1 in 100 births are affected by a congenital heart defect. This is the most common birth defect. Heart disease is the number 1 killer of women. A woman dies approximately every 80 seconds from heart disease, however, these deaths are 80% preventable by maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. 1 in 3 women are affected with heart disease. Some of it is hereditary, yes, but the majority of it can be battled and must be battled.
I am "1 in 100." I was born as you all well know by now with 3 congenital heart defects. I've had 3 open heart surgeries. My heart is not "Fixed" and never will be, though it has been beautifully helped by surgeons and doctors God has worked through. And rather than this fact be a woe is me, pity party, I have chosen to embrace it. Why? Because God chose me to endure it and allows me to use it to glorify Him and to help others.
Being that God allowed me ever so graciously to live a vibrant life I do not want to waste this life He allowed me by living a sedentary lifestyle. He has enabled me to be a strong runner. I run without even thinking about. I could not run for months and months and have the natural ability to pick up and go run a half marathon with no training. That is a major gift from God. That is not me, that is God. I do not currently nor have I ever taken heart medications. I do not have anything restricting me in life. Primarily I credit this miracle to God. Secondarily, I credit it to the choices I make with my lifestyle. I believe food is God given medicine. Not to say I don't enjoy a cheat treat now and then, but on a daily lifestyle basis I eat healthy food full of vital nutrients and fiber and protein. No dieting. Just filling my body with the natural goodness God provided us. I also incorporate exercise into my daily routine. Obviously running is my passion but I try to find ways while cooking, playing with Ellie, and cleaning, to add a little zazz to my movements to really get my blood pumping. I encourage everyone to do the same in your daily routines. Even small exercises exist for desk jobs. I used to walk two miles on my lunch break while drinking my protein shake when I still worked. We have options. One must simply find the motivation and commitment and will-power to do so. Hopefully the statistics above will at least give a small kick in the pants to anybody who needs the start-up. It is always a good reminder for even myself.
Being "1 in 100" is a gift I am thankful for. Strange? If you are looking through a human mind set, then I am crazy for being thankful for these defects I possess. I invite you to look at this through the eyes of God. An eternal perspective. God chose to give me these defects. He didn't choose to do so because he was punishing me for all the things I would/will do wrong....He was not playing a trick or an evil game....He, in my opinion, created my spirit to be one of strength, determination, and ambition. God created me with a divine plan and wanted me to have these three defects to show the world that through my weakness, He is so great and so strong. Ohhhh so many thoughts and truths here. I will have to list these. I don't want a single point missed.
How does God use my weakness for His greatness? Why is being "1 in 100" a gift?
* Before I was born, my precious Daddy had grown up in church. He went to church with my Mama and my older sister. But going to church doesn't make you a true follower or believer in Jesus. Reading your bible, doing good deeds, being a good person, does not give you salvation. It is one simply believing truly that Jesus is the vessel by which we receive salvation. Then asking the Holy Spirit to come upon us and change us- daily striving to seek God first. Being a church going member is not what gives you salvation. If you have questions about this, feel free to ask me or someone you trust who is a follower of Jesus. All this to say, my Daddy received salvation the day I was born cyanotic and was evaluated by doctors to be a hopeless case who needed at the time experimental open heart surgery. This brought my Daddy to the throne of God. This brought my Daddy to seek Jesus. To realize His need of Jesus. To humble Him. To change His heart to be one full of Jesus living inside it. God uses epic measures to grasp the attention of His children. This is why He is a "Jealous" God. He does not need us- but He loves us so, He WANTS us. Us filthy, sinful, worthless, creatures. He gives us our worth. My Daddy prayed and leaned on God from that day and never stopped. He is one of the very most Godly men I have ever met. This was the day he received eternal salvation. I told my Daddy at 5 years old that if I had to have a scar on my chest to bring His heart to Jesus then I was happy to have a scar. I have known since I was 5 that I was thankful for my heart defects. God used my defects to save my Daddy. I am forever thankful for this. If God had only ever produced this one result from my defects it would have been enough of a purpose in my book. But God didn't stop with just this one purpose.
*Running. I have been told all of my life that the doctors/ surgeons my parents dealt with when I was born told them I would most likely die. Should I live, I would live a short life as a vegetable. And yet, here I am. I have ran marathons, I run all the time. I hike and exercise with no difficulties. I am more in shape than really most people. Please hear me correctly...that is not a note of bragging on me. That is a major Brag on God Almighty Who's word is all that matters. And He clearly said, "She shall live life!" I wouldn't even be "me" without Him. I have been able to use this as part of my testimony and not only am I happy to have these abilities with my defective heart, I am deeply grateful to be able to honor God with them.
*Ellie. All of my life I have had my heart prepared that children may not be in my future. I was never told I could not have children but I was told that it would be quite a risk and it would just have to be evaluated when the time came. My parents did a good job of preparing me emotionally for no children just to be safe. When I met my current cardiologist, I introduced her to the man I would come to marry, and she spoke with me at our first meeting that children would be possible. A higher risk, yes, but she believed I would do very well and she would be monitoring me before, during, and after, thoroughly. God used her in our lives. And still does. We, as you know, had a very lovely pregnancy with our little Ellie. I did swell up like the Pilsbury Dough Girl as I was expected to do. However, everything went so insanely well I am starting to cry now as I type. Everything. Every detail. God. All God. God allowed. God created. God did. God went above and beyond simply because He is God and He is a perfect Father. Not only is my pregnancy with my heart defects a testament to God, but Ellie's life is, too. She is a blessing and a treasure.
*I have been given the humbling opportunities to speak publicly on many occasions as one small voice for Heart Health in Women and in general. It truly is my passion. I am one of the most shy and introverted people. I am awkward,quirky, goofy, and too giggly. I get the pit sweats something fierce with the anticipation of speaking publicly. But God uses the weak and humble. David and Goliath, y'all. And I love it. Because I always get blessed by it from God. Blessed as in, I get to meet the most truly amazing people who have CHD's or are parents of children with CHD's. And these people have real problems and complications. They have actual things holding them back. And you know what? Their spirits are so colorful and positive and happy and loving and encouraging. You would never know they had such challenges.And God uses these people I get to speak to, to work in ME!! He sends me to encourage them, and yet I feel I always come away more blessed than the blessing God was meant to use me as. I almost always call my parents or Eric in tears about the precious people I meet and their stories and the overwhelming grace God has bestowed upon me. Gah. I mean.....why did God allow me this amazing life? I am nobody special without His powerful Name. These true survivors amaze me. They have TRULY inspiring stories. But, God gives me strength to speak boldly in order to glorify Him and help others and raise awareness to these defects and the major #1 killer of women that heart disease is. I am thankful He uses me this way, and I am thankful He touches my heart with the stories of other survivors.
*Future Opportunities. I am just living this amazing life God gracefully and mercifully granted me, and I am waiting for the day to come that I will eventually need a pulmonary valve replacement. Again I can look at this through two different perspectives. A negative earthly perspective that tells me to be pitiful and sorry for myself--or I can choose to honor God and think positively about what this future surgery(ies) means. This surgery will most definitely be an opportunity for me to glorify God in at least one if not multiple ways. First, I must remember, this is the life God gave me. He created me a heart patient. This is the way through which God fulfills His purpose in me to give Him glory. So, what will this next surgery present? Will I meet a nurse who needs some positive vibes, love, and encouragement? Is there going to be a small child who needs to see what kind of wonderful life they can live? Maybe the child's parents? A child who is scared and needs somebody who can fully understand their fears and try to make it easier on them? Maybe my own daughter needs to see me go through this for some reason God only knows? Maybe I will never actually know the reason. Obviously God will use this time to help me physically but I feel that there is so much more depth to it than the fact I will be able to run better and function better than I can currently comprehend. I feel like that is the superficial purpose. For which I am thankful, but my first instinct is to seek what God's main purpose is in this. Again, maybe I will never get to know. But, I am thankful He will use my earthly body to glorify His great Holy self. My surgery is for Him and about Him, not me! And in full transparency, it makes me nervous, but my cardiologist is so awesome. She has been encouraging about it and she calms any fears. She makes me feel I will recover well and quickly when the time does come. That is a happy thought! My husband, as well. I'm blessed with the people God placed in my life. Meanwhile, I will keep honoring the body God granted me by taking care of it as best I can. I encourage all to do the same.
I am 1 in 100. I GO RED. I go red for women. I go red for all CHD patients. I go red for Eric. I go red for Ellie. But first and foremost....I go Red for the miracle of life God gave me (and all that life entails).
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