Reflections of a Girl

Hello Readers,

Usually, Every August 9th I write a retrospective blog covering the past year. This year, I was rather busy at my new job and missed it. Why August 9th? August 9, 2004 was the day I almost died. I had 100% blockage of my RCA, aka a heart attack. I was diagnosed as suffering from a condition called Spontaneous Dissection. This condition is very rare, even more so when it is naturally occuring (it does happen with cocaine users as well - definitely not me.) The easiest way to describe it is that instead of my blood flowing through my arteries, it is flowing into the spongy lining, causing it to swell and eventually block completely. It is caused by a pregnancy hormone. Had I not been in such good health when I was younger, I would have had a heart attack much sooner after Kristen's birth.

5 stents were implanted into my artery to re-open the artery and restore blood flow. I was placed on an aspirin, Plavix© and Lopressor© regimin. After one year I was taken off the Lopressor©, but to this day I am still taking the other two. Since then I have had two angioplasties to clear scar tissue build-up. I had to terminate a pregnancy due to tests I needed to take that would cause damage to the fetus. It's been an ongoing struggle ever since.

The amazing thing is that my body is doing what it is intended to do - heal itself. I am experiencing what is called arterial genesis - my body is growing new arteries to bypass the damaged areas. It's pretty awesome.


So, 3 years later, what have I done with my life? Yeahhhhh. Well. In the past year, I finished my Health and Fitness Science certification. My sister and crew moved in with me. I got promoted to a level 2 at TCF. I left TCF. I fell in and out of love numerous times. I changed psych meds. I was hospitalized in a mental health facility. I got a kick-ass new job. I screwed over a bunch of people. I learned who my real friends are. Excitement, I know.

Some life lessons learned :

You can't be someone you're not just to impress another person.
It is imperative to communicate.
Family is quite possibly the greatest thing on Earth.
The path you are walking on will never be straight, and it will never be free of obstacles; how you deal with them is what matters.
Your own health and well-being should come first.