PET Test

Sometimes life gives us a good look at mortality. Sometimes it stares us straight in the eyes. And as much as we like to think we are invincible, we just simply aren't.

My heart has been giving me a bit of a scare lately. Just not acting normal. As much as I tried to ignore the irregular beats and palpitations, they've only gotten worse over the years. I finally went to see a cardiologist. I was the youngest person sitting in the waiting room. Probably the only one still nursing a baby (yes, I should have weaned him a few months ago, I have no excuses).

The doctor listened to my heart, said, yah, I hear something. But don't worry. You are super active and in very good weight. But let's be sure and do one of those ultrasounds, called an echo cardiogram.

After, the doctor came in and said, "this is bad."

Not really the words you want to hear from a doctor. A cardiologist.

He said what he saw was something he would typically see on a person that was 80 years old and super overweight. Yes, I am paraphrasing. He probably used more technical terms.

So I wore a monitor for 48 hours to really see more of what was going on. And the results?

Worse then what they thought.

I have a leaky heart. It is called "moderate mitral valve regurgitation". Most likely I was born with it. A surgery would fix the problem. They still need to run a few tests to be sure of the diagnosis. I have to go in this Friday for what is called a PET test. It is similar to a stress test, you get injected with a bunch of medications that speed up your heart and they watch to see how your heart reacts. I guess it costs somewhere around $22,000 just for the simple test. Good thing for health insurance. Hopefully it's covered.


Do they know I swim for over an hour 3 times a week? And I walk 2 1/2 miles a day? I've never been overweight in my life? Oh, and I have 6 children all under the age of 12? I am not supposed to have this happening to me.

If I end of having to have the surgery, it is a very common surgery. The doctors do it all the time. It is not a big deal for them. However for me, I would not be able to lift more then 5 pounds for 2 months. Probably a 2 week hospital stay. Kind of scary. It is full blown open heart surgery. 

I will get one of those nice zipper scars on my chest. A conversation piece.

After the PET test they will know more and will schedule me at the hospital to go in with cameras to get a better look at my heart. From there we will know more. But until then, I'm a little nervous. Everything will be fine, the unknown is what gets me. And I have great family and friends near, so in the event that I do have to have this major surgery, I have support.

Anyone want to take on 6 kids for 2 months? That alone is pretty scary.

Hopefully when they go in for the scope they will find all the tests performed so far have been wrong and really my heart is a nice healthy one. That I've made this all up.

So if you think about it, please offer me a prayer. I could use it right now.

Square Foot Gardening

I don't have much of a green thumb. I think it is more from a lack in confidence rather than just the inability to grow plants. I married a man that is the son of a super duper whopper of a green thumb. Evans mom can grow anything anywhere in any season. And she passed some of those supurb talents onto her son.

That can be a little intimidating when I have little, if any, gardening experience. I do know how to mow a lawn, but that's where it stops.

I'm easily intimidated. But not easily defeated. I will own up to my inability, but doing so pushes my drive to figure it out.

So here I am having a go at square foot gardening. I researched it, talked to some friends about their experience, and pushed those inadequate, defeating, nervous feelings aside and decided to just go for it.

My children helped pick out seeds and plant them. It was a great time. And I thought it turned out kind of nice.

Until I saw a bird in the garden pecking at the seeds. I hear the bugs can be pretty brutal too. Planted marigolds to help with that.

So here is my garden. Hopefully it will grow. And if not, we will try a fall garden. I have to figure this out. I can't go down defeated.

My 6th Child

Can you tell this is my 6th child? He isn't quite a year and a half. This kind of thing used to freak me out. Now I know he is a monkey, has a superior grip, and probably won't fall. If he does, he knows how to catch himself without a bump or bruise.

I'm so much more relaxed than I used to be. Hopefully that's a good thing.

And used to my children would NEVER be caught in just a diaper. Maybe I'm a little too relaxed.