10 Year Anniversary of My Second Life

Today is the ten year anniversary of my second life. In 2010 I was diagnosed with a heart defect that I did not know I had until then I was 51 years old and in heart failure through no fault of my own. I am celebrating what I consider my other birthday, the birthday of my second chance at life. I am very happy that God gave me  a second chance at life and the I have gotten the time with my friends and family. I was so exhausted at that time that I could not make it through a week of work. I was taking every Wednesday off to sleep, so I could finish the week at school.  We went to Seattle for a second opinion and were gone for over a month. They would not let me fly home. The choice was surgery a week from the day I saw the cardiologist at the University of Washington, the Wednesday or Friday after that. We took the first date.

I reread the posts I wrote in 2010 after I had my surgery and all the emotions, thoughts, fears, and the idea that could die came rushing back to me.  I do not remember most of the time in the hospital because of all the drugs they had me one. I spent most of that time sleeping.  The last thing I remember before the surgery was the anesthiologist assistant telling me that he was giving me a shot to help me relax.

I remember Tom being surprised that my feet were warm for the first time in forever. I also remember the wonderful young lady who was my nurse’s aide, and the torturous physical therapist who made me climb the stairs before I was allowed to be discharged.

The nurses loved my darling husband as everyday he brought me a rose.

I feel I am blessed to have a second change at life and I try to live each day to the fullest and look at life as an adventure. I have tried many new things since my surgery including ziplining, which I love. I feel that God gave me a second chance at life because he had.a reason for me to still be here. I hope that I am fulfilling his wish for my life and I am grateful fo this second chance.

Today I am celebrating the ten years that I have lived since my open heart surgery and looking forward to another ten years.