First post!

This is my first post on my new blog! A little about myself...I live on the west coast and am married. Our family consists of myself, my husband and our two miniature dachshunds. They keep me hopping most of the time! Right now they are napping on the couch. Their names are Frankie and Pishka and they are both 6 years old. Pishka is 6 weeks older than Frankie and he likes to rule the house, lol. Nothing is done without his approval I should like to think, lol! Of course truth be known when it's up to the barking he lets Frankie do the talking...until he decides to add a few barks in of his own. At that time mama gets tired of that and she puts them outside and closes the front door. Our front area including carport is fenced in and secure. So just closing the front door really makes a statement to Pishka and Frankie, lol.

I am also a transplant recipient. I received a heart and two lungs in August 2003 after waiting almost 4 years. I was born with what is now known as Eisenmenger's Syndrome. That is where the heart has some sort of defect and is usually accompanied by pulmonary hypertension of the lungs. Growing up was difficult outside of the family because kids in school would tease me greatly about my purple lips. That was caused by a lack of oxygen to my extremities. My fingers and toes turned deep purple in the cold as well. My family was really good about it. My cousins never asked me questions as far as I remember about it. Growing up I was pretty much like any other child...went to school, church and other activities. I also have a stubborn streak and I'm hyper. I'm sure that is what kept me going when the doctors kept telling my parents I wouldn't survive to see the next year, lol.

When I was 19 we went to Loma Linda Medical Center to see if anything could be done to correct my heart. I'll never forget it. After testing and consulting with Dr. Bailey, Dr. Applegate cried to my mother and I as she told us the news. No matter how good the technology was and what amazing things they could do-there was no way they could help me. The only answer was a heart and double lung transplant. My mom had heard those words before when I was a newborn. For me, it was a revelation that hit me like a ton of bricks. I denied it and I also figured God had brought me this far...he would keep me going. He did keep me going until exactly 10 years later when I received my transplant.