Today is 1 Year for Me and Christopher!!

**First off, my mom had minor surgery this morning and all went well. "Thank You" for the prayers! =D**

I can’t believe it has already been one year since my amazing boyfriend, Chris, and I have started dating! I love him SO much! He is not my first boyfriend, but he is my first love and I pray he is my last! He is such a huge support to me and is always there for me. He is understanding; he tries so hard to understand my health issues and how to deal with them. He is sweet, kind, and caring. He has a wonderful smile! He is very smart; he will be graduating college next December with a double degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering. He knows how to make me smile and we both enjoy the simple things in life. He has introduced me to new things like his love for video games and believe it or not I like playing most of them… his love for Michigan Football, not so much! Christopher is just an overall great guy and I’ve never been happier! I thank God everyday for bringing us together. God knew I needed him and he needed me. =D

So, how did we meet? Well, for over 2yrs. before we met my dad was dating his Aunt (they are still dating). My dad knew who Chris was, I did not, I had never even heard of him. Every family event that I went to at my dad's girlfriend’s house he wasn’t there and every family event I didn’t go to he went (too funny, I guess we weren’t suppose to meet till a certain time). Last Thanksgiving, I got a phone call from my dad saying “Happy Thanksgiving” … my dad had been upset with me the week before because my math grade was bad… so my dad tells me he found someone to help me with my math and then he handed the phone to Chris. We talked and that was it, Chris later friended me on facebook and wrote me a message. From there is there we started dating and on Dec. 7th, 10 days after the phone call he asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend. Awww! ♥

Though today we are in school all day, we will be going out to dinner! It has been an amazing whirlwind of a year with my wonderfully amazing boyfriend… who will be 25 next month (Shhh… I didn’t tell you that)! I pray we have many, many more years together!

I Love You Christopher! ♥



With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

Been Busy! Quick Update!

Well, there is only two and half more weeks left in my college semester, then I get a much needed three week break from school. I've been busy, busy, busy! Thanksgiving was wonderful! I got to see my niece, Lily, for the first time since her birth in early October! She is getting so big already! I'll have to post pictures when I get them uploaded... I'm so behind on uploading pictures, I'll have to do a post on pictures during break.

I've been doing well (like I said, busy! lol), I'm staying healthy... haven't been sick yet this winter (holding my breathe lol). I've been having alot of anxiety lately (along with stress);I was diagnosised with anxiety disorder about two years ago... which wasn't surprising to me as I've always been a worry wart plus 85% of CHDer will experience/have depression and/or an anxiety disorder in their lifetime... sadly, that statistic is not surprising to me. Anyways, it is not easy to control the anxiety as sometimes you don't have control over the feelings! It can be really fusterating for me and I don't like the feelings. I can usually control it and most of the time I'm fine, but then out of know where it sneaks up on me... I've had a few times where the anxiety was so bad it turned into a panic attack (haven't had one in months though), which are not fun. So, I've been dealing with lots of unknown and known anxiety lately. I'm doing ok today though.

I continue to thank God for the positives in my life and to help guide me through the negatives. My amazing boyfriend, Chris, and I's 1st Anniversary of dating is on Monday! I can't believe how fast, yet slow, the year went. I will post a small update all about my boyfriend soon! ♥

Before closing, I would like to ask for a few prayers:

1) My mom is having minor surgery on Monday morning. That is all I'd like to say about it right now. She is nervous and so am I. Please, pray everything turns out ok and God gives her strength at this time. She has wonderful support from her finance so she should be just fine.

2.) CHD kiddo, Logan, is a precious little guy whose parents got some not so good news at his cardiology appointment a day or two ago. He may be facing a third open heart surgery soon than later. Please, pray for Logan and his family (Hang in there Stef!). You can offer support at there blog: http://www.whenlifehandsyouabrokenheart.blogspot.com/

3.) CHD kiddo, Derrick, another precious little guy is facing a second open heart surgery soon. Please, pray for Derrick and his family. They can use support as well: http://www.carolinacarters.blogspot.com/

THANK YOU!!!

That's all I've got right now... if you haven't and you have time please check out my recent post How Congenital Heart Defects is My Life. It will be featured on Steve's, an adult Tricuspid Atresia Survivor, blog carnival about Surgeries on Dec. 13.

Also, I have a firstgiving site to try and raise money to a wonderful nonprofit Organization called
Hypoplastic Right Hearts so they are able to fund there Hearts United 2 Conference in Texas in Sprin/Summer next year... I would love to go and reaching my goal would help: http://www.firstgiving.com/laurenceleskey also a 20yr. old named Jessi with Tricuspid Atresia has never met anyone with her CHD (or CHD in general) and really wants to go too. She also has a firstgiving site: http://www.firstgiving.com/jessicagoffard. Please, check out the sites, but you ARE NOT OBLIATED to give money!!! I'm just sharing information with all of you! Please, don't feel like you have to give something, I KNOW how bad the ecomony is right now! Thank You!!! =D

Sending you ALL LOTS of WARM **Heart Hugs** and prayers. As always, "Thank You" for all the wonderful support! I'm ending the post with a recent picture of my niece, Liliana, courtesy of my future sister-in-law Ashley (love the pictures she takes of my niece!).

Isn't my niece, Lily, just adorable? =D

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Just letting everyone know that I'm doing well! Today I'll be spending time with my family and my boyfriend's family!! I'm SO VERY Thankful for my loving family, close friends, my CHD community, and of course my amazing boyfriend! I'm also SO Thankful for my health!! I'm VERY Blessed!! Sending LOTS of Thanksgiving wishes and **Heart Hugs** to ALL of you today!!

So... Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Everyone!!! =D



With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

Congenital Heart Disease is My Life...

CHD is my life; it is all I’ve ever known. I was born into this; I didn’t have a choice or say in the matter. I had to fight many times to live: from 11 weeks old in serve heart failure and dying, to a 50/50 chance for my Fontan when I was a little over 2yrs. old, but I survived; I’m here. Without those life saving surgeries, procedures, medications, machines, doctors, and family I wouldn’t be here today. There is a life after surgery when you have a serve Congenital Heart Defect, but the memories and the trails of day to day trying to go on like nothing has happened is not something you can do. Yes, I’m ever so thankful for the surgeries I’ve had that have given me a chance at life, but I continue to struggle with my CHD and will the rest of my life…

From the time I wake up in the morning till the time I go to bed I have little reminders that I have a CHD, that each day I’m ever so blessed and grateful to be alive. These reminders also keep fear with me, fear of the unknown and worry, things that are so hard to push completely out of my mind.

When I wake, as I get dressed I always see those scars on my chest, I always glance at them. During breakfast I take medication that helps my heart continue to be strong. While walking I sometimes have to stop, I get out of breathe, it hits me again. When I get stressed, I get muscle spasms around my heart (was dignosised with these last year), again it reminds me. At 7 O’clock on the dot every day my cell phone alarm goes off, time for my most important heart med, my beta-blocker. Before bed, I automatically take two baby aspirin with a snack. When I change into PJ’s, those scars make another appearance. As I lay in bed my chest can hurt, my heart is adjusting; it’s beating slowly. I pray, I close my eyes, I never forget. My heart reminds me every day of my life, it affects my life, and it will always be a part of my life.

This CHD has lead to my anxiety disorder, has helped in my stubbornness, has helped me be blunt about things, has given me nightmares, has given me a hidden anger, and has helped me in my very emotional personality. All these negatives of me have been affected by my CHD and are now forever part of my life, BUT…

Though my CHD is a big part of my life and it affects every part of it in some way, I try not to let it define me or hold me back from achieving my dreams. This CHD, though has affected me in negative ways throughout my life, it has also affected me in many positive ways too.

My CHD has taught me to be more understanding of people around me. It has taught me to not take life for granted and to love the people you care about with all your heart. It has taught me that family and close friends are the most important things in life. It has taught me to enjoy the simple things in life and to enjoy the small positives of everyday. It brought me together with so many wonderful and amazing people. It has given me a motivation to help others and to always have faith. Lastly, my CHD has affected my personality in the best way possible as it has helped shape my loving, caring, kind, sweet, inspirational, brave, and strong character.

Just because you have a chronic illness doesn’t mean you can’t live, laugh, love, have fun, and make memories…

My CHD will never go away, but I will take what I can from it and keep living my life to the fullest… I LOVE my life and I consider my mended heart a gift!!!


With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

20th Fontanniversary!!!

Today, 20 years ago…

My parents handed me over to the doctors for my second and riskiest open heart surgery, the Fontan Procedure. It had only been a month before during a heart catherization that I developed a blood clot in my right leg and scared my parents, now it was one of the biggest days for them and for me. The Fontan was a surgery that was only about 10yrs old, still a fairly new operation. This surgery was either going save my life, take my life, or have my parents looking for other options and my parents knew that all too well. A 50/50 chance is what the doctors bluntly told my parents, but my parents hung onto to positive 50%.



My parents had a lot of faith in the doctors and God that I would come out ok. God had his plans, he wanted me to live. I’m happy to say that I was one of the fastest Fontan recoveries the hospital had seen back in the 80s, only one month in the hospital. It's an even faster recovery today; technology is awesome. As far as complications that I had from this surgery, other than me pulling out a chest tube (then them having to put it back in while my parents held me down as they didn’t have a enough nurses around at the time) and me being on a special diet, I didn't have any. Thanks to the founders of the Fontan Procedure, the doctors, my parents, and God I’m here today. The Fontan Procedure continues to save the lives of SO many CHDers… I’m also internally grateful for Mr. Fontan and his collegues for working hard to develop such a life saving surgery.




I do have two small stories that my parents shared with me about my time at the hospital recovering from my Fontan:

My dad tells me that a week or two after surgery I had to start walking again to get the blood flowing and prevent blood clots. My mom didn’t want to do it as she couldn’t stand me in pain. My dad took the job. A nurse along with my dad would take me into the hallway and give me a walker. Then, my dad would hold my blanket in front of me. My dad would tell me to come get it and I would cry and take a few steps. Every time I’d get close to my blanket, my dad would pull it back. My dad said it was heartbreaking to see me so unhappy and in pain, but it had to be done. He knew for my own good and health I had to walk again.

My mom tells me about how I was put on a medium chain triglyceride diet. It was hard as I loved cookies and it was not allowed on that diet. Well, one day while my mom was sitting next to my hospital bed, I keep asking for a cookie. My mom’s heart broke. That night when she went home to be with my older brother and my dad stayed the night with me in the hospital my mom was determined to make me cookies. She bought medium-chain triglyceride oil and found a recipe. The cookies came out hard as a rock and tasted nasty.. So, she put a whole bottle of cinnamon in the mix the next time around. They were better, but still hard as a rock. My mom got the idea to wet a paper towel and wrap it around the cookie and heat it in the microwave. This made the cookie soft for a few minutes. When she got back to the hospital to see me, she heated one up and gave it to me. I took one bite then held it and smiled. My mom said I never took another bite, but held that cookie for dear life. She says the smile on my face was priceless and was worth every minute of trying to make me those cookies.

I was discharged from the hospital four days before Christmas in 1989. My family had every reason to celebrate. I did too! I got out my mom’s lotion the day I got home and went to town putting it all over myself. I was happy and alive. What more could my parents and family want?


My older Brother and Me on Dec. 25th, 1989... just 4 days from coming home from the hospital

Today I have been thankful and also thinking of the ones who never made it and those still fighting. They remind me of why I have to spread CHD awareness. They remind me to ALWAYS have Hope~Love~Faith!!! So… Here I am, 20yrs later and ever so happy to be here. I'm very blessed in so many ways. I have two amazing parents who have done SO SO much for me over the years to bring me to this point in my life, the fought so hard to get me here healthy and happy. For that I will always be internally grateful to my parents, I love them so VERY much!!! (You can see pics of me with my amazing parents on my left side bar).


Me with my very loving and amazing boyfriend, Chris

“Thank You” ALL so VERY much for ALL the wonderful messages, e-mails, and much heard prayers!!! You guys really are amazing and are like my second family!!!
I continue to pray for SO many!!! Sending LOTS of WARM **Heart Hugs** to ALL of you!!!
May God Bless, Guide, and Comfort you on your journey!!!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥