News, News All Around!!

I finally have time to update on how my life has been going. I don’t know where to start! It has been almost 20 days!

Ok, let me think… **Thinking, Thinking, Thinking**…

My chest cold is GONE!!! It lasted over a week!! I was miserable for the first few days!! Ugh!! Now, I have an on and off runny nose and cough… I HATE germs!!

College has been still keeping me busy especially since finals are now officially a month away! I can’t wait till the semester is over and I get a small break even though I need to take one spring and one summer class… but that is nowhere near having four hard classes are once!

My Mom’s Birthday was this past Friday, March 19th!! I feel bad I didn’t write a post about it. My mom is so awesome, strong, and loving!! She had a big part in getting me here today!! I’m very grateful for all the fighting she did for my life when I was little, but most of all I’m grateful to have her as a mom. She knows what to say to make me feel better and make me smile. She is always there for me and for that I’m very Thankful!

Here is a Picture of My Mom and Me on My 1st Birthday:

And here is a Picture of us a year and half ago (yea we need a new pic together):
“LOVE YOU SO MUCH MOM!!!”

OK, let’s move on… I have some EXCITING NEWS!!!! Another CHDer & I, with the Help of the President of “It’s My Heart” Metro-Detroit,

(Who is Mary a CHD Mom)
Presents We Got Heart Support Group!!!! It is for Teens and Young Adults with Congenital Heart Defects ages 12 and up in the Metro- Detroit (Metro-Detroit, Michigan) to come together to talk, share stories, and create friendships. So, if you know someone who lives in the Metro-Detroit area with a CHD and is 12+ please have them contact me at:

lauren.celeskey (at) itsmyheart (dot) org
**I had to write out the e-mail address like that because I don’t want Robot Spam.**

Well, Spring is here... Ok not the weather, but it's still "technically" here which means I have my annual Cardiologist appointment coming up in June or July! Alread?!?! Time Flies! This year I will be going to Mott's Children's Hospital... Yup I'm changing hosipitals for a few reasons. Don't get me wrong, I love Children's Hospital of Michigan, it saved my life and I LOVE my Cardiologist which was the one who I had from day one! BUT I'm now considered an "Adult" (Yikes!) and I weighted my options and the Adult Congenital Cardiologists at both hospitals and I decided on Mott's. I haven't told my cardiologist yet, but I will be going through the process soon. June is my GI appointment, then I have to make a dentist appointment soon! It has be 4years since I've gone to the dentist! Shhh! Don't tell anyone! Ugh! I'm SO bad because I know the dentist is important, but in my defense the past 4yrs. have been SO SO crazy that I forgot as it's not number 1 on my list of things to do. lol. Anyways, more crazyness coming... it never ends! I'm sure when the semester ends you'll get more updates... maybe!

Ok, that's it for right now! I'm doing well! Just BUSY, BUSY! That can be a good thing right?!?! Hey, I'm living my life to the fullests with only a few pit stops!! =D

I'm going to close with a recent picture of my adorable niece, Lily!

Praying and sending **Heart Hugs** to ALL!! ALL of the support, e-mails, gifts, comments, and prayers are more then I can ask for and they mean alot to me!! You guys know how to touch my heart and make me smile! I'm SO sorry I can't leave comments back all the time or give back all the time!! PLEASE PLEASE know YOU ALL mean SO much to me!!!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,

♥

It's Been Awhile!

Yes, it has been awhile! Just thought I’d drop in to let everyone know that I’m doing well. I’m on my Spring Break right now! Yay! Unfortunately, I do have to study for one class because I have two tests in the class next week! Ugh! I’ve been taking it easy so far these past couple of days. I watched the movie “The Time Travelers Wife” the other day and I thought it was a great movie; of course it is a girly movie hehe. I really want to read the book now, but that will have to wait till this summer. I’ve been hanging out with my boyfriend and just relaxing! Health wise, I’ve been doing alright. I’ve been having some bad back pain due to my scoliosis lately, but other than that I’ve been doing ok. Nothing I can’t handle or haven’t dealt with before. I also have a cold which sucks, but things could be worse.

On another note: Last night I had a dream that I was standing infront of a bunch of pregnant moms, teaching them about CHDs, heart failure symptoms, pulse ox tests as well as telling Precious Cora's Story & mine. I woke up 2hrs ago (went to bed late) and had this all in my head, wow what a dream! One mom in the dream said that why learn about CHDs, sounds like a death sentence & I scream at her LOL. So yea thought I'd share.


This leads me to just throw out something that has been on my mind to all you CHD parents as a reminder:

-The BEST thing you can do for your CHDer is treat them like a child without health issues as much as possible! Think POSITIVE about their future! There is a GOOD chance that they will grow up! And even if they don't, knowing that they LIVED as normal as possible will mean the world! So DON'T dwell all the time! It's GOOD to step back from the CHD world sometimes and LIVE! CHDers ARE MUCH MORE THEN THEIR CHD! Focus more on their personality, their smile, their laugh, their talents, their inspiration and not the fact that their future is unknown. Have HOPE and remember God is with you, so LIVE! It's AWESOME to spread CHD Awareness and have a tight bond with the CHD community, but just remember too much a good thing can make you go nuts and have those bad thoughts creep in... so take breaks! Also, remember to teach your CHDer how to LISTEN to their body as they are the ones that know their limitations, no one else!

**You may not agree with me on these thoughts, but I've been a CHDer for 22yrs. and I thought I'd share how I feel. Take it or leave it, I just care so much about ALL CHDers and felt like I needed to share! =D I know alot of you already do these things, but I like to remind people because life can get pretty crazy! (I forget to think POSTIVE sometimes too... I always need reminders)**



*HELP ME: I'm trying to get tabs on the top of my blog, but having some trouble. Anyone can offer some tips for me that would be awesome! =D I'm not exactly great at computer or blog stuff! Thanks!*

SHARE YOUR CHD STORY:
Go to Stef's blog (Logan's Mom) at http://whenlifehandsyouabrokenheart.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-ready.html to read about how YOU can help spread CHD Awareness and maybe even be in a CHD Documentary!!

Ok, that's about it for right now. Thank You ALL so much for the messages of support and much heard prayers!! It always means the world to me!!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,

♥