To Starting Over

  As many of you know, I was born with a congenital heart defect. I was born "a blue baby" or the correct medical term is called d-trasposition of the great arteries. Here is a link to the American Heart Association where you can read more about my Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11074 

 Many babies who have had a congenital heart defect (CHD) do have problems as we get into our 20's and 30's, and that was very true for me! At the age of 24, I developed an arrhythmia called bradycardia - a slow heart rate, and had to have a pacemaker implanted in order to keep my heart rate in the normal range. Besides, this one hiccup, I had lived a pretty normal life. My CHD did not stop me from doing anything I had wanted. I was working in a cardiologist office as a medical office assistant, and was going after my life dream of becoming an RN.

 At the end of July 20009, as my regularly scheduled check-up was approaching with Dr. Greene, my pediatric cardiologist. I knew I had to talk to him about my increasing fatigue and shortness of breath. But I just passed it up to being tired because I was so busy with school and work. No big deal, so I thought!
 During my appointment Dr. Greene performed an echo cardiogram (ultrasound of my heart) and as he we went through the pictures he noticed there had been some changes so it was time to come up with a new plan. My ejection fraction (EF), which is the pumping function of your heart had decreased. So the plan was to start me on some medication to help my EF increase. It would take a while for the medicine to kick in and it would have to be increased over a period of time, so he agreed to let me continue to work, but only on desk duty, and no extra curricular activities after work, which included no school for now :-( 
 I understood and did as he instructed but within a week I was hospitalized in Charlotte with heart failure and had to be transferred to Duke University. After spending 5 days at Duke, and the doctors trying many different medicines and treatments and after going through many tests, I was finally able to go home feeling better! I just need a litte "tune-up".

 Surprisingly to me, I was far from "fixed" and the follow-up visit back home with Dr. Greene would entail a new plan and many new changes for my life. I was only able to go back to work part-time and only for desk duty! I thought after a few weeks of following these orders at my next check-up I would be released back to work full-time. Things didn't go my way at my appointment with Dr. Greene. After he, his partners and the physicians at Duke all talked about my case, they decided it was time to fully invest in my health since I was not well. They thought it would be best if I did not go back to work, complete a cardiac rehab program and get my heart strengthened back up. October 9, 2009 was my last day at work.

 My life has changed in so many ways over the past year. I have decided to start this blog to help myself cope with the everyday emotions and challenges I face. Just like anyone who has a sickness, I ask God, why me? I don't  know the answer but I know God has a purpose and it is so much bigger than me! Just like you, I have good and bad days. Please, don't mistake my bad days or my frustrations that I encounter as me not being thankful for what I have. I am so very thankful for the life God has blessed me with, but I am a "real" person with "real" emotions that I want to share. Through my writing I am hoping and praying for healing, as well as being an encouragement through my heartfelt words.