Yay for work!

Hey everybody! I started working again. I recently got another echocardiogram and they said that everything looks good! I got the O.K. to drive my car again and to have a low stress level job. It feels sooooo incredibly good to have something to do. I am working as one of the children's ministry interns at church again for the third summer in a row...they can't get rid of me...muah hahahaha! I actually was supposed to be working at a hospital this summer, but obviously my plans drastically changed due to some stuff that happened this last semester...you know, the almost dying stuff...oh well... :)

I discovered that I am not the kind of person who can sit around aimlessly and just watch TV all day. I have to have something to do,and not just stuff to keep me busy. I need goals in life. I have to be working towards something in order not to feel like a useless, good-for-nothing person. I found myself getting really depressed and just feeling all-around bad about myself and for myself. Some of that is obviously a side-effect of the medicines, but the other part was satan getting a hold of me and causing me to lose sight of all the blessings in my life. I started getting frustrated that my whole future was up in the air now...who knows what I will major in or how long it will take me to catch up or even where I should attend next semester? I was stuck at home with a pillbox and a walker while every other 21 year old was having the time of their life. One day, I just realized what I was doing. It was easy for me to trust God when my life was in danger, but when it was nothing except my own feelings of insignificance, I didn't want to bother God with those problems. I mean, why should He care about that? Besides what right did I have to bring up that stuff after all God had already done for me? Well, as soon as I realized that this is the faulty logic I was following, I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I wasn't going to worry about a thing because I knew that God would take care of everything. Not just the "big" things, but every minute detail as well. It was so silly of me to get caught up in feeling sorry for myself, but to make myself feel better I blame it on the meds...not my own obvious immaturity...hehe.

Anyways, it helps now that I am working again. I am really excited about my job. I absolutely looooovvveee working with the kids. They really do bring so much joy to everyone around them. I have a feeling that this is going to be a great summer after all.

2 Month Anniversary

Hooray! Two months ago today I was in the hospital undergoing heart surgery. Here I am two months later doing very well! My life is finally starting to get back to normal. The last two weeks have been a tad on the rough side. That is part of the reason that I haven't posted in forever...I didn't forget about you. I feel much better now! I was feeling pretty sick most of the time because of the side effects of the medicines I am on. There are some pretty nasty withdrawal symptoms, but it won't be too much longer before I will be done with the steroids. Yay!

I went up to Harding last weekend to pack up my dorm room and bring all my stuff back home. I didn't really get to see everyone that I wanted to, but I did get to see some of my favorite people! That means you roomie! Don't be sad...we are gonna party it up over the summer when you come to see me! Good luck on finals to everyone!

Shuhnorehavore Zadeek

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Today is a day to celebrate! Jesus is risen from the dead! Of course as Christians we celebrate this each and every single day of our lives, but seeing as I am an Armenian…today is a day full of PARTIES!!! As a TRUE Armenian, we will use any excuse to party, especially something that is as great and worth partying about as Jesus’ Resurrection. I find it odd that Easter is not a bigger holiday than Christmas. To an Armenian it is just as big of a deal, if not even more important. Jesus’ birth is an amazing and wonderful thing, but the fact that He conquered death is where the real miracle is!!!

Here is an example of an awesome Armenian tradition on Easter:
When you see a fellow Armenian (or anyone for that matter) you exclaim with joy:
Heesoos haryav ee merelots! (Jesus is risen from the grave!)
Then, the person replies one of two ways:
Orhneyal eh harootyun uh Christos ee! (Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!)
OR
Tsez oo mez medz avedees! (Great news for you and me!)

I think this is one of the most beautiful traditions EVER! We are told to proclaim the good news to others. What better way to do it than to literally say it to one another. I think this should be a tradition spread to all Christians on all days of the year. Let us proclaim the miracle of Jesus and the salvation He brings us. HOORAY!

Revenge of the Plaquenil!!!

I had my first experience with the adverse effects of the drugs. You know those little stickers on the medicine bottles that warn you about side effects...yea...those aren't just for fun. I have to take a lot of medicine during different times of the day. Most of them recommend that you eat food with the medicine, and normally I do. So far in the process I haven't experienced too many bad side effects, but I didn't eat with the meds two days ago. I spent the next 24 hours totally and completely SICK. I spent the entire night awake and bent over a toilet. Between bouts of vomiting, I was nauseous and trying not to pass out. My head was spinning and my stomach was cramping and I was so tired from the whole process that all I really wanted to do was sleep. Of course Mommy was up with me all night checking my heart rate and helping me clean up the vomit. It's funny how no matter how old you are, when you are throwing up, all you want is your Mommy to come and pat you on the back. Thanks Mommy for the incredible amounts of comfort you bring with just a single touch. I am much better now, although still tired from the whole ordeal. It was just a friendly reminder to not forget that I am on some serious medicine...and...Don't Mess With the Plaquenil!

Baking Bread

I am all alone again today. Seelva is feeling better and everyone is back at school and work. Here I am, incredibly BORED, so I had to start looking for something to do! I took Raki for a walk and came back and did some dishes, cleaned up around the house a bit, and then started rifling through the pantry. Way in the back I found a breadmaker that I didn't know we have. Naturally, I decided to make BREAD! It's not just any bread...it's Mediterranean Black Olive and Herb bread. I have a confession to make though...it's out-of-a-box, just-add-water bread made specially for a breadmaker. Haha! I fooled you all! You thought I was becoming all domestic and making delicious bread from scratch. That takes actual talent, which I do not possess. But the kitchen does smell really good right now. :) Two hours to go in the breadmaker...

Last Will & Testament

At one point in ICU I had to sign a paper that was a sort of legal will thingy…I think that is what it was. Basically, they wanted to know who would be in charge of my possessions if “something were to happen.” They also wanted to know if I would consent to life support. Can you believe that? Isn’t that intense? At the time I was amused and actually was joking with the nurse about my last wishes, but the reality of it is the fact that they asked. God is so amazing. In times like that He gives you a sort of peace. I was calm and just knew deep down, that it wouldn’t come to that. Praise be to God, that it never did come to that.

My First Ambulance Ride

At the Sugar Land ER, I was in extreme amounts of pain, and as a result I had my first experience with Morphine. Let me just say…wow. :) They aren’t kidding when they say that it hits you right away. Anyways, I was supposed to be transferred from Sugar Land to Main Methodist Hospital by ambulance because that is protocol. My mom was to ride in the front of the ambulance with the driver and my dad was to follow behind in our car. They had to put me on a stretcher just like how they do it in the movies. They started rolling me out of the hospital, and then that’s when it all gets fuzzy. I remember trying to look around the ambulance and make memories of the ride, but my eyes wouldn’t even focus. It was like a strange dream. Next thing I know, I felt my head roll back and my arms fell off the stretcher. It was the weirdest feeling because I had no control over my body. I remember feeling really dizzy and hearing the paramedic get on the radio and say “Our transport is now an emergency! Give me a nice smooth, ride.” I saw the flashing lights come on and then felt the driver pick up speed, swerve around cars, and beep mercilessly. Apparently, my heart rate was up way too high and my blood pressure dropped far too low. He had to put in another IV, so I had IV’s in both arms to get lots of fluids in, and then he had to elevate my feet and lower my head, so that I was practically upside-down. Then he kept slapping me and trying to make me talk to him. I remember that part. I remember being annoyed…haha…I just wanted to drift away and fall asleep.

We finally got to Main Methodist and it was just like ER!!! That was pretty sweet. They went running in, rolling me along. The rest of what happened is kind of a blur. I do remember that they had to cut off my clothes with scissors (how dramatic!). I think maybe some people did some x-rays and another heart ultrasound. I’m not really sure. All I know is that by this point I needed to be stabilized. I think the rest of the night was spent trying to do that and to figure out what was wrong. Keep in mind, at this point, they still have no clue what is going on. They didn’t realize the extent of the heart condition.

It was February 23, 2006 that I was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Main Methodist. I spent the next 4 days in ICU.