Mary1.10.12.1

Mary Popp's Timeline

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    Prenatal Development and Birth

    Developing in the womb to birth.
  • First Tooth-Biosocial Event

    First two teeth grew in the same time in the center of my bottom gum at almost 7 months old.
  • Prenatal Development and Birth

    I was born on June 25, 1962.
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    First Two Years

  • Biosocial Event-Said First Word

    Biosocial Event-Said First Word
    My mother claims I said my first word to her when I was about 9 months old. She said I looked at her and said, "Elka!" Whatever that means!? That was her nickname for me which she called me her little Elka baby!
  • Biosocial Event-Began to Walk

    I took my first steps a little over a week past my first birthday.
  • Cognitive Event-Able to Sort Shapes

    Cognitive Event-Able to Sort Shapes
    When I was two I had a little Playskool wooden barn that had different shape wooden blocls that fit into the top of it. I was able to fit the blocks into the top of the barn into the correct shape hole. This was my first real ability or thinking skill to figure out how to do something!
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    The Play Years

    Early Childhood - Middle Childhood: Ages 3 -12
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    Preschool

    Ages 4 - 5
  • Cognitive Event-Began to Read

    I remember reading my books at home months before I started Kindergarten. I started to read right before my 5th birthday.
  • Psychosocial Event-First Day of Kindergarten

    I remember walking to school with my mom and younger brother on the first day and meeting my teacher. Her name was Mrs. Parent. I still can picture my teacher. She was an older woman, tall with glasses and blond short wavy hair. We had 2 kindergarten teachers in my school and I was happy to have Mrs. Parent because she was the nicest of the 2 teachers.
  • Biosocial Event-Lost My First Tooth

    I lost my first tooth one month into Kindergarten. I was at home eating dinner and it just fell out into my mouth and it felt weird, but I was very excited when I took it out because I knew the tooth fairy would visit!
  • Cognitive Event-Writing My Name

    I remember writing my name in Kindergarten and my teacher, Mrs. Parent corrected me on one of the letters. The last letter of my maiden name was "n" and I wrote the letter to look like an "h". So, she corrected me on how to print the letter "n."
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    Kindergarten - 6th Grade

    Ages 6 - 12
  • Psychosocial Event-Lead in School Play

    I played Mrs. Santa Clause in the school play in sixth grade. I had so much fun and remember having a long speech to practice towards the end of the play where the spotlight was on me and I had a solo speaking role. I also remember putting baby powder in my hair to make it look gray and I also wore my hair in a bun to look like Mrs. Clause. The name of the play was "Santa Clause for President."
  • Psychosocial Event-6th Grade Graduation

    I remember my graduation from elementary school. I was a good student with straight A's and one A-Minus. The A- made me graduate 2nd in my class where the top graduate had all A's. I was still happy. I loved school and still do!
  • Psychosocial Event-First Day of Junior High School

    Back in those days we called it Junior High School instead of Middle School. It was a new school for me because my parents enrolled me in Catholic School where I had gone to public school till 6th grade. My homeroom teacher was an ex-nun and her name when she was in the convent was Mary Fabian, which was my maiden name! It was her first year teaching at St. Rita, so we were both new. I thought and she did, too that the name coincidence was the funniest thing!
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    Adolescence

    Ages 13 -17
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    7th - 8th Grade: Middle School

    Ages 13-14
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    9th - 12th Grade: High School

    Ages 14 -18
  • Psychosocial Event-My Father Died

    This was devastating to me because my dad died very suddenly and was found in his car. He worked nights at the Water Department and they called and said he never made it to work. Within minutes Harper Hospital called and said he was brought in DOA. He died of natural causes(cirrhosis of the liver). There was an autopsy done to rule out foul play. I was 15 and very devastated.
  • Cognitive Event-Learned to Drive

    One month after my dad died I learned to drive. I was almost 16 so I took driver's education and received my license when I turned 16. My mom was afraid to drive a car, so it was a necessity I learn to help her out and so we could travel where we needed to go.
  • Psychosocial Event-First Kiss

    I remember my first kiss with a boy who I liked but did not want to go steady with him. He got mad because I did not want to be his girlfriend and he punched his fist into a brick wall and broke his hand. I was very glad I made the choice to not go steady with him after witnessing his temper!
  • Psychosocial Event-First Job

    I got my first job right after I turned 16 which was in the summer and I worked there for 4 years part-time. It was at McDonald's and I worked the dinner shift from 4 PM to 8 PM!
  • Psychosocial Event-First Boyfriend

    I made friends with, started dating and fell in love with my first boyfriend. His name was Tom and he was 2 years younger than me. We went to the same high school and also had worked together at McDonald's. We dated for 2 years and we mutually ended the relationship on good terms when he moved to Florida to study for college.
  • Psychosocial Event-Senior Prom

    Went to my senior prom and had the best time ever! Other than being a bridemaid in a wedding, that was one of the few times I wore a formal gown and I think the only time ever I wore a corsage(flower) around my wrist!
  • Psychosocial Event-High School Graduation

    I graduated from Shrine High School with Honors. It was a very important and happy milestone in my life! I was a little sad because I knew I would miss those years, but excited to be growing up and going to college in a few months!!
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    Adulthood

    Age 18 to Present age of 49.
  • Psychosocial Event-Started college.

    Started college and attended Oakland Community College to study Business Administration.
  • Biosocial Event-Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis

    This was a difficult time for me because ulcerative colitis made me very sick and it was difficult to manage while going to college. I did have a good doctor that helped treat the illness which was very active for many years yet to come including many tests and relapses of the illness that required hospitilizations.
  • Psychosocial Event-Moved Out of Detroit

    My mom, brother and I sold the house we grew up in in Detroit and we moved to a brand new house in Warren. We were excited to move into a new neighborhood and thought our new house was beautiful!
  • Psychosocial Event-Graduated from College

    I graduated from Oakland Community College with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. I remember the ceremony at the Pontiac Silverdome and it was beautiful. The stadium was filled with family and the graduates sat in rows of chairs on the playing field. There was a Symphony Orchestra that played for us and they gave an elegant performance. I could see my mom way up in the stands watching the procession of students walking in and she looked happy and almost like she was crying.
  • Psychosocial Event-Accepted to and Attended Walsh College

    I was accepted into the Bachelor's Degree program at Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration to study Finance and began studies in the Fall of 1983.
  • Psychosocial Event-First Full-time Job

    I was hired for my first full-time postition as a floating bank teller for First Federal of Michigan. I worked at various location on the east side of the metropolitan area to fill in for vacations or medical leaves. This job helped me pay for my schooling and the bank also paid for some of my business/banking related courses while I was still studying for my Bachelor's degree.
  • Psychosocial Event-My Mother Died

    My mom's health deteriorated for about 8 years prior to her death. She died of a heart attack. She had a small heart attack about 2 months before that weakened her heart. She had congestive heart failure where I had to call an ambulance and she was hospitalized for one week and seemed to be getting better. She had another heart attack in the hospital that caused her to die. I was young and on my own at that
    point because I lived with and took care of my mom. I had to postpone 2 final exams.
  • Psychosocial Event-Graduated from Walsh College

    I graduated with a Bachelor's of Business Administration from Walsh College. The ceremony was wonderful and it was at Ford Auditorium downtown. I remember the Pistons were playing for the NBA championships and they kept announcing the score for us throughout the ceremony!
  • Psychosocial Event-Promoted at Work

    I was promoted at the Bank into the Management Trainee program to be a Branch Manager. This was my career goal to go into management at the Bank once I had earned my BBA degree.
  • Psychosocial Event-Met My Husband

    I met and started dating the man of my dreams. I spoke to him on the phone first and fell in love with his voice before I had actually met him face to face. We decided to meet for dinner and I was totally smitten and the friendship/relationship took off from there! I remember being so nervous and speculating what he would look like and if I could talk to him as well as we did in our first conversations over the phone.
  • Psychosocial Event-Stuart Asked Me to Marry Him

    My husband asked me to marry him on a Saturday. He came over to my house to pick me up because we were going to a houswarming party for someone at his work and then to bowling in a couples league we joined on Saturday evenings. He walked in to my house, looked at me(I'll never forget the look on his face) and got down on his knee with the ring he pulled out of his back pocket and asked me to marrry him just like that! It was done so simply and direct that I was totally surprised!!
  • Psychosocial Event-My Wedding Day

    Psychosocial Event-My Wedding Day
    One of the happiest days of my life was marrying my husband. We married at a big wedding of about 200 guests at St. Edmund's Catholic Church in Warren, MI.
  • Psychosocial Event-Changed Jobs

    I decided to make a job/career change and left banking after 16 years to work in the telecommunications industry. I liked the position which I primarily serviced business customers which were mid-sized companies headquartered in Michigan. It was a welcome change for my career in the business world.
  • Biosocial Event-Birth of My Son

    I gave birth to my son Nicholas. I had a difficult pregnancy and he had to be delivered at 29 weeks via C-Section. He was very small and weighed 1 lb. 10 oz. The doctor's were hopeful and I remember hearing him crying when he was born. That was a good sign that he was active and breathing. It was an awesome day full of wonder and joy for us!
  • Psychosocial Event-Held My Son for the First Time

    Psychosocial Event-Held My Son for the First Time
    Because of my son's small size and condition I was not able to pick him up and hold him right away till he was stable as far a his breathing and heart function. I was able to touch him and change his diaper from by reaching into his isolette(enclosed bed) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It was an emotional roller coaster because it was diificult not being able to take our son home and also not knowing what his small body would be battling from one day to the next.
  • Psychosocial Event-Downsized at My Job

    I was downsized at AT&T in 2004 because the company had merged with SBC and had to downsize 7000 people across the United States. I had low senority compared to others in my job title so I lost my job. This was a blessing in disguise as my son was experiencing many developmental delays at the time and not in preschool yet, so I was able to work with him and take care of him without worrying about him in a daycare situation. We were also fortunate to be able to make ends meet on one income.
  • Biosocial Event-Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

    This is one phone call I will never forget. My doctor called me just 3 days after my surgical biopsy was taken and the news was devastating but hopeful because my breast cancer was diagnosed early, was non-invasive and 99% curable. My treatment consisted of a lumpectomy, radiation, but no chemotherapy which was a great relief.
  • Psychosocial Event-Went Back to College

    I decided to make a career change after being off of work from the business world for so long I had become displaced in the workforce. I had always wanted to go into nursing and made a decision to go back to school. I entered the Medical Assisting Program at Schoolcraft so that I could get a job in the medical field while I continued to study to become a registered nurse.
  • Psychosocial Event-Graduation Ceremony

    Psychosocial Event-Graduation Ceremony
    Although my Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy and Medical Receptionist/Billing certificates would not be complete till August of 2011, I was able to participate in the graduation ceremony for Schoolcraft College at Compuware Arena in Plymouth, MI.
  • Psychosocial Event-Graduated from Schoolcraft

    I completed my Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy and Medical Receptionist/Billing Certificates from Schoolcraft College!
  • Cognitive Event-Passed the CMA Exam

    I took the Certified Medical Assisting(CMA) exam in October, passed and am now certified by the American Association of Medical Assistants(AAMA).
  • Biosocial Event-5 Years Cancer Free!

    This was the date of my surgery to remove the tumor from my left breast back in 2007. The margins tested around the tumor were benign, which was good news!
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    Epilogue

    Predicited year of death is 2051 at age 89. Future events to be yet to be determined and experienced in this great adventure called life!
  • Year of Death

    Life expectancy calculator predicts my year of death to be in 2051 at age 89. This was based on life expectancies of my parents, who lived to ages of only till 58 and 65 and maternal and paternal grandparents lived till their 80's. I rarely drink and do not smoke. I also exercise regularly 4-5 days a week.