Hello Everyone! Long time, no post!
I forget to update this... so sorry for no update in
a few months.
First off, I have a Facebook community page which
I update a lot more often. For anyone who wants to
keep up with me, my Facebook community
page is called:
Lauren's Heart: Living a Full Life with "Half a Heart"
**Here are some update on every aspect of my life:**
-I'm not having open heart/the Fontan Revision next year. Chris and I researched the Fontan Revision also called the Fontan Conversion a lot, we also researched hospitals, statistics, etc.... We picked to have the surgery at Texas Children's in Houston as they have done the most Fontan Revisions/Conversions in the country (maybe the world?) and have great statistics. Thing is I need to be checked out by them personally and we just don't have the money this year to fly down there...Chris also does not have anymore vacation days left either. So, we are saving up and going next year...probably in the spring. If they think I need the surgery, than it will be in 2014. So everything is pending. This surgery is NOT an emergency for me... I'm still well and pretty good quality of life even though my heart function has gone downhill a bit in the past 5yrs. I have an older Fontan which are worse than the newer versions even though all Fontans aren't great as the Fontan is not a fix or cure... they aren't made to last a long long time. Doing a Fontan Revision to a newer better long lasting Fontan while one is still doing pretty good and only few issues means less risk to me.
-We are also trying to save up so we can fly to Michigan (and Ohio where Chris' mom lives) next summer to visit our family as if I have surgery the next year, it will be awhile before we see them again. And we miss out family. So it's important we go and visit them.
-The new beta blocker I was put on in April ended up not working out. It was interacting with my blood pressure medication making me feel sick (lightheaded, nauseous, dizzy, etc), so we tried lowering the dose of my blood pressure medication and I still got the effects. I ended up being taken off my blood pressure medication ...but had to monitor my blood pressure by a blood pressure machine. I was fine without it for awhile, but after a few weeks I started getting chest pain, my heart would beat hard, and I had some weird beats here & there.... it threw off my sleep schedule and made me miserable. So last week I started back on my old beta blocker and felt a bit better after a few days. I started my blood pressure medication up again this week, but they said I only needed half the dose I was on before medication changes as off the blood pressure med, my blood pressure did better than they thought it would. So overall I'm feeling better and slowly my sleep schedule is getting better... work in process. Hopefully no more medication and dose changes for awhile... it can sure mess with your body.
-Overall I have good and bad days heart wise and mentally. I'm working on the mental part and looking for a psychologist to see again as they always seem to help me out with my anxiety disorder...plus I have some OCD now. I'm also trying to get back into writing and still plan on writing my own book. I'm also trying to find a hobby I like... going to try making yarn friendship bracelets again as I use to make them as a kid.
-My little brother, Aaron, who is almost 14 came and visited in early June (he lives in Texas with my mom). He was here for 2 week and we (Chris & I) really enjoyed having him. It was the first time I had seen him in over 6 months. I miss him already. He is a great kid. I love him a lot. We had a great time while he was here. Hope he lived California as it was his first time to California. :)
-Since Chris and I could not afford wedding rings when we got married last year. We are starting to look for a wedding ring for me now. :) Money is tight, but it will be my birthday, Christmas, & 1yr anny gift kind of thing as wedding rings are not cheap. I'm excited about finally getting a wedding ring! There are so many to choose from... so it will be a tough pick, but I'm glad I get to choose the one I truly love. :)
-I turn 25 this month on August 25! Which is already next week! It will be my 3rd birthday away from family.. so I'll be missing family a little bit more like always. It will just be Chris and I, but it will still be a special day. I don't need anything material or a party for my birthday to be special. I decided that I'm going to start a small birthday tradition on doing a small Random Act of Kindness on my birthday starting this year. I till be small, but something I want to do. I'll post what I ended up doing and how my birthday went.
****Well that's about it on updates for now. I do plan on a birthday post as well as a few blog posts of topics that might be interesting... when I have time I will... promise... it might take a few weeks to see another post though. Sending *heart hugs* to all!!
Below is a picture of my little brother, Aaron, and I at Lake Tahoe this June during his visit:
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