Not So Great Christmas...

...SO... my Christmas and semester break hasn't been going so well. Around 10pm on Christmas Eve, after enjoying my family get together, I got food posioning either from the Panera Bread food or Starbucks smoothie I had earlier that day. I was in and out of the bathroom all night... threw up alot and it was the first time I had thrown up in about 9yrs... so yea that wasn't fun. I couldn't go with my boyfriend to his family get together. I spend 99% of Christmas Day in bed and feeling ill. I do feel blessed to have had my mom to attend to me as well as my boyfriend who was up all night with me when I was throwning up. They are both awesome! I felt blessed! I did get alot of nice things for Christmas and I'm very thankful. I'm still recovering from the food posioning though, but doing better.

I have other things on my mind. I wrote a note to my cardiologist about some GI issues that came up with me again today, so I could use some prayers as I'm trying not to freak out. See, back in July I got food posioning so bad I went to the ER... I was bleeding alot from my behind. It all stopped and nothing else came up and my cardio wasn't concerned. My cardio did give me a number to a GI doctor just in case something did come up... I called the GI office in Oct because even though nothing had come up I thought I'd get checked anyways. The office said I couldn't get in till Feb of 2010, so I e-mailed my cardio... long stoy short I let the whole thing go because I don't have money to pay for another medical bill, I'm already behind because I have NO MONEY! BUT today I saw two spots of blood, thus I e-mailed my cardio and I'm trying not to freak out. I'm thanking God it is not bleeding bleeding like in July. Please, prayers would be nice. Thank you SO much!

I also thought I had a OB/GYN appointment for the yearly women check and blood draw for my cardio on Wed... guess I don't because I got a letter last month that I didn't read all the way through saying I have to reschedule. I wish they would have called, Ugh! Added on to that, I got a bill from my Health Insurance saying I need to pay for next month, but I already paid. Looks like I'm going to have to call them tomorrow, Ugh!

Does it ever end?!?!? I'm abit stressed, but doing alright.

GOOD NEWS: I have an awesome family family and boyfriend. I'm on break from school. I will be speaking at a new CHD organization near me called "It's My Heart" on Tuesday night. I'm feeling better! Looking at the positive!

Anyways, I have a lot of kiddos/adults on my mind like I always do, but one is going to be on my mind alot this week and that's Logan. Logan is going to have a risky heart cath this Wednesday... this heart cath could by him time before his next heart surgery or make is come faster. Please pray for his parents, Stef and Ryan, as well as precious Logan. Here is there blog if you want to leave them messages of support. www.whenlifehandsyouabrokenheart.blogspot.com

Thank You for ALL the wonderful messages of support and prayers! They always mean alot to me! ♥

Well, I'm going to watch some TV and then a movie when my boyfriend comes back from blockbuster... need to get my mind off of things and realize that I'm going to be ok. God is watching over me and I have lots of support from loved ones including you guys! I'll get through whatever comes me way! =D

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

P.S.: Still needing pictures and info for my 3rd CHD Montage... please send them to:
Sweeetie 2516 (at) Aol (dot) com (you can look at the previous post to see what I need). Thank You! =D

Tag Award and Before Christmas Update!!!

I have a bunch of stuff to say, but first off I recieved the "Tag" Award from Stephanie at With a Hopeful Heart and Jessica at Ethin's Heart Still Beats. I'm suppose to share 7 things that you may not know about me, which will be hard as I share alot. Then, I'm suppose to "Tag" some people. Here it goes...

1.) I have an anxiety disorder which can keep me on the negative side of things some days along with stressing me out... you may not know that because I don't let most people know and I try my hardest to stay on the postive side of things.

2.) My parents got a divorce 4yrs. ago and they are each in a relationship with someone which took me a bit of time to get use to, but I like Judy (my dad's gf, my bf's aunt) and Jeff (my mom's bf).

3.) I love to wear crazy looking knee socks in the winter time... not only are they cute, but they keep my legs warm.

4.) My mom went to college to be a dietichen, which came in handy when I was born and diagnosised with a complex CHD.

5.) My wonderful little brother and I are 11yrs. apart... it was a big ajustment to going from baby of the family to semi-middle (I don't really consider myself the middle child as we are so far apart in age). I love my little brother, Aaron, so much that it was worth loosing my baby spot in the family.

6.) I was 19 when I got my drivers liscence because I was scared of driving, still kind of am. I don't have my own car so I usually don't drive much.

7.) I got 6 stiches in my bottom right lip when I was 7yrs. old from getting hit by a swing... someone was on the swing, I wasn't paying attention (or listening to my dad) and got to close... I was bleeding ALOT because I'm on blood thinners. With my mom and dad's help I got to a nearby hospital and got a plastic surgeon to do some stiches and I got antibiotics... they didn't have time to numb my mouth for the stiches, so I felt all the pain... I was NOT HAPPY!

Here are the people I "Tag":

-Cain's Mommy at Clinkscale's Family Blogspot
-Sydnie's Mommy, Sundie at Sydnie's Sweet Heart
-Trista's Mommy, Amanda at Trista Faith Blogspot
-Casey's Mommy, Gina at Family Talk


**Update on Me**

I've been doing well, getting over a small cold. The past week and a half I had been studying like crazy and doing finals. Monday at 2pm it was all over and I was SO relieved! I've been trying to relax for the past couple of days, but with Christmas two days away I've still been busy... such is life. I have to do some more shopping today with money I don't have, but the small gifts I give to me family are special either way. I feel behind in so many things like this blog, spending time with my bf, bills, etc. Luckly, I have almost a month break before next semester to get some things done and also relax. I can't believe the year is almost over, where did time go? This year has been a busy and crazy one for me... having a serious boyfriend, family, my 1st ER visit in a long time, my dad losing his job, me having to pay for me own health insurance for the 1st time, hard semesters in college, etc. BUT I've had a very blessed year to and for that I'm grateful! =D
That's about all I've got right now.
I hope you ALL have a VERY MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS!!! I know I will!!

Sending LOTS of **Heart Hugs** and LOVE!!! Keeping LOTS of kiddos/adults in my prayers especially Logan and Derrick!!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥


***CHD Awareness Montage #3***

-If you'd like you or you CHDer in my Montage please send: pictures (hospital and happy), name, CHD, date of birth, when diagnosised, and angel date if passed to my e-mail:
Sweeetie 2516 (at) Aol (dot) com OR lceleskey 87 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!!! =D

CHD Montage!

I'm going to do a 3rd CHD Awareness Montage... which I will start after finals which are REALLY stressing me out and wearing me down, I'm SO tired; they end on Monday for me though! Yay!

I've had CHDers on my mind SO much lately and just feel like I need to do another CHD Awareness Montage. I want to post it everywhere and show it to everyone, especially with CHD Awareness Week coming up in Febuary!

So, if you'd like your CHDer or you to be in it please send me: pictures (hospital and out of the hospital are good), name, CHD, birth date, when they/you were diagnosised, and angel date if they have passed into the gates of heaven. You can e-mail me at: Swe eet ie2516 AT A ol dot Com or lcele skey 87 AT g mail dot Com (just delete the spaces... had to write them this way so I don't get robot spam). If you already been in one of my CHD Montages and want me to you those pictures, let me know! Thank You SO Much!

I SO DESPREATLEY want to spread CHD Awareness! Praying and thinking of SO Many!

Prayer for the rest of my finals and my HUGE paper due on Monday would be appreciated!

Thanks! =D I'll update soon!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥

P.S.: Check out this article... an adult CHD Survivor is going to run a marthon and raise money for the Children's Heart Foundtion while spreading CHD Awareness! Way to go Nels!
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20091218/ARTICLE/912181029/2055/NEWS?Title=Heart-defect-survivor-is-set-to-run-and-to-inspire-others-along-the-way

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,
♥