Today I thought it was quite fitting that on my one year anniversary of my new pacemaker, I was wearing a 24-hour Holter monitor! It's not because I'm having any issues with my pacemaker. Instead, I'm just preparing for my upcoming cardiology appointment next month.
Thankfully, my cardiologist from Mayo comes here to Bismarck, so I don't have to make the 1,000-mile round trip again! By the way, isn't amazing how small these Holter monitors are nowadays? I remember having to wear much larger ones that could not be hidden very easily, plus it was hard to sleep being attached to a big clunky machine. Last night, I hardly even knew this little one was there!
I got my original pacemaker in August of 1999 but because the lead was getting old, my cardiology team wanted me to get a new one. It was last year on this day that I was recovering from the procedure. It still bends my mind how God took care of every single detail and that I had found enough people to look after Faith for the five days (and four nights) that I was gone.
I am still incredibly grateful for all those who stepped up to look
after her. I'm also thankful my sister was able to take me there. Faith
still talks about it like it just recently happened. She often mentions
that her aunt and little cousin stayed with her a couple of nights and
how patient she had to be.
She also talks about how our friend Mandi looked after her, and she even had her kids and husband come over to visit.
I don't know what I would have done without her as she came every
morning to relieve the overnight staff and get Faith out of bed. She
even sent me a picture of Faith every day!
Faith had loads of fun while I was gone!
Faith told me when Grandma and Grandpa were here, Grandpa did his
crossword puzzle and then took a nap. (It's just funny which details she remembers!) There was also the respite care
staff who stayed over a couple of nights and also a few other friends
who helped out. She will truly never forget it. Most of all though, I
think she is proud of herself for getting through that time and being so
mature. It helped that I got to talk to Faith every day and even did a
couple of video chats with her, which she loved.
Even though
it was for a medical procedure, my sister and I made the best of it and
had plenty of laughs along the way. Especially when on the way home our
sister was heading back from a work trip and we managed to catch up to her on
the Interstate, which you can see in the video below!
The double rainbow we spotted just as we crossed into Minnesota
After driving in the dark (and rain) through the Cities, we were very thankful to reach our comfy hotel room.
Our hotel was conveniently located just across the street from where I would be having my procedure. This is also where I had my last open heart surgery in 1999 and my original pacemaker implantation.
Taking the shuttle from our hotel to the downtown campus for a day of medical tests.
Hanging around waiting for the last appointment of the day.
My sister even was able to get some work done!
After a long day, we were able to eat at our favorite restaurant in Rochester!
Me after my procedure...I was just a tad groggy!
Grateful that things went so well!
After a night in the hospital and an extra day recovering, we were ready to hit the road again!
Who is that ahead of us on the Interstate? Let's find out!
Tired but happy sisters reunited in Bismarck!
Grandma is there too, and Faith is super excited to have us all there!
Hopefully it will be awhile before I need to go to Mayo again for a medical procedure. If I do though, I know God will provide and Faith will be well looked after!
When one thinks vacation, they probably don't think about Nebraska, especially in November! But when I heard that a friend of mine was going be having surgery in Omaha, I began thinking about how great it would be to go down that way, especially since my sister, Tesa has lived in Lincoln for 17 years, and I have never had the chance to visit. Lo and behold, my dad had also been talking about heading South to Texas in November to hunt wild pigs. My two respite care workers were available to look after Faith starting on a Friday morning through Tuesday evening. All I had to do was book a flight so I could get back home. Despite all the details falling into place, I was still anxious about it. I haven't flown since Faith was a baby, so I was especially nervous about that part. I prayed about it and believed that everything would be okay. On the morning of my departure, Faith woke up just in time and her respite care staff was able to get her dressed and take her to her day prog
November 17 marks World Prematurity Day . One might wonder why awareness needs to be raised about premature births. Well, I can tell you firsthand that it is a really good thing when more people are aware of the risks and complications, not to mention the emotional toll, of having a baby born too early. Having a baby born prematurely is not something most expectant parents think about until it happens to them. Most moms-to-be who first learn they are pregnant automatically think they have seven or eight months to prepare for one of the biggest days of their life. Expectant parents usually have one response when asked if they are hoping for a boy or a girl - "As long as the baby's healthy." But sadly, sometimes that's not always the case - especially if the baby is born too early. I will never forget the book I was reading shortly after finding out I was pregnant with Faith - "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It was a great resource that o
Faith's 21st birthday was on Friday the 25th and it ended up being an all-day celebration! She didn't sleep well the night before, so I was a little concerned she would run out of steam, but she just kept going! It ended up being a beautiful fall day, so I didn't even need to put a jacket on her, which is rare for the end of October. Faith in her new birthday shirt! This year, she was able to bring cupcakes to HIT. Last year, due to the dietary restrictions of her peers, she didn't bring any treats. This year, however, she is a new room, where they truly love their snacks! After I dropped her off, I raced around like a maniac getting her ballons, presents, and everything else ready for the surprise party we would be having at the end of the day. Faith with some of her staff making a cupcake delivery. When I picked her up from her day program, I informed her that some friends of mine that I worked with wanted to give her a special birthday treat. So, we made our way
Guest Post by Stephen Gallup Last week, a columnist for the local newspaper interviewed me in connection with a memoir I wrote that’s being published this year. It was a comfortable, low-key discussion in which he asked about the basic facts regarding my disabled son Joseph and what I’ve learned that might be of value to other families. It was the sort of dialog that required no special preparation in advance. I just sat down with him and talked about the subject closest to my heart. But looking back on it now, one thing bothers me. In concluding the interview, the reporter expressed heartfelt sympathy for everything I’ve endured. He was being more than polite. I mean, he laid the compassion on with a spatula. Startled, and already thinking ahead to what I had to do next that day, I just thanked him and said goodbye. But now that final note troubles me. I don’t want sympathy! First of all, from the point of view of a new author hoping to promote his book, sympathy
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