Of Course I Hear Voices: I Own Parrots

I have broken my nose twice. Once playing softball and once in color guard. I have broken my toes more times than I can count! Ask me anything

Currently Crest, but really I'm not a brand snob. Ask me anything

right now it is my Halloween costume...but that is subject to change Ask me anything

What happened to us on June 5-6. I've tried to stick to the facts as much as possible. Yes this is about our father, but to totally understand where we are coming from you need to know our whole story. Our father has had a stroke, my mother is dead, and my sister and I have had a front row seat to her death. We are one of a kind, and that makes it hard because no one can truly relate to us. Yes if you have lost a parent or had a very sick parent you sort of get it, but it isn't the same. We haven't been through the worst experience ever. I would be naive to think that there are not more traumatic things to go through, but we are the only 2 people who have been through something like this. There isn't a support group for us (although I am looking to start with a support group to see if that helps ). June 5: I had to work that morning, but I had already made up my mind to go home. Mom was down playing how serious it was and trying to get me to wait until they had heard...

This is what my sister Amy wrote up for our lawyers when we were looking to see if we had a case against the hospital. Our lawyer said since we cannot prove dad's stroke did not actually start the night before, we did not have a strong case. We will not be pursuing a case against them. I am using my sister's words here because she was there. I can give my perspective, but this isn't about me or what I went through that day. This part of the story is about dad. There will be more to come tomorrow on what happened June 5 and 6. Friday June 4, 2010 my mother (Kathleen Hammitt) and I (Amy Hammitt) took my father (Norm Hammitt) to the Fulton County Hospital ER for treatment. We arrived around 11:00 a.m. and my father was admitted to the ER shortly after. The ER doctor’s name was Dr. Hoffman. My father wascomplaining of chest pain, weakness, and numbness in his right side. His skin tone was grey, he was having problems with confusion, and over all did not look well. After answeri...

Let's say a doctor makes a negligent mistake. This mistake does not cause the death of the patient or there is no proof that there was an impact their quality of life, should their be consequences? I'm not talking about monetary consequences (malpractice law would never allow for that). If they make a mistake, should they have to pay for it in some fashion? I ask this as the daughter of a man who was misdiagnosed (and sent home once) by 2 different ER doctors on the same day. Neither of them would listen to my father or my family. Their failure to care for my father may not have had any baring on his stroke, but their choices were obviously negligent. Simply checking his medical background or calling his PCP could have changed what happened June 4-5. Instead, they didn't properly diagnose my father. They didn't admit my father. Our PCP had to have him transported to another hospital in the middle of the night and that is where things get worse. The following night, my s...

I have been probably driving people on Facebook and Twitter crazy promoting this, so I am attempting to blog again (I have just not been able to do it well since the accident) to plead my case in more than 140 characters. I did not go to Lake (Woodmore '97) but I do share a connection with the school that will never be broken. As many of you know on June 5, 2010 an EF4 tornado touched down in Northwest Ohio. Six people were killed including my mother. My sister and were "lucky" and survived with minor injuries. We heard the sirens go off in Lucas county, and we stayed at the hospital until the all clear was sounded. There was no mention of a warning for Wood County. We even drove past a spotter and no one knew it was coming. By the time the local radio station announced there was a tornado warning it was to late for us. It was coming right at us. It was just it was coming directly down 795. Mom's car was picked up first and hit by debris, killing her instantly before ...

On June 5, 2010, an EF4 tornado touched down in Lake Township, Ohio. The twister hit Lake High School destroying it and then flattening much of a small town. The tornado claimed 6 lives, several homes the high school and a police station. This community and people from the surrounding communities have banded together to help the victims recover, but they are pretty much on their own. FEMA and the Federal government won't help. They contend (when the visited 3 days after the storm and clean up was underway)that there was not enough devastation to warrant funding. The state and the local communities should have the resources to pay for it all. Too bad that will bankrupt villages, police and fire departments and the victims themselves. Yes, people are helping and the out pouring of kindness has been awesome. However, the community effected by the Tornado deserves better. I did not go to Lake High School (Woodmore '97 actually), and I actually no longer live in the area. However, ...

It has been a month since I saw a tornado claim my mother's life. Still Facebook keep asking me to reconnect with my mom. Despite the fact I have submitted their little form, called several times and have tried to get answers on Twitter, my mom's account is still up and I have been told that it will probably be memorialized since I do not have the right to do so. I'm mad and annoyed I have to pay a lawyer to do this. Basically, we want her page deleted. Under the circumstances of her death, it is something we need to do to heal. Facebook is making this bad situation worse. When we are ready for a memorial page, we will make one. I shouldn't be forced to keep hers up by Facebook! First Charity joined our cause: The Group Charity Made Please join our group and help us get Then Elizabeth went to the CNN ireport for us. Please look at this. If shows that we arenot the only family stuck in this nightmare. n Elizabeth's CNN ireport Please check this out. I get that not e...

The people of Northwest Ohio have banded together (and continue to do so) to raise money for the victims of the June 5 tornado. People such as Oprah have come forward to help the little girl who is the lone survivor in her family. I think all of this is awesome. Even the band Nine Lives (who are friends with our brother) is playing at the July 11 benefit concert in mom's memory. That is a great gift, and I wish I could be there to thank them myself. It has been asked if we would be getting any of those funds...the answer is no. We have not asked for money, and no one has offered it...and that is just fine. No amount of money can replace my mom and how she kept my family together. Money cannot undo the trauma my sister an I will have to live the rest of our lives dealing with.Money cannot fix the mess we now face. Money cannot replace what the others have lost, but it can help them rebuild without having to put themselves into (or further) into debt. We did not directly lose a house...

My life will never be the same. I have to move on, but there is so much I have to do and I feel like there will never be enough time. It is like I have entered a battlefield. Last week, I would have given anything to make it through one day with out more bad news. I'm tired, stressed and overwhelmed, but I have to believe it will get better. My mom spent years doing what she had to do to keep our family together. It wasn't easy, and she almost lost the battle a few times. Now I feel like it has fallen to me. It isn't like she just passed the baton. I was not even in the race. I wasn't on the track, Hell, I was still in the stands, but now it is my turn.I am not a fan. 1) I am 4 hours away and I feel helpless. I handle the paperwork and the lawyer...and help Amy search for jobs. 2) I wish my sister didn't feel like she was having every thing taken from her. Her pets and home are up in the air at the moment. 3) I wish my brother would stop thinking he is running the s...

On June 5, 2010 Lake Township, OH was hit by an EF4 tornado. In it's wake a police station, a high school, houses and most of a small town were leveled. Five (one more person died later from his injuries) were left dead. Many (including me) will be haunted for the rest of our lives by that night. No amount of money can bring back what many of us lost. Money won't replace the lives, homes and personal belongings. However, it can help those who did survive rebuild and move on. The people of Northwest Ohio have banded together to clean up and raise funds. Still it isn't enough. Lake Township has spent over 75% of their yearly budget because of the storm. They still have 5 months to go. They will most certainly have to make cuts to make it through 2010. They have served the community well (road blocks, clean up, securing areas), and they will have to sacrifice rather than be rewarded. Even with the death, destruction and the need for help FEMA refuses to help. They came saunter...

Like the title says...I'm only going to do this once. I will answer any questions you have, but I'm not going to make this a series or my only blogging focus." Ok...again it has been a while, but this time my absence is much more that "I was busy." On June 3, I was talking to my mom about picking a resort for our vacation to St Thomas. On June 4, my father had a major stroke. On June 6, my sister and I were following our mother home from the hospital when we were hit by and EF4 tornado. It took my mom's car off the road, and she was killed when her car was struck by debris. My sister's rental car was totaled. We were tossed around and cut by glass, but we were able to walk away from the accident. There had been a warning, but then it was lifted. We even passed an EMS as we turned on to 795 in the pouring rain, and they didn't know it was coming either. Then the rain and hail stopped. My sister and I saw the green lightening first, and when we turned o...

I have been in a major slump writing wise. I started some ideas that seemed perfect, but then they would fall flat. I would be all over the place. My focus was a joke. What I did get down was just a joke. I was trying way too hard, and the results were not pretty. Even my blogging was pretty shabby. I had major writer's block. I might have a good idea for a while. I would think it was going some where, and then it would fall flat. My inspiration was lacking to say the least. Just when a story was coming to life, I would lose interest or realize it just wasn't good. I think we are getting over this road block. I'm not sure why, but the writing bug is back, and it is ready to make a big splash. This new story seems to have staying power. It looks like a mainstream fiction novel, but so far there are some interesting twists. I wanted this one to still be in my darker voice, but I also wanted to make a strong female lead I could identify with, people would understand, and that ...

I could write another "why I hate me" or "why I wish I were like the popular girls" blog, but I will spare you all of that and move along to the real issues at hand. Do I sometimes hate me? Oh you bet I do. I'm a girl it happens. All women are crazy. It is just a question of how crazy we are at any given minute. I've just accepted it. It isn't a bad thing. Hell, I came home last Thursday and had a moment where I hated all the clothes in my closet and I hated them even more once they were on me. It wasn't rational, but it happened. Sometimes I hate that I can't be "normal." It happens. I can let one little thing cloud my thinking. I key thing is not to dwell. Do I wish I was more like the "popular kids" in my group. Yes. It hurts to be forgotten or left out. While I have no real desire to be the constant center of attention, but it is nice every once in a while. Lets be honest here, I'm too self conscious to handle being in...

Popcorn and Weddnesday are nesting. Well Popcorn is nesting. He and Weddnesday have been mating for a while. About 3 weeks ago Weddnesday started laying eggs. After 2 rejected nests, they started preparing it. Weddnesday went along with the sitting on the eggs for about a day. They she lost interest. All responsibility fell to Popcorn. He has been a good dad. He stays in the nest most of the time. Weddnesday sits on the eggs when it suits her. I do worry though because male cockatiels are usually only fertile until age 14. Popcorn is 21, so he may be past that stage in his life. However, he is really into this, so I hope for his sake they do hatch. We should know early next week if they hatch. If they do, I will have 1 or so birds to give away. Popcorn is lutino and Weddnesday is olive pearl pied. They should be adorable babies! I'll keep everyone posted.

A few months ago, my 10+ year old parakeet was diagnosed with a kidney condition. I decided to try the meds. Over the last few months, he slept quite a bit, but when he was awake he was still very happy. I knew it was only a matter of time before we lost the battle, and I was dreading the day I had to decide to put him down. I was going to go phone shopping after work on Saturday, but I opted to just go home instead. I am glad that I went straight home. I returned to find Skye unable to stand. I called the vet's emergency care line, but I knew it was too late. Skye spent his last moments with me on the couch. He was beak grinding until the very end. He will be missed. He was my little happy parakeet. His parakeet buddy is heartbroken. The cockatiel he came with just keeps looking for him. I miss him greeting me after work. Skye and Popcorn came to me 4 years ago. Their owners moved out of their apartment, and left them behind. It was a rough transition. They wouldn't come out o...

After finally getting my travel blog back in shape. I am ready to return and bring this one back its former glory. We have so much to catch up on my friends! I'm ready to tackle the world again...and that could be good or bad...

If I knew for a fact the world was going to end, I would want to go somewhere where I could enjoy ever last second of my time here on earth. I would want to round up my friends and family and head to a place that never "closes" and we could party 24/7 until the end. That place would undoubtedly be Las Vegas. Why Planet Hollywood: 1) Centralized location: I can walk pretty much any where I want to go 2) Small but totally fun casino 3) It is attached to a mall: AND that mall has a Betsey Johnson Store. Why Vegas: Again, it never shuts down...and we can enjoy ourselves in our last days.