New Year (I found my post!) I'm so excited

Ok...it's New Year's Eve and as I look back over the past year, I am overwhelmed at all the blessings God has bestowed on me. He brought me through some scary times when it looked like I would need to be on the heart transplant list. He has watched over me every day and I know that I truly need him each and every day. I am nothing without God in my life and I am so thankful for all the trials I have been through. Each and every one of them have brought me closer to God and have truly shown me his great love, power and mercy. Just like Nathan preached on Sunday....we have to rejoice in the bad times and in the good times.....rejoice at all times. this is something I truly learned how to do this past year. I kept going even when things did not look that great for my health and that is only due to the power of God in my life. As you look back over this past year, rejoice in the good times and rejoice in the bad. Our trials truly do make us better people if we trust in the Lord and not allow them to make us bitter. I am thankful that God gave me the strength to become a better person and not a bitter person. I wouldn't trade where I am today for all the health in the world. I have learned that there is NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! He is all I need. I'm off to spend some time with friends this evening to celebrate what God has done in all our lives this past year. We have some great stories of trials and triumphs and it's nice to get together and talk about them from time to time. Keep the faith if you are going thru a trial today. Faith gives you hope, hope gives you strength, strength gives you courage to go on each day! Another fav song by Richie McDonald. Boy, am I glad he now sings Christian music. His music has blessed me over this past year and helped me through lots! I think I just may have to pop him an email and let him know that! Have a safe and wonderful new year and may we richly bless God! He is good, all the time, he is good!

Make Memories!

Yesterday, December 21st, was my 47th birthday. yep....I'm not too proud to tell my age. You see, 7 1/2 years ago I didn't know if I would ever see another birthday. I was 39 years old when I was diagnosed with CHF and cardiomyopathy. You know, most women dread their 40th birthday. I have to say 40 was one of the sweetest birthdays I ever had. It was a true celebration of life as each and every birthday since that day has been. My diagnosis has truly taught me to appreciate everything in life, even the little things that happen along the way. We only get one shot at this life. That reminds me of a song but at the moment the name of it escapes me. That happens alot when your my age! Anyway, I just wanted to share what a great birthday I had this weekend. It really started on Saturday. Steve, Jocelyn and I went Christmas shopping then came home and relaxed a bit. That evening we went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with my parents. We were supposed to go to Hammel House in Waynesville for lunch but they were closed on Saturday! The nerve of them! That is my absolute favorite place to eat and Steve has promised I still get a lunch there in the very NEAR future! If you have never been there.....go shop and eat. You'll have a great time. The food is all homemade at the Hammel House and they have a great tomato soup that I have beggged for the recipe, but have not succeeded in getting! ok...back to my birthday. Anyway, yesterday was actually my birthday. We went to church and had a great service and the out to lunch at our usual spot....Culvers. After church, Jocelyn and I made cookies all afternoon. We had such a great time. Actually, Jocelyn made all the cookies. I just instructed her on what to do. She's a great cookie maker. We had so much fun giggling and making a big mess! Jocelyn had flour every where and on her face. Steve put up the Christmas tree while we baked and then I'm pretty sure I heard him snoring a few times! After that, we made plates of cookies to take to people for Christmas. Jocelyn went to her small group Bible study and we went to see friends that live close by. We had a great time sitting around their table with the fire place roaring. We sat and shared storied, admired their beautiful Christmas tree and ate popcorn and cookies. Steve and I both had a great time. Then, before leaving, Peggy gave us some goodies that she had collected while in Africa. They are in my curio cabinet now and I will treasure them. When we got home that evening, Jocelyn and I decorated the Christmas tree and we just relaxed the rest of the evening. It was a great birthday. The stuff memories are made of and I will cherish them! Life is good.....LIVE IT! Create memories that your family will remember forever. That's what it's all about! Merry Christmas!

Watch the Sodium at Christmas gatherings!

Ok....once again it's that time of year for Christmas parties and gatherings. For those of us with heart failure, it's very hard to eat many of the items on a typical Christmas "menu". All those yummy cookies and treats that are tempting at Christmas can be very high in sodium so eat in moderation. The best thing to do before going to a Christmas party is to eat something before you leave so that you don't overdo at the party. Watch the dips that are out for veggie trays, etc because just a couple of tablespoons can be a source of high amounts of sodium. Do the veggies without the dip or be very careful about high much you put on your plate. Don't go back for seconds! If you also have to watch caffeine like I do, avoid the chocolate! Chocolate does have caffeine so be very careful. You don't want to throw your heart into a dangerous rhythm for a delicious taste of chocolate. I've actually learned to live without chocolate. At first I just thought my doctor was nuts when he told me I have to give up chocolate but I find now that I no longer crave it and if I do eat a nibble here and there, it doens't have the same taste. If you do eat a nibble of chocolate......eat dark chocolate. There's not as much caffeine in dark chocolate and it has many health benefits. But like everything else, moderation is the key! A small square of dark chocolate every day have great health benefits and is actually good for your heart! So, if you are attending Christmas and New Years parties, take along a low sodium dish so there is at least one dish you know you are safe in eating. Don't overdo.....Enjoy you time with friends and family and remember to take time to celebrate what this season is truly about. Christ came to live among us. He came to feel what we feel, to experience the heart aches we experience, to show us how to love one another but most of all..........he came to die so that we might live. Celebrate his wonderful birth. It's the best gift we will ever receive. Merry Christmas!

Stem cells growing new heart muscle

ok...this is very exciting, especially for those of us living with heart failure and with very poor heart function. In Utah, they have finally opened up the study for those with dilated cardiomyopathy caused by unknown reasons. The study in the past has only been done on people with heart failure caused by a heart attack. In this study, they use stem cells taken from a patients own body so there is nothing controversial about this procedure. Adult stem cells have shown much more promise than embryonic.....in fact, embryonic has shown zero promise but politicians still want to make this an issue and still want to sink money into research, even though it has done nothing in the past. That's what worries me with Obama.....that's one of the first things he wants to change when he is in office. He wants to sink more money into embryonic stem cell research, even though it hasn't shown any promise. Ok...off my rant. with adult stem cells, there is no chance of rejection because the cells come from the patients own body. With embryonic stem cells, a patient would be on anti-rejection drugs the rest of their life. Embryonic stem cells are also programed to grow, grow, grow so all they have done in studes is grow tumors. There have been absolutely no break thrus using embryonic stem cells and many break thrus with adult stem cells and cord blood. My fear is that money would be taken from what does work to fund something that has shown literally no promise. In doing this, approval would take longer for what is working due to a decrease in funding and I believe lives lost in the process. People really need to get educated on this topic. Also, I believe that when we honor God's creation in our research, he will honor us with results and it is happening! Stem cells (adult) from a patients own body have shown great promise in treating many diseases. It actually will grown new heart muscle in people with heart failure and help their heart function better. They are doing the research in Utah right now on people with my exact heart condition. I'm going to have to check with my own doctor to see if this study has opened up in the Cincinnati area. I was told years ago as soon as it opened up for people like me, they would put me in it. If so, I want on the list! The stem cells (adult) are injected thru a heart catheter into the heart thru a minimally invasive procedure. I was so excited to see this article in the paper to see it has finally opened up for people like me! Anyone out there reading this that has dilated heart failure that you have from unknown causes......check into this! You have to be your own advocate so do not be afraid to ask questions and insist on things! This treatment could cease the need in the future for heart transplants and is very exciting!

Hidden sources of sodium

Webmd has an excellent slide show that talks about hidden sodium in foods you don't think about being high in sodium. Go to www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-salt-shockers
and check it out!