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,

♥

An Update on What's Been Going On.

Well, since I have some time in between classes I thought I’d update. I’ve been so busy with college that I haven’t had time to post or do much of anything I want to do… it happens. All my free time that I’ve gotten, I’ve spent with my boyfriend or watching TV. Anyways, I’ll have to post my CHD Journey again some other time. As for how I’ve been doing other than busy with school, well I’ve been doing fine. I got my blood results (I get my blood taken once a year) in the mail and I have to send them off to my cardiologist soon. My OB/GYN signed off on them, so I’m guessing to her everything looked fine; then again she doesn’t know much about my heart other than I have a Congenital Heart Defect. Hopefully my cardiologist thinks all is well. I also made an appointment to a GI doctor because my mom and cardio think I should get looked at… for those who don’t know I had a bad stomach infection in early July and went to Children’s Hospital’s ER; I was bleeding lots from my bum… even though I’ve had no problems since they kept urging me to get looked at anyways just to be safe. So, my appointment is for June, yes you heard right! I couldn’t believe it! After talking to the person on the phone, explaining my situation and that my cardiologist had even called, but couldn’t make an appointment for me they still told me I’m not urgent and I have to wait. Ugh!

Let’s see what else has been going on… I can’t think of anything really. Oh, the “It’s My Heart” Fundraiser I went to two weeks ago was fun and they raised a lot of money for CHDs! Yay! And on Valentine’s Day or National CHD Awareness day my boyfriend took me out to dinner, it was so nice! =D Other than that I’ve just been busy with school and it feels like that’s all I do right now, BUT I have 10 days off for Spring break starting next week Friday! I’m SO excited and SO ready for a BREAK! I know I’m suppose to enjoy college, but honestly I’m not a partier, I’m not part of any groups as I don’t have time nor the ride (no car!), and I have like two friends who go to the school who I see rarely… I’m just trying to finish up my last year and get out! I feel like college is high school part 2 most of the time and people haven’t grown up! I guess I feel more mature because of what I’ve been through and at a young age I truly know what is important in life. Ok, end of rant. Well, that about sums everything up.

Thank you ALL so VERY MUCH for ALL the messages of support and much heard prayers!! It truly means A LOT to me and I wish I could write back and thank every one of you and be able to comment on all the posts I read, but I can’t. Just know I’m praying for ALL CHD kiddos and adults along with their families.

I’m ending with three recent pictures of my niece, Liliana (she is 4 months already!) that I got from my mom, wish I had been there to help my mom babysit my niece. Ugh, school!

Isn't she cute? Yes, I'm bias cause she is my niece.

Yup, she is going to be a pro at Guitar Hero soon. =D

Getting some love from Daddy (my older brother)! She is a daddy's girl!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,

♥

A CHD Poem and a CHD Link

In honor of CHD Awareness Week I'm re-posting on of my favorite CHD Poems that I've written. I wrote this poem this past summer. I hope you enjoy it! **You may post it and/or pass it on, just please make sure to give me credit it for it and link to my blog. Thank You!
Here it is:

How? Why?

How? Why?
People keep looking and asking
“How do you do it?”
“How do you keep living like this?”
I always say “One day at a time”
“I’m on a mission from God…
I will complete it; I have this heart for a reason.”
People may or may not understand
But I don’t need them too
God makes no mistakes

I know why I was given this heart
To teach people how to live
To live like every day was my last
To love and to be loved
To help spread the awareness
To show people how to care
To give everything I’ve got
To let everyone know that every day is blessed
Tomorrow is not promised
My heart may be half and very mended
But I don’t regret anything
I’m blessed, I’m grateful, I’m happy
So smile, laugh, love, give, and live
If I can do it, if every single heart kid can do it
So can you!

Mended hearts are here on earth to show us
Show us life is to never be taken for granted
Look at their happiness and smiles
They live to the fullest through every trial
On a mission they are from God
No matter the time they have here
They fulfill their duties with all their heart
They are miracles that bless us
Listen to their heart it tells a story
And learn from the their journey
Never lose Hope, Love, and Faith
I’m a mended heart on a mission
How do I do it?
I just keep living, this is my life

Poem By: Lauren (22yr. old CHD Survivor)


**Now for the CHD Link... there is a couple who are CHD parents to a little girl who makes beautiful CHD Jewelry to help spread CHD Awareness! The jewelry is handmade... they are made with lots of love and care; There business is called Lucky10 (cute name)! Please, if you have the time check out their jewelry website: http://www.lucky10.etsy.com/ and pass on the word about their CHD Jewelry! What these CHD parents are doing is just amazing! ♥ Thank You!!**


I had a Snow Day today (which almost never happens to my college, they don't like to close for anything lol)!! I'm still sporting a CHD Awareness Shirt everyday this week and hoping I got to one person, idk. I'm doing well, just busy still. Hopefully I will have an update on my life soon... after all these tests and papers... my school is really pushing alot especially since spring break is in two weeks! Wish me luck! Prayers are always appreciated and loved! Praying for SO many and having CHD families/kiddos/adults on my mind more so this week! Sending WARM **Heart Hugs** to all!

With LOTS of Hope, Love, and Faith,
♥