1st off...

Let's all say some prayers for those that participated, or whose family and friends participated, in the Boston Marathon today.  The world is such a sad place already.  It makes me so sad.

I originally was going to tell y'all about my accomplishment this past Sat, but I'm so sad.


Well, as insignificant as it is, I hiked a mountain Sat.  We took the kidlets to Atlanta for the day.  First, we went to Legoland, which was pretty cool, and then we went to Stone Mountain.  It was pretty awesome.  We decided to hike up the mountain, which is a 1-mile hike, and towards the top, it was so steep that they have banisters to help you pull yourself up.  I thought I couldn't make it.  I had a mini panic attack, and stopped and told David and the kids to go up without me.  They kept going, and I stopped for a few.  I had a kind of epiphany, sitting there by myself.  Before the kids left me, Rianna told me that she knew I could do it, and that they'd see me at the top.  While I was sitting there thinking, I went back to 8 months ago, when I told my kids every day during the 2 weeks that I was in the hospital, to be brave.  Don't worry about mama, that I would be ok, and I would be brave as well.  So, I decided then that if I could ask them to be brave for me, then I could show them how brave I was.  I decided to finish hiking up the mountain.  I got up there, and we enjoyed a beautiful view that showcased downtown Atl, Kennesaw Mountains, and everything else.  Of course, going down was super easy (thank goodness)!

After we went up and down the mountain, we decided to take the skylift up.  That was probably one of the highlights for the kids.  It really is a pretty place.

My heart was beating super fast while trying to hike up.  But I finally made myself determined to finish that climb.  It was very worth it in the end.

8 months today!

The months are ticking by, and that's a good thing, I suppose.  It's been 8 months since surgery.  I'd like to say it's felt like a long time ago, but right now, not so much.  Fri, I started having pain, and it's still here, so it sucks.  I feel like I can barely move without pain protesting every step.  When I touch my chest, it feels like a bruise.  You know, when someone touches your visible bruise, mashes down, and asks, "Does this hurt?", and your first inclination is to slap the mess out of them?  Ha-kinda like that.  Also, when I move a certain way, I get a stabbing pain in my chest, and it has a burning kinda feeling…hard to explain…anyway, I left a message with Dr. Lane's office, so let's hope it's not 4 days from now when they get back to me.  Their message says that if you're having chest pains, to hang up and call 911…well, I'm not having a heart attack (fingers crossed that doesn't happen), so I'm not calling 911 and getting stuck with an ambulance bill and an ER bill…I'd rather pay my $65 copay to Dr. Lane's office and find out what's going on, than the ambulance bill, $150 copay to the ER, and then the hospital bill.  I've got enough hospital bills I'm paying on now, thankyouverymuch.

So, there's not much updating to do, just wanted to say that yay, it's been 8 months, but boo, I'm in pain…

Oh, let me add something that I was thinking about…when this all happened, I was watching Big Brother during the summer…I'd record it bc I was usually working, then watch it later.  That's what I was watching when I started feeling bad.  But, the thing I was thinking about, was how much David disliked the show…he isn't into many reality shows, unless there's "real" competition.  Anyway, since I was out of commission and missing my BB episodes, he left them on the DVR.  I was lying in the hospital and he texted me that I had some saved up.  Knowing that he hated the show and would have been watching whatever he wanted to watch, I told him he could erase them since I wasn't there.  But he kept them on there for me.  He said that I would need something to occupy my time when I got home, so he left them.  I just thought it was super sweet.  Bc later, I realized that I would have hated to miss the last parts of the season :)

It's the little things...

Does she want me to die?!?!

Haha...I had to call Dr. Lane's office to see if I needed to be prescribed a medicine before making my dentist appt.  The nurse called and said she had called me in some Amoxicillin.  Um...that's a form of penicillin; I'm allergic to penicillin.  Ok, well, we'll call you in something different.  I'm not sure what will happen if I do take penicillin and sulfa, but I also don't want to find out.  I know that the allergy info is in my chart, bc I have to answer the question every single time I go in and they question me.  So, I'm super glad that I am smart enough to know medicines and myself...

That's about it...just a quick note about that.  

Also, she's not the only doctor who has done that...my last primary care physician tried to prescribe me penicillin-based products 3 times!!!  If I hadn't asked, I'd have taken them.  

Oh wow, I'm so neglectful!!!

So, if I have any followers, (I'm not sure if that's what it's called in blogland), I apologize for the huge break between posts.  I actually had one started, but I got super sleepy, so I stopped...instead of posting that draft, I will just stick it to this one and continue this post.  

We had the Heart Walk Sat morning (the 9th).  It was pretty fun.  We had a great turnout.  Rianna completed her 5th 5k for a cause, Gage completed his 1st!!!  He started complaining about halfway through, but he finished like a champ!  They had a little pre-walk event, and the kids were super excited bc Thor, Spider-Man, and Superman were there.  Haha, they were pretty old.  I have a pic, I'll upload soon.  

I was pretty happy that I was able to do the whole 5k without trouble.  I've been pretty slack in working out, bc I'm always afraid something is going to happen.  But I did it and I felt good, so I'm going to start working out hard so I can be ready for summer.  My heart seems to be doing pretty good, so I need to keep making it stronger.  

But, of course, the klutz that I am decided to take a fall down the steps yesterday morning (on the 10th)...after being up and busy Sat morning from 530am to midnight, I had to be up again at 530 on Sun morning for work.  I was so exhausted, and usually closing at work and then reopening doesn't bother me, but bw being tired from lack of sleep, and the fact that I'm still extremely tired a lot, it was like a double dose of fatigue for me.  Anyway, I had my purse, keys, iPad, phone, and lunch in my hands, and I was going out the door and tripped...over nothing...I hit my right knee on the corner of the brick step and cut it, and then scraped my right shin...and my left leg twisted and I landed on it...ouch...it still hurts...I just burst into tears...luckily, my whole day wasn't miserable.  

I really don't have too much updating to do since I haven't seen Dr. Lane.  I won't see her til May.  I need to talk to her about my exhaustion.  When she took me off the Amiodarone and Metoprolol, it was supposed to help with the fatigue...but it hasn't.  I am tired all the time, I start feeling like falling asleep by 1pm, and it is horrible.  I take B12 vitamins, since I was told that was supposed to help.  

Ok, well, I think that's about it.  Oh, I volunteered today for the Child Enrichment program.  This is a program that helps children who come from abusive situations.  They had a cookout type thing, with games, food and music, raising money for them.  It was fun, but I'm hoping I don't get sick, bc it was super cold and rainy out.  I don't want to even think about coughing again, even though I'm healed.  But I'm still sore every morning, so I don't want to cough!

As soon as I get on the computer, I'll upload the pic from the Heart Walk...my iPad wont let me.

In pain today...

When I woke up this morning, I had my normal, stiff, pain in my chest, where it feels that I've worked out a lot (HA!)...but the pain didn't (read: hasn't) gone away.  This doesn't feel like my normal soreness.  I'm thinking I'm gonna have to bug the doctor tomorrow.  The pain isn't sharp, but it comes and goes all day long.  Before surgery, I wouldn't have bothered with slight pain like this.  Now, I get nervous.  I feel that I am more susceptible to aches and pains, and it's more noticeable now.  Not only this, I'VE BEEN SOOOOOOOOOOO TIRED today.  Overwhelmingly tired.  I have no energy.  I felt bad for my dad today, bc today's his birthday, and we had plans to get together.  My brother wanted us all to go to the basketball game tonight, but I was too tired.  So I begged out, and we are going to try to get together Sat.

Anyway, I'm super tired, so I'm going to bed.  I'll update more later.  

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day!

David and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day with huge gifts or anything.  I had to work, so there was no point in trying to go out.  But...I did get my nails re-painted-they are red, with sparkly things in them.  I'll have to post a pic of them later.  I figure they are cute enough for Valentine's, plus they will work for the heart walk, which if everyone remembers, will be Mar 9th.  I'm working on getting tshirts ready to order, and I swear, I love them, but I have the most last-second friends of anyone I know.  Haha...I'm gonna have to light a fire under them.  So, I'm trying to get ready for that, I think we're going to have a great turnout and I can't wait.  I've already gotten some orders and some money, so we've got a start.

There's not too much news as far as my heart goes, and I think that's a good thing.  Dr. Lane's nurse called back and said that I don't have to see her again until May 31st, so that's great!  I still have soreness EVERY SINGLE MORNING!  #whensitgonnaend?!?!?!?!?!  My shoulder blades hurt every day too, and it's so aggravating, bc it affects my sitting at school, and my ability to fully do my job at work.  And let's not even discuss laundry!

Enough complaining about what I can't do.  I need to bring to everyone's attention, a little boy who has a story on FB (obviously by his parents, as he's super young), who is having such a hard time.  I won't go into detail, but he is in need of many prayers, as are his parents.  It's times like these when I have to learn to appreciate what I have, who I have, and what our situations consist of.  And why?  Bc my heart surgery is peanuts compared to what this little man has been going through.  I have healthy children.  I am very appreciative.  And so I pray this family can finally go home one day with their little boy, healthy.

Another little one that is constantly on my mind, is the son of one of my friends.  He has a congenital heart disease, and he is such a TROOPER!  He is totally cute too.  He is so happy, although he's been through so much.  So I think of him often bc I've been through nothing compared to him.

Anyway, if I have any news, I will update, as usual.

Some good news today!!!!

It wasn't long after I made my last post that Dr. Howard's (the sleep study specialist) nurse called me.  He reviewed my results and guess what?!?!?!?!  No sleep apnea, no sleep disorders that he can see!  That makes me happy!  It really lifted my spirits up.  She said that I need to get back to Dr. Lane for further testing if she is still unhappy with what is going on, and when I called, they told me that they would get back to me Monday.

So I'm going to try to relax this weekend.  I have to work all weekend, but I'm off Sunday in time for the Super Bowl.  I'm not a fan of either team playing, but I love football.  So this weekend, I'll cheer for the 49ers.  Hopefully, my Pats make it next year.

Oh-and things are coming together for the Heart Walk.  I'm excited to be leading a team.  I talked to the lady today about prices and other information for tshirts, let my team know, and I even talked with someone today who said that she'd like to "sponsor" me.  Not to mention, my friend Tabitha has an Etsy shop and is donating a portion of the heart items she sells to the AHA.  All that is left besides the actual walk is deciding on a team name and getting the shirts ordered.  YAY!

Any ideas for a team name, let me know.  Rianna and I have thought of a few, but new ideas are always welcomed!