her I wanted to introduce her to NSYNC Sunday night and of course she was on board.  But as it turns out NSYNC would be on toward the end of the evening and we’d have to move past Miss Miley first. Once this hot mess hit the tv, I decided it was time for a change. I was told I didn’t need to change the station because she was only in her “bathing suit”. Agreeing, so I wouldn’t have to explain I changed anyways and used the infamous line “Because I said so.”  We watched some marvelous movie on Nickelodeon and moved on, but still wanting to see NSYNC I stayed in one room waiting for the appearance and was told to call her when they came on tv. And that I did. I introduced my best friend to NSYNC. She asked me how many people were in the group and I said 5, she told me it was the same as One Direction, and the bond was there. I heard how she doesn’t like Justin Beiber anymore, because he does drugs and that she likes someone new instead.  Win, Win !  Days later, I got a text from Mama, telling me that she went to bed with a ponytail to the side just like Bridget does.

That is why being a mid 80’s- 90’s girl is always so much better.  Because, in the midst of me wanting to show a little kid who the best boy band ever was, I taught her about side pony’s. If you’re a mom, aunt, cousin, anyone, turn on ABC Family and show these kids some real tv. Show them why Jesse and the Rippers and the Beach Boys are amazing, and how being Steve Urkel can turn you into Stephan and how maybe when your 8 you can find your crazy, weird Topanga.

Teach them about life lessons on tv, and drink your wine. Just don’t drink that Miley Kool Aid.

 

 

My Favorite Things

Attention everyone!

 It’s Labor Day Weekend. It’s the end of the summer, and everyone is headed down the Cape, or up to NH or someplace where there is water  and I am working all weekend. I don’t mind at all. As a matter of a fact today on my way home it only took me 40 minutes, due to everyone being stuck in traffic trying to head elsewhere. So while all of you are soaking up the sun. I will be at the MACYS 3 day Labor Day Weekend Sale buying gifts off of everyone’s registries. If you haven’t registered yet and you are planning on getting married within the next year, please feel free to head on over to Macy’s before the end of day Monday so I can use my coupons on your gifts.

In all seriousness, I am not a registry girl. I almost never buy off of registries not for babies or for brides. I like to find something special that they can use and think of me.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

The Beloved Special Plate !  If you are special you’ve received this gift from one of the Maher’s. The special plate is a red plate that can be purchased from Wards Gifts in Medford or off of the RedPlateStore.com.  The Special Plate is a red plate that says you are special today on it. In my family and maybe yours you get to use this plate on special days. If it’s your birthday, you got your license or anything that might be special to you then the plate is yours for the day. The Special Plate is something my nana gave to everyone in my family and we all love it. So when my nana passed away my mom took it over and now gives it to everyone she knows and I do the same.  I strongly encourage purchasing this for anyone for an engagement/shower/birthday or anniversary gift. It’s provides memories that last a lifetime. And if you are giving it for a birthday, may I recommend the Money Cake on top of the plate. The Money Cake is an angel food cake, made best by my Auntie and you wrap coins up in wax paper (after the cake is baked) and put them into the cake. The Money Cake is a HUGE Hit !

The Wedding Dress Hanger. The Wedding Dress hanger can usually be purchased through Etsy. There are hundreds of people who make them. You pick the wood color and tell the designer what you would like the wire to say, usually I pick the bride’s soon to be last name: ie: KAMAS.  My “MAGNET” first introduced me to this gift years ago when she gave it to our friend the Bride the night before her wedding. The hanger is a wonderful treasure to have and can be used on the day of the wedding to take pictures of the wedding dress before it’s on the bride. You can add flowers or whatever you’d like to jazz it up as well. I usually like to head over to Victories Secret and purchase some fun undies or lingerie(depending on the bride) to put on the hanger for the ultimate presentation.

 

The Wine Basket. A favorite for my wine drinking friends. This is my latest gift to give. This consumes a lot of time. So don’t wait until the night before to do this. The wine basket is something I found on Pinterest. First you will want to choose a basket. Then you fill the basket up with 8 bottles of wine and attach poems to them. The poems are for different events that will occur for the bride and groom. They go from First Christmas, to First Fight, all the way to First Baby. I like to make sure I do fun wines to go with each poem. For example I did B*tch Wine for First Fight and Mommy’s Time Out for First Baby. You will want to punch a hole in the paper that the poem is printed on, attach it to cardstock if you’d like and then tie a pretty ribbon through the hole and attach it to the wine bottle. The only complaint I have ever gotten on this was that I needed to provide a wine for the wedding shower? Yes, apparently brides are stressed and like to drink wine immediately. This will be helpful for the bride and groom once they get home. They can drink this as  they are going through and unpacking all their gifts.

 

And now since I am in Baby Land. I have a few gifts for Baby Showers and Introduction to Baby Parties.

The Everywhere Chair from Pottery Barn is a must. This chair is the greatest thing ever, you can pick out a fabric and get the child’s name monogrammed on the chair (if the mom tells you ahead of time, which none of my mom friends do…THANKS A LOT!) You can take your babies picture on it every month to see how they grow. Then you can post it on instragram  and tag @brijie to show me and everyone else how nice I am. #bestsecondcousinever

 

Another fun gift for my girl babies is of course Bitty Baby. Everyone needs a Bitty Baby. 1. Because she is the best baby doll ever 2. Because you are contributing to my future. Bitty is the most lovable baby you’ll ever meet, and years down the road when she gets older and plays with Bitty you can buy her outfits, a crib, and product galore.

 And lastly my new hot gift on the market is the Blanket Prince George came home in from the hospital. I cannot tell you where you can buy this because they are currently sold out everywhere.  But if are lucky enough to catch this hot item, make sure you buy an extra one and save it for me. I mean come on I deserve this celebrity baby blanket just as much as the next girl.

 

When purchasing gifts for your friends, remember it’s ok to buy something for yourself too! You deserve it.  If you feel like purchasing me a gift I am registered at Lilly Pulitzer, Sperry, Kate Spade and many other stores. And if your TK, I am registered at Barmakian Jewelers. 

 

   Congratulations to all my friends and family who are lucky enough to have me in their life and receive some of my favorite things!

 

Xoxo

B

Never had a friend like you

I went to the smallest college in the history of the world in the state of NH nonetheless.  (I don’t care if it’s not the smallest, it is to me. And believe me when you walk into the Café and everyone knows your boyfriend broke up with you before you do then you can call if what you want) I went there for an education of course but also to grow as an individual. To experience dating and of course meet people who would want me to be in their wedding.

During my time at school I fell hard for my very own version of MR. BIG.  During my time with MR. BIG I went through many highs and lows. But always standing by me was my solid group of friends who were there to pick me up off the bathroom floor.  

Some of these friends were afraid of me when we first met. They quite literally saw me coming down the hallway or in the cafeteria and would run the other way when they heard my voice. One friend wore overalls and red ribbons in her hair. (Please throw these out NOW Char)  Other friends took to me right away, much like the friendship Blair and Serena had on Gossip Girl.  We all hated qualities in one another (like who we were dating) and loved others. We may have talked about one another behind the shower curtain, but always had the courage to share the rumors to each other’s faces. While many of us have grown up and gotten married, are having babies, planning a wedding or just living the 27 year old single girls dream we always try and make the best effort we can to still be there for one another. We still gossip and have conversations as though we are sitting at the dining table together.

I grew up never having a sister and finding these ladies was one of the greatest gifts I could have even gotten. Each one of them is completely different and the only qualities I think we all share is the love we have for one another and the love we share for wine and cheese.

This weekend was my go to gals Bachelorette Party. I refer to this friend as Princess Jasmine. While Jasmine is not an actual princess she is living her dream of becoming one. She does not have a magic carpet, but does have her very own Aladdin. She is always fashionable and is a fierce friend, loyal companion and the hardest working person I’ve ever met in my life.

Now Jasmine and I have a very honest relationship. She was my mother’s friend first and both of them are always sure to remind me of that.  She is the only friend that I speak to on the phone and we talk at least 5 times a week. We complain, laugh and cry. She is in one word amazing.  She is always thinking of others, and this weekend she proved it. We have taken the blame for one another when we needed to and driven each other around after a few rounds to many.

Normally when you attend a bachelorette party you fill rooms with sexual straw and balloons. You buy the bride a sash, and a crown and a shirt and practically make her look like Honey Boo Boo.  But as it turns out Princess Jasmine did not want to be a princess she wanted to take off her crown and share the life she enjoys so much with everyone she loves.

Jasmine is a true friend, when I feel like Belle locked in a tower with the awful Beast (sorry TK your not a BEAST at all, except when its bedtime) she always finds a way to smuggle me in necessities  and make me enjoy life and everything it has to offer. She’s been my sister when I needed it and let me borrow her Burberry Bag when she thought it would make me smile.  Her friendship may have started off with me in fear but I think once she got past being afraid of my loud voice she actually grew to love it standing up for us.

REAL friends are hard to come by, difficult to lose and impossible to live without. I would have to say I could not have survived the past 5.5 years without you. When it felt like everything in my life was crashing down around me. You gave me a card that was empty inside and it filled my heart with laughter. You have made me appreciate everyday and realize that everyone has their own struggle and story.

Congratulations to you Princess. I’m glad I paid over a million dollars to go to the smallest college in the existence of the world to meet you and call you my friend. I’ve never had a friend like you.

OPA !!!!!

*Solid friend don’t think I don’t love you as much as Jasmine. Your post is coming.

Happy Anniversary... I got you on my mind

Today would be my parents 30th Wedding Anniversary.  Sadly after 24 good years of marriage my dad passed away and my mom was left a widow. I’m sure if my dad was around he wouldn’t want a party, they never celebrated it much at least from what I knew. But in today’s age 30 years is a long time to be married.

In most wedding vows, we commit to loving one another through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, through good times and the bad.   These vows themselves could not be more true for my parents. After being married for nearly 3 years they were blessed with me. This got me thinking a lot about where I am at the age of 27. My mom was married when she was 30 and had me right before her 33 birthday. She’s always said that she was glad she had all this time to travel and do things for her. She worked hard and enjoyed her life. My dad stopped working when I was born to care for me. He gave up a job he loved and one he shared with his family to care for his new family. This is the ultimate gift that my parents could ever give me. They taught me the value of a family and time. My dad never complained that he had to stop working he was happy to have all this time with us. They never complained that they had only one salary to care for a family of four, the complaints were nonexistent. It was a sacrifice they made for us, their kids.

 At age 30, my mom never cared how old she was when she got married; she wasn’t comparing herself to all of her friends or in a rush to get on with life. Instead she was enjoying the rid  I can’t say that we’re the same in that retrospect. I am always looking at what everyone is doing, trying to keep up with the soon to be Jones’ or the even the Kardashian’s. Even though we have our difference of opinions on life that’s ok. She always taught me that having your own opinion makes for good conversation and to follow your heart. Her advice on love was that you would know it was real when it was right.  Which brings me to my toast. (*You know the toast I would make if there was an actual party).

 My mom and dad went through good times and bad just as anyone does but they’ve certainly had their share of sickness and health. My dad got cancer when I was 3 and my mom cared for him and stood by his side and did anything a good wife would do. Then when I was in high school my mom got diagnosed with MS ( Multiple Sclerosis) . This disease took away her ability to walk. She uses a walker, but also relies on a wheelchair. It also made her give up a job she loved for over 25 years.  Through sickness and health my parents saw each other through everything. They always supported one another and hated on the fact that these disease’s were awful and would try to ruin a family. 

The cancer left and we stayed together. The MS remained but we conquered it. We figured out a lifestyle that would allow us to be comfortable and happy and tolerant to this disease. Of course there are days that we cry that we are alone without my dad, and sad that people don’t keep in touch nearly as much as they used to when he was around. We get angry that we can’t do things without the support of one another, and we (I) yell when the pain is intolerable.

But in the end LOVE conquers all. We are still a family. And while my dad isn’t here to celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary, the rest of us can celebrate for him. For if it wasn’t for falling in love my mom never would have had the gift of love that keeps on giving her the strength she needs to get up and go on.

I hope that my jealousy comes to a halt and that years from now I can look back and see how foolish I am.  I will realize that what’s important in the end of your life is the time you had and spent with other people. That’s what adds value to your life. Not the sickness, but the health, not the money but the time.

The time will always matter more, because I can promise you this when you’re at your wits end and you need one more thing in your day it will most always be TIME.