Thanksgiving 2008 and update

Hi Guys!! So I am soo behind on my blog it's been over a year now! It's been a lil crazy trying to start over at life pretty much since having my open heart surgery. I'm still doing school online thru Axia College of University of Phoenix towards Criminal Justice. Right now I work at Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich shop. I'm looking for either a 2nd job or just another better paying job with more hours at the moment. I also plan on moving in the next month or two since my lease is up. I'll either stay close around here or may move closer to SLC so probably Bountiful/NSL.

This picture is from Thanksgiving 2008, my sister Angela actually put the collage together. So I'm putting it up too since I'm just trying to catch up.
I hope all your holidays were good and you are ready to take on the new year into 2010!

Halloween 2008

So here is another blog that is late and now finally here! I have been playing catch up so here is another one. It's from Halloween at our apartments lil party with some friends we met while living here. Below those pictures are Kenzie's cousins and us when we went trick or treating !!
Kenzie dressed as Gabriella from High School Musical(s).

Kenzie and friend Valedia.

Pumpkin Face(s)!!

Kenzie and Carson

Carson from under the spider man mask!

Carson's lil brother Scotty.

Below is Kenzie and I with her cousins when we went trick'or'treating! Her dad joined us as well. I got pictures of all her cousins except one, Bridgette.

Me as a Go Go Girl. ;p

Brennon, Alora and Kenzie.

Connell!

Last but not least, Maise!

Mumsy's birthday!! September/October 2008

Even though my mom's birthday is actually September 13th we all had crazy busy schedules so we didn't end up getting together for her birthday until about a month later! All 4 of us girls were there including Angela's hubby Nathan, Kari's hubby Jordan, Kenzie my cute lil mini me (somewhat lol) as well as our mom's friend Joe! I am actually "borrowing" pictures from my sisters blogspots so Thanks to Ash and Ang! We went to a restaurant called Z-Tejas that is at the Gateway mall in SLC. The food was super tasty and it was tons of fun getting together with everyone!

We Love Road Trips!! September 2008

Alrighty so here is a blog I've been needing to post among others that will be posted here shortly! My sister Ashley as well as my daughter Kenzie and I drove up (from Layton,UT- home sweet home) to Oregon and Washington for a little road trip- vacation- get away! We stopped in the Portland, OR area to see my friend Ninna and her kids (Caitlynn, Austin, Levi and Timber) first. We grabbed some grub after hanging out at their place for a bit and then we all went to a park near by to play!

Then we headed up to the Tacoma, WA area (Puyallup) and got to stay in a Holiday Inn Hotel for cheap (or free can't remember now) thanks to Ashley working at one down here. (Very Nice since I drove the whole 12 hr.s up! Lol)
The next day we went to a Classic Fun Center (WAYY Better than ours here!) that was pretty much a GIGANTIC arcade and play area for kids (and big kids). Outdoors there were mini golf courses, a few rides and go-karting tracks! We did it all pretty much! My go-kart was kind of slow though, darn it!! :( Ashley won like a gazillion tickets thanks to her winning a jackpot at one of the arcade games! (1,000 to 2,000)



We also went to our favorite mall up there where they have a merry-go-round inside and sell Sour Apple Cotton Candy that we love! (In the picture by my friend Evan, who we also went up to see, I'm lovin' the cotton candy!)


In a shoe store we all tried on a bunch of different hats. We love hats! It was great fun!






The rest of the time (we were only up there for the weekend) we stayed at my Aunt Jan's and Uncle Mark's (Love 'em) in Maple Valley. They are so awesome! We even came up the year before to see them! (and Ninna and her family too- though now she's back in Utah, Yippie!)


Below is a picture of my Aunt and Uncle's Ol' pup Rambo and my cousin Meagan's new pup Laslo! They're so fun and adorable!

Here is a picture of Washington that we took on our way headed back home! Green and Gorgeous!

Sorry there aren't any pictures of my friend Ninna and her lil ones nor of my Aunt, Uncle and cousin Meagan. (My other cousin Scott is in the Navy far away so we missed him - same with when we came up the year before. )

Post Heart Surgery

Ok so here I am to blog again! Hooray I am doing it! It is late but that's ok! I had my heart surgery 3 weeks ago today (later in afternoon)! Everything went well. The only thing I remember after is having this huge tube down my throat (it was breathing for me) and about to have a panic attack cause I thought it was in my way to breath!! SO I kept pointing at it and trying to move it over though they kept saying don't take it out!! I just wanted to move it to breath ! I guess my breathing and the machine trying to for me wasn't going so well so they finally took it out. Sheesh! Then I don't remember much until a little while later.
I stayed in the hospital for 5 days and did better than most that have this surgery more than likely because most people that have this surgery are older. So I've been healing pretty fast, Thank Goodness! It takes 6 to 8 weeks to recover and I can't even drive until it's been 6 weeks since the surgery! So I have to wait another 3 weeks! I have a feeling they will be longer than usual!
The incision they made was down the sternum but luckily they didn't cut/saw whatever, all the way. They either started or stopped about 2 inches below my collar bone. The doctor, Dr. Selzman said they only opened the rib cage enough to see the whole heart and to get the job done so healing would be easier than opening the rib cage wide open (crushing back muscles-ouch). I had tubes all over in my neck and under my incision as well as all the I.V.'s!! I was so glad when they got rid of that catheder!!When I got home my dad stayed with me for a week and family and friends helped out. Thank you everyone! I had to and pretty much still have to (only way I'm most comfortable) sleep in the recliner. I tried my bed though I kept trying to turn over unknowingly and that wasn't so comfy and I was sore for a while after. I tried the couch a few times but it still isn't so comfy though close. So for a little while longer (hopefully not to long) I'll be sleeping in the recliner !
Kenzie stayed with her Aunt Karen and Uncle Jim who live semi close. Their kids Brennon and Alora (her cousin's from her dad's side) go to the same school so that was definitely a blessing! Kenzie came home a little over a week ago and we get help from my relief society president Sister Gardner to get her to school in the mornings and even to dance/tumbling classes on Tuesdays! (Her classes are at the same place, one after another.) She took her to her classes during Kenzie stay at her Aunt and Uncle's as well.I am so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends! Thank you so much for all you do!! I can't wait to be fully recovered and be able to get back to my life and then some with more oxygen pumping through my veins so I can have more strength and energy!! So then I can help out others all around me too, just like all of you! The night before the surgery I was given a priesthood blessing by my Bishop and one of his couselors and then a Fathers blessing from my dad as well. I am grateful for all of those in my life (that have been and still are) . I am grateful for the LDS Gospel and Priesthood! Thank you for all those that came to see me in the hospital and for those that called and came to see me at home afterward too!! I appreciate all your kind words and prayers!!!

(I've posted pictures of gifts and flowers given to me in and out of the hospital. - pay no attention to the date on the photo's)

My Heart and upcoming Surgery!

So I haven't had much energy when it comes to really anything in general and barely get the important things done let alone anything extra!! I haven't been keeping up on my blog what so ever! There are so many blogs I need to do still! Sorry everyone I'll get up on them as soon as I'm all done recovering from my surgery I'll be having soon that will hopefully fix everything! No more getting sick easily and much more energy and Pizazz again!

My Open Heart Surgery Date is Set Everyone!! It's in less than a week and a half! I told the doctor 'as soon as possible' when he asked when I'd like to do this. So not this week or next week but the following week on Monday.

It will be on March 2nd at University Of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah !! I'll be in the hospital at least 3 days up to a week. Come and see me (after the first day) if you can, I'd really like that!

I don't know if they will be going in thru the breast bone or under the left side taking out a rib (temporarily) yet. I have a C.A.T. scan on the 25th of Feb. (instead of M.R.I.) and after it's done my surgeon will let me know probably which way will be better. (The hole is in an awkward place by important valves and such and 'wiring' that could cause problems so they are trying to figure out which way to go in and fix it would be best.

Love you all and wish me luck!! (Prayers are always good too!)

Previous Blog From the 15th of Feb:

I was born with a VSD or Ventricle Septal Defect or a hole in the bottom two chambers of my heart. I probably should have had surgery when I was a baby but they kept waiting to see if it'd get better on it's own and eventually heal. I was born a good 8 lb.s but there after I only gained 4 ounces a month instead of 2 lb.s (1 lb. =16 oz.s) a month. I was extra scrawny growing up and got tired quicker than most kids in sports but otherwise a normal kid.

After I had my first daughter about 7-8 years ago my mom had a stroke and we found out part of the problem was she had a hole in her heart we didn't know about (her dad had heart problems too) so she had to have open heart surgery then to fix the hole and to get a double bipass. So because childbirth puts strain on the heart I had my heart checked and they couldn't find the hole ! So since then we thought it was all healed up. They did find lil (mild regurgitations) back flows at the time but otherwise I was good.

I did have another baby since then that I placed for adoption. So maybe that had to do with the hole opening back up. I started getting faint easy and then became really anemic a few years ago and since then I've slowly become more weak and tired easy as well as I get sick super easy especially the last 6 months to a year. Last year I had my heart checked and Wammo there was the dang VSD loud and clear on the echocardiogram- like ultrasound.

My regular doctor thought it wasn't a big hole and so I kind of procrastinated going to a cardiologist until recently. My oxygen levels get low super easy (just from going up or down stairs) which is really bad for the body let alone the side of the heart that pumps blood to the lungs and I could end up with some disorder/disease (can't remember name) and would be disabled and put on oxygen for the rest of my life (or could just end up having heart failure). I could get sick easy and end up not making it if my body wasn't strong enough to fight it. I am practically immune to most antibiotics by now. Lol goodness

I had procedures done to check my heart more thoroughly the other friday. A transesophageal echocardiogram and then a coronary angiogram. Before the second procedure was done the cardiologist said I definitely need surgery. I'll be seeing a heart surgeon on tuesday at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. He's gonna set up a MRI appt. and then we go from there when it comes to setting up the date for my surgery, what hospital it'll be at and all of that. Fun stuff eh?

Yea being a single parent that works and goes to school is tough enough, I kept thinking lately I'm about to lose my mind with the lack of energy I have and how easily I get sick!! I wondered how others do this!?! I didn't realize duh it's my heart and life will be so much easier and better once I am recovered !! Luckily I've always been optimistic about life and things but the last like 6 mo.s, Oh man, a lifter upper would be nice! LOL

So yea that's my story when it comes to my heart.

Wish me luck!! I'm not quite nervous yet, just know I gotta do what I gotta do and that I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired! I think now that the date is set I'm nervous about getting nervous. :P

The cool thing is, is I've been repenting for a while and will be a new person physically and spiritually at the same time! At the end of March!! WeeHoo!

'It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me ... I'll be feeling good!'

Lil Sis'N'Fam Come up to Swim! Aug. 8th, '08

Ok here's another one finally! So for those of you that don't know. I actually have had two children. The second one I placed for adoption almost 4 years ago (4 yrs on Feb. 21)! I gave/placed her with a family I met through friends of the family that are pretty much like family to me as it is! I met them through Alicia and Shawn Dixon also Aundrea had mentioned them as well while I was in search for good families. If in case I couldn't find a couple/family I didn't feel was right, of course I'd keep her but I thought/knew she deserved better/More! They couldn't have kids on their own and were ready and living right to be able to do so. I wanted the baby to have what I wanted some day for myself and family to be sealed in an LDS (mormon) Temple! It wasn't something I could give her right away and she deserved that. She didn't have any choice in how she was being brought into the world, and I honestly hadn't been living right for some months and knew she deserves more than I could give her. I already had the chance to be a mother as well as could hardly afford to care for her on my own as it was. I had a strong feeling that Lorien and Logan were 'it' but made sure not to make any rash. decisions 'til later. There were other families I was deciding on too. When I met them I'd like to say they had me from Hello, he he but it was pretty much by the end of the evening after having dinner with Alicia and Shawn and Lori and Logan and Kenzie and I then a movie at Shawn and Leesha's. The funny/amazing thing about my choosing them is that Taylor looks just like the two of them put together! I just knew she would too! Lori and Logan are two of the most amazing people I've ever met and I totally look up to them and can confide in them and talk with them about anything, no matter what!

So yes if you've been wondering, yes it's an open adoption. They were/are certified or what not through LDS Social Services (adoption) but since I met them through friends we didn't go through an agency. Kenzie and I get to see them every year around the holidays! This summer though we got a special treat! Since Kenzie and I live in apartments with a pool and hot tub Kenzie really wanted to invite them up for a swim. So when they were going to be up here for Logan's moms birthday they decided to come up for a swim after all! Hooray! So we went to dinner and then for a swim together! It was great fun! In these photo's they are at the Manti Temple where they were sealed together when Taylor was 6 months old! So they came back to show her and tell her all about it! I'm so proud of them and of myself that I chose them. They are our favorite people ever! (Of course I love my family and friends but yea) :P WE LOVE YOU LORI, LOGAN AND MISS TAYLOR MARIE!