Living With LVNC

  Today, July 17, I had my first cardiologist check up in a while. Before I get into that, I am going to explain what is wrong.
   I was born like everyone else. At about two weeks old, I was in congestive heart failure and I had a hole in my heart. Luckily, by one year old, it closed on its own. At age three, my mom took me in for a check up and I was diagnosed with spongiform cardio myopathy. So I grew up with this. Didn't really show any symptoms. At age nine, my cardiologist at the time changed my diagnosis to Dilated Spongiform Cardio Myopathy. That just means that it got bigger. THEN at age ten they believed I had another heart condition called Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome. They did some itty bitty operation where they went into my heart to find the abnormality and couldn't find anything. So that was nixed. Shortly after that the name was changed to Left Ventricular Non Compaction Cardio Myopathy. It is very rare for me to get symptoms. I have only had two bad episodes this year so far. Like I said, I have grown up with this. With stress tests, heart monitors, echocardiograms, EKGs, restrictions, medications. It's just the norm for me.
   So todays appointment. We got on the road at 6 am. So I was exhausted. We get there and it is a short wait. No problem. We do the usual: vitals, weight, height, questions. Then we do the echocardiogram. I picked The Avengers to watch during and the shadow was so into it. It went normal but, as usual, the doctor focused on the spot where the hole was. After that, there was the EKG. Again normal. Well, normal for me. I have an extra unexplained delta wave. After that a team doctor came in and we talked about how I am running, MRIs, my surgery from April, and any episodes I have had. Then I went and did a stupid stress test.  I hate stress tests. They throw you on a treadmill connected to a bunch of wires, a blood pressure cuff, a finger thing, and a mask. This mask didn't go into my mouth, so it was sort of better. It made it hard to breathe though. When you're on the treadmill you start by walking with no incline and it goes up and faster every three minutes. The awkward in between run-fast walk always kills me. It's always when I have to stop. I believe if it went straight to running, I could do it, but it is in between and it sucks. After the test I went back to my room and MY doctor came in. He said I did awesome on my stress test! Yay! But he also said my heart isn't pumping as well. He increased my medications. He said that the worst case scenario for me (besides sudden death) is a clot in my heart. It is at a low risk though. They are going to schedule me for an MRI and a talk with genetics at my next year check up.
   In ways I feel very lucky. Mostly because I am not dead and I don't show symptoms very often. So yay for that! But it is really scary to think about how I could die suddenly. Any day. Any minute. It's just really creepy. Some people go through life with this disease showing no symptoms and live a longer life. Some people die quick. Others go through some suffering first. I would prefer the first, obviously. So we will see what this will bring!

Rennovation! Remodel! Redecorating! Redoing!

   Recently I got this sudden drive to TOTALLY redo my room. From floor to ceiling, I have very big plans to make this 9x9 space feel much larger!
   First thing is first. I need to clean and sort everything. I have three different catagories right now. The "Keep" catagory. The "Sell" catagory. And the "Toss Out" catagory. So far I have totally cleared the book shelf and I have been working on my closet.
   After I am finished cleaning I will have a garage sale. The garage sale is taking place on July 20th 9am-4pm and July 21st 9am-3pm for those of you who are interested. I will be selling stuff like books, DVDs, book shelf, dresser, posters, clothes, blankets, ETC. It isn't just me. It's multi-family. All the money I make will be going towards my renovation. I am also bidding stuff off on facebook. This should help make a couple bucks and anything that doesn't sell, I can put in the garage sale! This is how I am mainly making money to buy ALL THE THINGS I am going to need. And trust me, I need a lot.
   First thing I am going to buy is the flooring. I have decided on a nice blue carpet. After flooring comes paint. I am having one yellow wall, which will be the wall my window is on, and three sophisticated grey walls. After paint comes a curtain rod and curtains. The curtains will be navy blue. Then bedding. I will go with navy bedding or grey and yellow bedding. Then a desk and chair. I kind of want a plain wooden chair so I can paint it yellow.
   I am not planning on putting that much of the stuff back on my walls. Just the Maroon 5 poster, the Walking Dead poster, and my world cities poster. I am also going to need storage space. I have seen some things in Bed Bath and Beyond that I am interested in.
   LB really wants to help design my room. I find this so adorable. It totally works too, because he is coming up the weekend after I get the flooring and painting and curtains done.
   Now some of you may be wondering why I am doing this. It's because I am going to KCC and living at home. Here, there is no place to study and do homework where I won't be bothered. So I am making my room essentially a dorm room that I don't have to share. Hell, it is already the size of one.
   I am really excited about this project and I can't wait to get started on the actual decorating/remodel/renovating!!

This New "Healthy" Lifestyle

   SO most of you know now that I have been working really hard at eating healthier and running three times a week. I was expecting to look a little different by now. "By now" means five weeks in. Maybe a few pounds here and there. The problem is that nothing has changed. I am measuring the same and weighing the same. Still about 173 pounds. This seriously sucks. It really makes me feel crappy about myself. Makes me wonder what I am doing wrong. The good thing is that I notice a difference in my mood and focus. I usually have more energy. But this thing with the weight and measurements is really bringing me down.
   I did take a break over the 3-7th of July. I ran only once and ate a little bit more than I needed too. But I still exercised on days I wasn't running. With LB there, I just wanted to spend as much time as I could with him.
   I have been thinking more and more about seeing a doctor for this kind of stuff. What are they called? Nutritionist? Dietician? Whatever. I just think something has to be wrong if I have completely changed my eating habits and have started exercising and I haven't lost an inch or a pound. I will probably look more into it tomorrow. And by that I mean ask my mom what she thinks about it.
   Well.  It's getting hotter and harder, so I am hoping that means I am burning more calories! Wish me luck.

The Best 5 Days of the Month... So Far...

   LB was here!! FOR 5 DAYS!!!!!

   He drove down, in his now fixed truck, on July 3rd. We didn't really have ALL that much planned but we ended up going to the carnival and Matt Guirard concert at the air port. We started with the carnival which was okay. We went on this reallllllly spin-tastic ride first. LB had to take a break after it. I guess he doesn't really mix well with spinning. So he went and got some food and we found my grandma and mom in the seating area for the concert. Hung out for a second then went back to rides. I learned LB wasn't too fond of these rides. Most of them spun. So our last ride was the ferris wheel. This was nice because we were totally lame and made out every time we were at the top. After that we got a flowering onion and a pina colada slushie and went back to enjoy the concert with my mom and grandma.

   On Thursday it was the 4th of July. Woo independence!! We went to LSr.s house out in the sticks. LSr. is my mom's husband's dad. When we got there one of the first things LB did was try Satan's Blood. For those of you who don't know, Satan's Blood is a VERY VERY VERY hot hot sauce. This is also like initiation into my family. LB took it like a champ! Seriously. I mean, his face got really red, but that is okay. He didn't cry and didn't require milk. Then there was food shortly after. I don't know who made that taco salad, but gee wiz, that stuff was amazing!! After dinner was a serious game of kick ball. I originally didn't want to play. It ended up being a blast though! There were 16 of us, I think. LB was on the opposing team which made me want to win way more than before. I did, by the way. I even got a chance to get him out! It felt like maybe a two-three hour game. It was probably only an hour though. We played to 15. Such a blast! Then they started lighting off little fireworks and it was about time for me to head home. I still had to stop at Walmart for shampoo and conditioner and take a shower. So we were on our way out around 10:30. It was cool seeing fireworks the WHOLE way home. When I got to Walmart, I somehow walked out with TWO shampoo bottles instead of a shampoo and conditioner bottle. BUMMER. I got home, took a shower, then LB and I went to bed.

   On Friday I had to work 1-6. I ended up getting out at 4:30 though because there were not that many kids at the daycare. LB went to one of my best friend, KKM, house while I was working. Then he came and picked me up then we went back over to KKM's house. Just hung out for a while. We went back to my place for dinner and enjoyed some delicious kebabs. Friday was fairly uneventful.

   Saturday we went to Michigan's Adventure! We rode the Shivering Timbers, that boat ride, Thunder Hawk twice, Grand Rapids, that big splash log ride, the Funnel of Fear, and the Lazy River. Pretty relaxing. I got some nice color. It was wonderful! After Michigan's Adventure, we went to one of my co-workers bon fires and just sat back, listened to some good music, and relaxed after a long day.

   Sunday was his last day down here. We went to my grandma's house to meet my new baby cousin. Usually I think new borns look like wrinkly potatoes. I mean, at least until they are 5 months old. Then they start to get cute. But this little boy is freaking adorable at 1 month!! Good job Ry, you made a beautiful baby boy. After that it was time for LB to head back. This good bye wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. He even said he hated saying goodbye. I was unaware of that. So he got his new fish tank and rolled out. I should be seeing him again soonish. Maybe Sunday. But until then it is texts, phone calls, and skype. I love this guy so much and I am so grateful for these 4 days we got to spend together. Wouldn't trade them for anything.