Thelma Ojedis... The one and only...

 <3  <3 <3    <3  <3 <3    <3  <3 <3    <3  <3 <3     

Not for the Faint of Heart
Hi! My name is Thelma, 
 Thelma Ojedis. 

I googled myself,  I'm the only one in the country, apparently.  (and yes, I googled myself on a sleepless night.)

My buddy and I are starting a blog. 
These are some highlights of my story, ya know, so we can be friends :)

I was born and raised in New york, Long Beach NY to be exact. And as much as a wanted to move away from there, I'm proud to be from there, go figure. I am a walking dichotomy explained by being a Gemini, my birthday is June 7, 1982, making me 31 going on the big 32. Can't believe I'm hitting mid thirties! I'm first generation American. Spanish was my first language. My parents migrated (when I typed that, it felt like I was referring to birds, smh) to this country in the 70's. My father was from Ecuador, my mother is from El Salvador. Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding but the spanish version. We had sopados (soups, rice and meat), pupusas, frijoles fritos, platanos v.s. the traditional meatloaf and mash, or hamburgers and hot dogs. 

Top: young Thelms; Bottom: her son Noah

My dad had 10 kids, I'm the baby. My mom had two of those ten, I'm the baby. I was raised with my older brother Danny, whom has always been my idol. My other siblings have been in and out of my life, though mostly out. My aunt and uncle lived with us in the earlier part of my life and we always had one of my eight half siblings with us at one time or another.

 My father was an abusive alcoholic (God rest his soul) and my mother stood for it, for whatever her reasons were. My “home” wasn't the safest or funnest place to be. My father was in and out of jail all my life, "home” felt better when he wasn't there.

I was a pretty unruly adolescent. Misguided and angry to say the least. Those were not easy years for me, but then again I've never really had “easy” years, until now, relatively speaking that is.( I'll explain in a minute) I was a bad ass, street fights, school suspensions, abortions, drug and alcohol abuse, promiscuity (explaining the abortions, there were two before I hit 18). I was Lost. I made bad decisions and put myself in awful situations. (There was even a date rape incident that I've hidden in the recesses of my mind.) I remember Knowing I will only be able to get away with all this shit now. 

I knew at some point I was going to have to grow up and that the repercussions to my actions would become more severe. 

I managed to get my shit together by senior year. I fell madly in love with my friend Gaston, we began dating and life felt decent for a change. My mother divorced my dad and left the state because he was going ape shit about it. My dad blamed us. (as if he hadn't abused the woman for 23 yrs) My brother had just come home from jail and was expecting his first born. My “family” was in shambles. I clung to Gaston, he became my life. His family provided me with refuge, a safe haven. I graduated H.S. And went to community college. There I excelled with 4.0 GPA. I knew that to get out of where I came from I HAD to get a degree. I had no mommy and daddy to fall back on. I found it easy to do school with the lack of school authority. Everything was going good.

 On July 21, 2002 my life was forever changed. It has been 12 yrs and my chest still constricts a bit when I recall it. Gaston and I were headed to a motorcycle show on his motorcycle. We were cut off by a retired judge who was in a rush because he was late to tee of his golf game. Gaston died on impact. I spent 3 months in the hospital and have been piecing my life back together since. My right arm is paralyzed and I carry the wounds of that day with me always. The ones that you can't see, those are the deepest. 

__________________ silver lining________________

That accident brought my family back together. My mom came out of hiding, my dad stopped obsessing about her and my brother began being a big brother to me. 


The first 5 yrs after the accident were killer on my soul. Between losing Gaston and 

losing function of my body, I was a hot mess. I fell apart and learned AGAIN that only I 

can put myself back together. I spent the first 2-3 yrs doped up on the drugs the doctors
 

prescribed mixed with alcohol, pot and coke. At one point I signed myself into the 

hospital because I was on the brink of not making it (= suicide.) I think that was has saved me in life 

is my ability to reach out and ask for help, I never been too proud to ask for help. Man, I 

can tell you so many super depressing things about the time, the dark nights of my

soul. My life didn't make sense to me. I couldn't relate to my peers, I found the easiest 

people to talk with were the elderly, those you had met DEATH in one form or another.



It took years but I did it! I dug myself out of the hole life had placed me in. I started going back to school, started therapy, started meditating. I began to WAKE UP. My soul started driving this vehicle. I began a spiritual quest. I am on a spiritual quest. 

Twelve years later,  
my life is amazing! 


(note: I said amazing, not EASY). I have 

traveled, I have met AWESOME 

individuals, forged friendships with  

STELLAR human beings. I've become 

part of a community of light houses. 

I've learned to nurture myself mind body and soul. I am now a mother. I have the priveledge of raising my beautiful son Noah, whom is 2 ½ yrs old. 

I am strong, insightful, compassionate, kind, generous, loving,  funny, well-rounded and healthy. I've overcome my vices, my heartache, depression, anxiety etc etc etc. I have overcome. I'm doing this because I feel the need to share of myself. Being vulnerable, open and honest to the world is part of “my work” here on earth. 

I'm here to remind you that we ALL have every thing we need to help ourselves BE whatever, however, wherever we CHOOSE. My life in retrospect has made me a hero unto myself. I know I'm not the only one, I know you are a hero too! 

Please feel free to write me, ask questions or share your story. I love penpals or fontpals nowadays ;) I'm here to help in any way I can.

Blessings Xo – T.