Tag: heart defect

What If…
Christian · Health and Wellness · Spiritual

What If…

Gena Elam2 Comments

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

– Joshua 1:9

It’s been a while since I have had much to say.  This blog was created as a place so I could share my story with other congenital heart patients.  Being one of the oldest living patients with my condition, I tend to be some what of a rarity.  Sometimes it’s really cool.  Other times it can be quite intimidating. 2016 has actual knocked me on my strong little bum more than once.  The beauty is, this little lady never stays down very long.

I do have to say the last two months however, have opened my eyes to an entirely new world.  Our world, this big fantastic place full of so much wonder, seems to be in so much turmoil.  It’s actually very heartbreaking.  When you realize how short and precious life really is, it should be about finding your joy.  What makes you laugh out loud, love wildly and want to dance in the rain with you hands in the air? We are all human.  We all bleed red and we all return to ash when we go.  So why do we spend centuries fighting, hating and arguing? I think in part it has to do with fear.  We are all afraid of something. Of dying, or not finding our love, our happiness or of being heard.   Continue reading “What If…” →

Christian · Spiritual

Standing In the Fire!

Gena Elam1 Comment

“How great are His signs, how mighty are His wonders!  His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.”  ~ Daniel 4:3

Timbles_Stock_Fire_In_progress

Every time I write something on this blog I feel like I am in some sort of place of crisis or of learning. And when I thought about writing over the past year I felt as if everyone was tired of the same old song and dance. Woe is me. . . Now I am better! So I stopped writing. My life is a roller coaster. And I didn’t feel as though this blog was contributing to much more than stroking my ego, licking my wounds, a place for me to hear nice things from people. Is that right. . .

Last week I suppose my doctor read my blog because she said I should start writing again. Funny!?! I didn’t even know she read my blog. My first response to her was, I am not writing because I am focusing on my book. It wasn’t untrue. I am doing that. And I just wasn’t writing my blog anymore. But the thing is, maybe now I have more to say. Maybe now is the time to start writing again in every way.

Continue reading “Standing In the Fire!” →

Christian · Health and Wellness · Spiritual · Surgery Specific

Tears In My Eyes

Gena Elam6 Comments

Verse of the Day:
“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

This last month and a half has kicked me in the gut.  Period.  But the last week has really been the most daunting, yet beautiful.  Funny how that works out sometimes.   The week following Easter I am finding joy in all my sorrow.

For those of you closest to me you know I have been dealing with a personal battle, one that I won’t share… but now I am facing another physical battle.  I went to the cardiologist last week… these dang appointments… I should just stop going.  I have been saying it for years.  Haha! I went because I feel like crap again… well I mean my heart feels like someone is squeezing all the juice out of it every 10 it 15 minutes.  And then I am fine… and then it happens again…  This my dear friends is called a PVC, or my pacemaker is pacing my ventricle.  I only have one so it’s that one… LOL! Basically it feels awful and I want to rip the thing right out of my body, but I can’t because my atrium no longer beats at all without it… I mean at all… nothin’… GREAT!! Continue reading “Tears In My Eyes” →

Christian · Health and Wellness · Random

Aches and Pains

Gena Elam5 Comments

Verse of the Day:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5

Today has been a tough day. I am exhausted, my body is sore and I can’t seem to shake this dizziness and headache. No to mention an out of control cough and chest pain I can’t seem to kick, and this weird heart beat… Blah, blah, blah… poor me, right?! That’s what I think! I mean working moms probably feel this way everyday… jeez, get over it already!

Continue reading “Aches and Pains” →

Health and Wellness · Spiritual · Surgery Specific

Dear Diary – I am getting a shiny new valve

Gena Elam7 Comments

Verse of the Day:
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desire, but rather for the will of God.” – 1 Peter 4:1-2

This post is an entry from my diary. It is ramblings of how I was feeling 24 hours before my heart surgery and the weeks following. I am sharing this because I have been emailed by several people recently who are facing similar surgeries. It is not an easy path. It is very scary to say the least. I hope it helps  someone by hearing my point of view. May God bless those going through tough times.

Continue reading “Dear Diary – I am getting a shiny new valve” →

Spiritual

Do You REALLY Believe?

Gena Elam6 Comments

Verse of the Day:

“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” – John 3:12

First of all, Happy New Year! I know I have been away for a while.  The cold/flu virus really hit me and I have been sipping hot tea with honey, sucking on cough drops and sleeping a lot. It hit me the day after Christmas. With my heart I have to hit the antibiotics at the first sign of infection and my immune system isn’t always up to snuff. So it’s been quiet around here. My husband and I rang in the New Year with Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark on the couch and let me tell you, that was the most boring New Years Eve EVER! We will have to pull it together next year… Continue reading “Do You REALLY Believe?” →

Health and Wellness

Yesterday I Was The Grinch!

Gena Elam1 Comment

Verse of the Day:
The Lord is good to all, 
And His tender mercies are over 
all His works.  – Psalm 145:9

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Yesterday I was the Grinch! With a capitol GRINCH! I did not feel good at all on Wednesday. Nothing was particularly wrong with me but my chest hurt, I was exhausted, couldn’t catch my breath and and pacemaker kept jacking me up. This is what happens sometimes in my life. Continue reading “Yesterday I Was The Grinch!” →

Health and Wellness

Open Heart Surgery – The Fontan Procedure

Gena Elam4 Comments

Verse of the Day

Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

My story begins at birth. Due to the fact that I was born with my heart defect in 1978 there wasn’t a whole lot of options back then other than wait and see what happens. I had blue lips, fingers, and toes and I was underweight all my life. I was sick, but I felt ok. Normal for me, though, I couldn’t play as much as my friends because I would get tired easily and that frustrated me but for the most part I had a great childhood. Well, minus all the heart caths and checkups that is. I started to get really sick around 10 and 11 years old. My energy level was decreasing and my heart size was increasing. So in 1991 the doctors told my parents that I need to have heart surgery to live. It was that simple. The Fontan procedure wasn’t being done in Houston at the time and the best place to have it done was The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. So that’s where we went. I went up in 1991 for a review, checkup, and meet and greet with the doctors. The next summer on June 26, 1992 I had my very first open heart surgery. Continue reading “Open Heart Surgery – The Fontan Procedure” →