Mother's Day (published 2017)

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

There's no doubt that Mother's Day is a beautiful holiday and absolutely every mom deserves to have a special day all to themselves to be celebrated. However, aside from sharing a few small tokens of my day Sunday, I didn't spend much time scrolling my social media feed.

Mother's Day is a painful reminder that my mom is spending her special day in Heaven. Every mother standing proudly next to their high school or college graduate daughter is a reminder that she missed those milestones. Every blushing bride in her white wedding dress makes me think of how she won't be there for our wedding next year. Every 'three generation of women' photo makes my heart ache for my future children who will never know their wild and caring grandma.

I know there are more people out there like me who are longing for the mom who was taken too soon or even the child who never came or perhaps did but went to be with our maker. I know I'm not alone in my grief so for those of you going through this with me, I'm thinking about you. I'm sending you all the love, prayers and positivity.

I am very thankful for the women who helped raise me after she passed, but she will always be irreplaceable.

Spinach Pancakes

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

I find it really difficult to pair a vegetable with breakfast foods. I've tried making zucchini hash browns, adding spinach to my eggs or peppers and onions to an omelet but aside from those ideas it's REALLY hard especially when I'm craving a sweet breakfast food.

BUT I think I found the solution to my dilemma: spinach pancakes!

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. wheat flour

1/3 c. almond milk

1 cup spinach

1/2 banana

(you can use 1/2 c. rolled oats and omit the flour if you'd like, but the flour helps the pancakes rise)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a blender & blend on medium until smooth. Cook on a griddle or in a pan like any other pancake. Simple enough?!

I use either pure maple syrup or peanut butter as a topping. This recipe makes about 6 medium sized pancakes. I double it & have leftovers that I can reheat, add peanut butter & fold over like a taco (ha!).

If you try this recipe, don't forget to comment & let me know what you think!

Mediterranean Meatballs

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

On Sunday, I went to the Kamms Corner Farmer's Market not really realizing that fresh vegetables in Ohio aren't even close to being ready to harvest. I settled for getting fresh grass-fed meat from a local vendor and some fresh dill (which I was honestly clueless on how to prepare).

Last night, Kevin was supposed to come home and cook turkey burgers on the grill, but he ended up going to physical therapy for his back so I had NO idea what I was doing for dinner. When I opened the fridge I saw turkey meat that needed cooked and I smelled the dill and suddenly I was inspired to create this recipe straight from my head and it turned out AMAZING!!! 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 fist full of kale, sliced

1 c. onions, chopped

1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. fresh dill

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Goya seasoning

Directions:

This is the tough part... mix ALL the ingredients (except EVOO)  in a mixing bowl and form meatballs to your desired size. Either in a frying pan or baking dish, coat pan with EVOO and cook the meatballs until golden brown.

Considering the heat I'm dealing with in Cleveland (without A/C in our house), I opted to NOT turn on the oven and use the stove top.

Don't forget to leave a comment if you try this recipe! It was a hit with Kevin who claims to not like meatballs - who doesn't like meatballs?!

When I Look To The Sky (published 2017)

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

As each year passes, I keep thinking it's going to get easier and some years I'm so distracted with my own shit that it doesn't affect me as much, but this year is not one of them. This year, I will be turning 29 years old - the same age my mom was when she passed away.

My mom's last New Year's celebration ringing in 2000

Isn't it weird how the mind works? I can remember turning 24 and thinking, "wow, I've officially lived as long without my mom as I did with her" and when I turned 25 I thought, "well now I've lived longer without my mom than with her." Definitely not the healthiest thought process, but I can't help my mind from going there...

Momma's girl (date unknown)

I usually avoid allowing myself to feel anything on these significant days, but this year felt different. I've allowed myself to feel it and I've been feeling it all day. I woke up this morning and immediately opened a photo album and I decided to drive to work (instead of take the train) so I could have some music therapy which ultimately just turned into me bawling in rush hour traffic (that wasn't the safest idea...sorry, dad).

Here are a few of my 'music therapy' songs (in no particular order):

Train "When I Look to the Sky"

Dixie Chicks "Cowboy Take Me Away"

Pearl Jam "Last Kiss"

Gary Allen "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)"

Don Henley "Boys of Summer"

And thank you to everyone for reaching out and sharing such kind messages and even memories of my mom. It means more to me than I can say. If you knew my mom, I'm interested in knowing what songs make you think of her and why. Or what songs make you think of a lost loved one in your life?

Chicken Parm

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cut into tenders

2 fists full of spinach
1 c. onions, chopped
3-4 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/2 c. parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 c. liveGfree organic brown rice & quinoa noodles
6.7oz Priano Roso (Sun-Dried Tomato) Pesto Sauce (pictured)
Goya Sazonador Total

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into tenders and season with Goya on both sides. Bake for 20-30 minutes. While chicken is cooking, bring a pot to boil for the noodles and prepare veggies. In a saute pan on medium-high heat, use extra virgin olive oil to saute chopped onions, whole-leaf spinach and sliced mushrooms. Add noodles into the boiling water while the veggies continue to cook. If timed right, everything should be cooked around the same time. Drain the noodles, add sun-dried tomato pesto and veggies into the large pot and mix thoroughly. Plate the pasta first and add chicken then top with parmesean cheese. If you want the cheese baked onto the chicken, add the parmesean cheese when there are 2 minutes left in the oven.


I serve according to the 21 Day Fix portion fix system to ensure I'm not overeating because I could eat ALL the pasta! 

Comment below if you try this recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts! And if you want more information on the 21 Day Fix and the portion fix system email me!

Shrimp & Spinach

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

I'm a huge fan of seafood - huge. However, my fiance only likes certain things: scallops, light fish mainly. Not shrimp. So I'm not able to cook shrimp as often as I'd like because who wants to cook two meal?!

One night he wasn't really 'in the mood to eat' - psh, men! Who's ever not in the mood to eat?? & I whipped up this quickie with some shrimp I always have on standby in the freezer.

Ingredients

1 tsp. EVOO

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 sweet onion, sliced

2 c. spinach

1 c. shrimp (I used frozen)

Directions

In a saute pan, add EVOO and shrimp for a minute or two. Add garlic, spinach and onions. Saute until shrimp is pink, spinach is wilted and the onions are tender.

Talk about an easy recipe! & as always, let me know what you think of any of the recipes of mine you try!

Caprese Chicken

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

Guys, this recipe is soooo simple!! & I'm absolutely obsessed with it!

 Caprese chicken w. spinach noodles from Aldi! 

Ingredients

1lb chicken breast

2 slices Mozzarella cheese

1 medium tomato

6.7oz can of your favorite pesto

Carbohydrate of your choice: noodle or rice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet (atop foil for easy clean up) or a casserole dish and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once the chicken is nearly done, coat each breast with a spoonful of pesto then place 1 piece of Mozzarella cheese & a slice (or two) of tomato. Place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until chicken is completely cooked, cheese is melted & tomato is soft. Cook your carbohydrate according to instructions and mix in remaining pesto. Serve a chicken breast on top of 1 carb serving (spinach noodles pictured above) - Enjoy! 

Note: I also mixed spinach in with my carbohydrate because I recently found out my fiance really enjoys spinach so I've been adding it to everything to give him an extra serving of greens!

What People Don't Tell You About Pregnancy Until You're Pregnant - First Trimester (published 2019)

 - published in 2019 from my previous blog - 

After getting a positive pregnancy test your world changes whether you like it or not. You start to imagine what that little one will look like, when he'll arrive, what you'll look like pregnant at events on the calendar, what theme you want to do for a nursery, what names you and your partner will agree on (or not), what prenatal vitamins should you take, what foods should you eat (or avoid), when will your doctor see you - the questions are truly endless....

1) YOUR DOCTOR WON'T SEE YOU FOR A MONTH+

When we found out we were pregnant, I was so excited to call and make that first doctor's appointment only to be told that the doctor won't want to see us until 8-9 weeks. It was so disappointing considering thanks to modern medicine we found out we were expecting at 4 weeks. Buckle up for that.

If you want some peace of mind, there are places outside of your OB where you can get ultrasounds (paid out of pocket):

- First Glance, Cleveland

- Ultrasona, Columbus

2) "EVERY PREGNANCY IS DIFFERENT"

You're going to hear these words an agonizingly amount of times, and if you're anything like me you'll want to pull your hair out each time. You'll want to question friends pregnant or with babies about what to expect, and research what symptoms you might experience and when. All of that is well and good except that their experience won't necessarily be yours and it's incredibly frustrating when you're wondering and worrying is what I'm experiencing normal. More times than not, yes...but sometimes no. Just breathe.

3) THE THOUGHT OF BEING PREGNANT IS CONSUMING

I think this statement is true whether you're in that 2-week-long cycle where you're waiting to find out you are/aren't pregnant or you're in the first trimester. During our first pregnancy, I remember going to the bathroom and every time thinking, "OMG - no period still! How flipping crazy! I'm pregnant!" Now that we're in the phase of waiting to find out if we are expecting, I'm doing kegal exercised in the bathroom to encourage my cycle to come if it is (sorry, TMI). It's absolutely insane how many daily activities make you think about your pregnancy ... don't even get me started if you're a habitual Pinterest-er or Etsy shopper. It helps me to remember "what will be, will be." There's no changing what is already planned either by science or God (whatever you relate to).

4) CRAMPING & BLEEDING IS NORMAL

Cramping and bleeding during early pregnancy can happen for any number of reasons (implantation, a tiny tear in the placenta, uterine stretching, etc.) and is usually no cause for alarm. Does that stop us from worrying? Heck no! Until we know the reason, it's likely our minds will go to the worst case scenario - that's just life.

See #1 for the peace of mind ultrasound options in Cleveland and Columbus, OH.

In my experience cause for alarm is when bleeding is heavy and paired with sharp cramps - worse than period cramps. If you experience this, call your doctor.

5) 1/4 PREGNANCIES END IN LOSS

This isn't necessarily a statistic I was familiar with as someone who has spent her entire adult life trying not to get pregnant. And when you hear one in four that sounds like a lot,  but unless you have some perspective sometimes the statistic doesn't quite feel real. It was only after I opened up about our pregnancy loss that other women came out of the woodwork and I actually felt the truth of one in four. Which unfortunately explains #1. This is a heartbreaking thing to go through, but one that I try to believe saves us from something far worse than an early miscarriage (ie. a child with severe birth defects, a stillbirth, etc).

I asked my Instagram followers what was something they were surprised to find out post-conception and here's what they said:

Why am I sharing? This is borderline depressing?! 

Because in January 2019 when we got our first positive pregnancy test I was shocked and amazed at how little I really knew going into this phase of life. I'm sharing because I hope to enlighten other women who are expecting or hoping to soon so they aren't as blindsided as I was.

As always, keep the faith.

If I missed something you experienced and were shocked by (in the first trimester), please comment below! I'd be interested to hear it!

Chicken & Broccoli

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cut into tenders

1 bundle of broccoli, florets cut off the stems

1c. soy sauce

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. ginger spice

2 c. brown rice, cooked

Directions: 

In a pot, add coconut oil & add chicken. Once chicken is seared on both sides, add soy sauce, ginger spice and add broccoli florets. While that's simmering, cook brown rice according to instructions. Broccoli & chicken are done when broccoli is cooked to your liking (tender or slightly crisp)!

If you try this recipe, comment & let me know what you think!

Why the Two Week Cycle to Pregnancy is Hard (published 2019)

 - published in 2019 from my previous blog - 

When I decided to share my miscarriage, I thought there would be a subsequent blog post about our experience every once in a while, but here I am writing my third blog post in a row on the topic.

I recently listened to a book on Audible called Unf*ck Yourself (by Gary John Bishop) and chapter 5 was ALL about accepting uncertainty. How people CRAVE prediction and we're always looking ahead for certainty. We want to know what to expect, where to go, what's going to happen when we get there.

When I listened to it the first time, I initially thought about the uncertainty of changing jobs (I'm not - FYI), but now that I'm in this phase of uncertainty. Will I be pregnant this month? Next month? Or the month after?!? I decided to listen again...

And I'm feeling compelled to share some of the take-aways:

Uncertainty is where things happen. It's where we experience new things and grow. If I want to keep my heart safe (and my sanity), I would decide not to risk another miscarriage. I would decide the stress of trying to get pregnant was too great...

But then what???

Instead, I'm leaning into the uncertainty and trying to fight through it. I have moments of wanting to know so badly if this is the month for us but then I also have moments of "what will be, will be." Both thoughts completely human.

I wish I had some sort of wisdom or divine advice for others going through this with me, but I don't. I've found myself peeing on pregnancy sticks before it was scientifically possible for it to be positive. I've read into every cramp and bout of fatigue. And this is just our first month trying so I haven't even touched on the hardships of disappointment...

At the risk of sounding condescending, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the women who have been enduring this 2-week cycle for any length of time. Keep the faith.

Unstuffed Peppers

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

For some reason the idea of cooking the filling, stuffing the peppers and then baking them seems daunting to me. I'd much prefer chop everything up and throw it in a pan & with this recipe, that's exactly what you do!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or lean beef

3-4 green peppers

1 white onion

16oz can of crushed tomatoes

Goya seasoning

2 c. brown rice

Directions:

Chop peppers and onions. In a pot, add turkey and veggies. Once the turkey is cooked through, add canned tomatoes and Goya seasoning to taste. Cook brown rice according to the packaging. Once the rice is cooked you can either mix everything together in the pot or you can serve the rice and add the pepper mixture on top! 

The last time I made this recipe, I even slipped in some spinach for extra dark leafy green nutrition (ha, Kev!). If you make these unstuffed peppers let me know what you think!

Unexpected Triggers (published 2019)

 - published in 2019 from my previous blog - 

At the moment I'm writing this I haven't told the world that I had a miscarriage; however, I'm confident I'm not the only one to feel this way so I'm documenting to share it later...

Never in a million years did I think that the trauma of having a miscarriage would trigger me on Valentine's Day, but it did.

I went to Walgreens to find a last minute gift for Kevin & while I was walking the aisle it dawned on me that I already got him a card. I picked it up when we were pregnant & had every intention of writing something sweet about expecting our first child (trigger #1)...then in the check-out line the woman in front of me had a 6-7 month bump (trigger #2).

I tried to put the grief out of my mind & focus on the fact that we're now clear to be romantic (sorry fam)... except that when I got home I had to write in his card. I wanted to express my love & appreciation for him without being super specific & bringing our night together to a dark place. So I wrote something meaningful & not overly sad, but as he opened the card I couldn't stop the tears from coming. All I could think of was what he would have read had we not miscarried.

Thankfully Kevin knew what I needed before I did. He just held me & let me cry it out....

I want to journal this for healing purposes, but also to let anyone reading know that trauma triggers are everywhere & I'm not sure that the they ever go away. But I do know it's OK to feel what you feel: the sadness, jealousy, anger... all of it.

& I have to add after sharing my miscarriage publicly, I now know without a doubt I'm not alone & neither are you - whatever it is you're going through...

Western Egg Muffins

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

This recipe is AMAZING! and extremely versatile. If you don't like it 'western' just swap out a few ingredients & you can make it however you like!

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2c. egg whites

1 lb breakfast turkey sausage

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 c. pepperjack cheese

2 tbsp Goya Adobo, to taste

1 jalapeno, optional

Extra virgin olive oil (evoo) cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dice veggies. Brown turkey and add veggies until veggies are soft. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, turkey, peppers, onions, cheese and Goya. Spray muffin tin with evoo and then pour mixture in using a 1c. measuring cup. I like to slice the jalapenos side-ways and add them on top so 1) it looks pretty and 2) so people are very aware this dish could have a kick. Bake for 25-35 minutes until eggs are cooked through. You can test this by sticking a toothpick in the middle and if it comes back out clean, you're good to go. Once removed from the oven, I like to take a knife and go around the edges then let the eggs cool before taking them out. 

You can make these even healthier by using less eggs, more egg whites.

 Pour mixture into muffin tins & top with jalapeno slice

Let cool before taking them out, this tends to help with sticking

I hosted a girlfriend's Bachelorette party brunch where I made 2 other versions of this: bacon, egg and cheddar cheese and vegetarian. It was so great because I made them a day or two prior, left them in the fridge and simply reheated them in the microwave and they were as good as the day I originally made them. 

Mallorey's Bachelorette Brunch! Western, Bacon Egg & Cheese and Vegetarian Egg Muffins

If you end up making this recipe I'd love to hear what you thought or how you altered it!

Sharing the Hard (published 2019)

- published in 2019 from my previous blog - 

I went back & forth on how, when & if I would share this experience, but over the past few weeks I've found that speaking my truth feels so much better than keeping it in.

Right after New Years Kevin & I found out we were expecting, and after a short four weeks those dreams of a September baby were shattered with a miscarriage. 

Since then I've talked to numerous women who have gone through pregnancy heartaches all across various spectrums. Thank you to those who have opened up to me, it means a lot and you've helped me heal more than you know.

Going into our pregnancy I knew the odds were 1 out of 4 women miscarry in the first trimester, but I didn't really feel the weight of it because I didn't personally know many who'd experienced it (or so I thought). So I feel compelled to share this on a large, social media-scale because talking about it and knowing I'm not alone has helped.

I realize every person and couple is different when it comes to making a pregnancy or miscarriage public, so if you're the type of person to keep it in and handle it with your partner, do that. For me, hearing other women's experiences and perspectives helped greatly. If you're not healing from a trauma, try opening up about it - talk to friends, a support group, a therapist. Honestly, I'm in therapy and actively talking about our loss. It sucks and it sucks every day, but I know I'm healing because the sucking sucks a little less every day. 

Thanks for reading. Thanks for caring. 

Turkey Meatloaf "Muffins"

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

This recipe is one of my favorites for Sunday meal prep. These turkey meatloaves are cooked in large muffin tins that make the perfect portion and I'm able to trick my fiance by disguising a serving of veggies as meat! Leave a comment if you try this recipe, I'm interested to hear what you think!

Ingredients:

1lb ground turkey
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1/4 green bell pepper, minced
2 eggs
1/2 c. organic quinoa
1 tbsp Goya Adobo
Extra virgin olive oil (evoo) cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook quinoa according to directions and let cool. Mince veggies and combine with ground turkey, eggs, cooled quinoa and Goya. Spray muffin tin with evoo cooking spray then divide the meat mixture evenly into the cups. Cook for 40 minutes until turkey is golden. Optional: add spaghetti sauce when there's 10 minutes left to cook.

Recipe can be edited to include any type of veggies. My favorites are any bell pepper (minced), zucchini (grated), carrots (grated) - whatever you like! & they're good with whole wheat pasta, spaghetti squash or just as "meatloaf" with sweet potatoes and broccoli. 

Our Future Is Greater Than Our Past (published 2017)

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

Do you ever look back at some of your past & think, "wow that feels like a whole other life?"

That's how I feel when I think back to my college years and the few years past graduation. For those of you who aren't aware, I was married before and to spare you the saga that is that relationship I'll tell you this: there was lying, cheating & stealing all on his part.

I don't often get very religious or spiritual, but I can honestly say that someone was looking out for me. I can distinctly remember looking at my wedding ring and asking God to give me a sign. I was begging for any type of sign to make my decision to leave easier. I don't think it was even two days later, I found out about the cheating. And still, I was so determined to 'only be married once' that I still fought for that relationship. When the time came and I finally found my self-worth and got the courage to leave the horrible situation I was in, it was by the grace of God that I left when I did. He had been out of my life for six months when I made the decision and had I waited one more week, I would have been trapped once again...

1 year ago, I shared this to Facebook:

5 years ago today, I was packing & moving my life from what I thought was my dream home ... 

Who would have thought that 5 years later I would be a homeowner myself & not missing that house or life one bit 💁🏻

It really goes to show that even when your life takes a turn for what you think is the worst, keep moving forward because you never know what's waiting just beyond the horizon

Photo posted to Facebook 3.14.16

Sitting here right now, thinking about where I was six years ago, I don't recognize that life, I don't recognize the person I was. It feels like someone else's memory that was implanted into my brain - but it was my life. & I will be forever grateful for whatever part those circumstances had in leading me to where I am and who I am today. And that God gave me all the signs I needed to carry on with my life with a completely clear conscience. & now I've been given the chance to love again with the person I know I was meant to spend the rest of my life with.

I hope that if you've read this and you're struggling to find your self-worth that you start doing one thing every morning. Look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself, "I am beautiful, I am smart, I am kind, I am worthy, I am important" and keep saying it until you believe it.

My LASIK Experience (published 2017)

- published in 2017 from my previous blog -

If you're considering LASIK I say DO IT!!! My fiance & I both think it's so worth it! See our excitement on the day of our surgeries!

Kevin day of surgery - November 2017

Me day of surgery - February 2018

Before I go into the entire experience I want to give you a quick high level of what LASIK correction surgery is.

LASIK Correction

When you visit a LASIK correction office they will do more than test your vision. They actual take scans to see what the topography of your eyes look like - basically they scan to see how bumpy vs. smooth your cornea is. The cornea of someone with good vision will be smooth allowing light to enter freely into the retina. The cornea of someone with less than perfect vision will have hills, valleys & other imperfections which block & redirect light into the retina. 

Photo credit: Life Without Glasses

Pre-Op

Prior to surgery you have a consultation exam to see if you're a candidate for the surgery in general. If yes they'll also see if you qualify for the newest Contoura technology. Only 25% of LASIK patients qualify - thankfully I did! 

You'll also discuss the financials at this time. They weren't able to confirm my candidacy for Contoura at the consultation since I wasn't out of my contacts for 7 days, but they priced it as such just in case - $3,200. I highly recommend using an HSA if your employer offers it as a financially responsible way to pay for your LASIK correction surgery because it is an elective procedure. 

As I said, when you're preparing for surgery they want you out of your contacts 7 days prior in order for the shape of your eye to be as natural as possible. Apparently wearing contacts alters the shape - who knew!?

Working out in glasses was the worst but worth it in the long run for sure!

Surgery

The actual surgery is so quick. Seriously, the amount of time your eye is actually lasered is a fraction of the time you're in the 'operating room'. They had to tape my top eye lid & secure my eyeball with some type of device, then I was told to stare into a little green light. After that I heard them say to one another "13 seconds" so I'm 99.9% sure the laser only touched my eye for 13 seconds. Pretty cool, right?! 

I did however make the mistake of watching a surgery on YouTube when Kevin got his done in November so I knew when they were cutting into my cornea (sorry if that's TMI). 

The entire surgery from start to finish was about 10(ish) minutes & directly after my vision was tested and LET ME TELL YA! I could see better immediately!

Post-op

The beginning of post-op it felt like I had glass lenses in my eyes - really weird. It was about 20 minutes into our drive home that I started to feel some irritation & burning. I was told to go home & sleep for 3-5 hours which sounds great except...well, my eyes were irritated, burning & watering like crazy. 

I took a Tylenol PM, put on my sleep mask & tried to get some rest. I woke up periodically being incredibly uncomfortable, & honestly I didn't want to talk for fear of moving my face would irritate my eyes. Kevin woke me up for dinner & since he'd been through LASIK back in November told me it might be a good idea to open my eyes & 'blink out' the tears. (I should also note that they put eye plugs into your tear ducts so all of the eye drops you're prescribed stay in as well) Dinner was kind of a blur (pun intended) & I tried to go back to bed right after.

Kevin with our dog, Max, getting his post-op sleep

The next time I woke up was around midnight & HOLY SMOKES. I could see, the irritation & burning had subsided, but it was midnight so back to bed I went. 

Waking up this morning I felt like a million bucks. Although my vision was still slightly blurry, I had broken blood vessels & I had a light sensitivity I was seeing very well. 

As I headed back to LASIK Vision Institute for my next day post-op visit I didn't really know what to expect. To my surprise my eyes were already 20/20, & I was told my vision would get even more crisp & clear as time went on! 

One day post-op and feeling AMAZING!!!!!

I seriously feel like anyone & everyone who feels limited by wearing contacts or glasses should try to get LASIK. The amount of discomfort I felt the evening after surgery is well worth the vision I now have and I was told it will continue to get better within the next 3-6 months. 

If you're looking to get LASIK I would highly recommend one of the LASIK Vision Institute locations. We absolutely loved the staff & could feel their genuine excitement for us having this life-changing experience. Do me a favor and say that Kevin Duresky referred you! They have a referral program and we'd like to take full advantage of it! :)