Awake.

I remember opening my eyes, and I was in a room where the door was in front of my eyes. My vision was blurry, but I remember seeing my Mom. I kept asking for water. My mouth was kinda sore and dry. I was very thirsty. But they told me no, that I couldn't drink yet. I remember my Nurse coming in Ruthy and she told me I should try and sit up. So she and another nurse Ben, came in and helped me sit. My vision was still blurry and my stomach became sick as I sat up and Ruthy began to rub my shoulder. Since they ached in pain and put a lot of pressure on my chest and back. I was tired and wanted to lay back down. My mom was at my side trying to make me feel better. But my back and shoulders hurt really bad. I slept most of the time in the hospital, when I was in ICU I couldn't sleep, I had to babies rooms right beside me. They were both new born Ruth had to take care of them too. They kept crying all night long. I didn't get any sleep and my mom didn't either, since she spent the night with me. The next day I woke up in 4am they had to do a X-ray. They put this metal plate behind my back and put a machine above me and it took the picture. Than I fell back to sleep, my mom had to leave at 7 or 8., I'm not to sure. I just remember her leaving and that she would be back when they let her in. I fell asleep and woke up to my new Nurse Micheal.  He was putting more morphine in my IV's. He told me he could take out a couple of my IV's, so he took out the one on my neck  and the one on my left wrist. We talked about school and music, I told him I listened to metal and he was surprised and we talked about some bands. The neck IV, hurt a little bit, there was this weird metal things came out. It was weird. My mom came back and my vision was starting to clear up, and I could finally see! My dad, sister and boyfriend showed up, and I mostly slept. I think eariler my surgeon came and checked on me. Dr. Kaza.Anyways. Micheal put on my favorite band. Escape the fate. I was really happy, it made me feel some what normal. Than before I knew it, I was going to a new room! They took me to the 3rd floor???? I don't remember. The new room was nicer, it had a better TV and a PlayStation. (My dad was happy about that :P) And a pull out bed for my mom to sleep on! The nursed were nice. I hardly remember there names. I was still kinda loopy. I think Stephanie was one.. out of the many I had. I finally went to the bathroom on by myself. I have never felt so stiff in my life. I could barely walk, and my vision was kinda  blurry, but I wanted to walk around. I wanted to go home. They gave me Apple juice with Lasix.It wasn't the greatest, but they told me I had to drink and eat. Annie my nurse practitioner came in and told me she had to remove my chest tub.  They gave me the highest dose they could of Morphine Annie began taking it out, she told me that I had to breathe in when she pulled and she said ready Breath! and as I did, it felt as if someone had pulled my insides out. One tear fall from my face and others followed. My mom was holding my hand the whole time! That was pretty painful. Later that night I watched Beauty and the beast and ate my dinner. Chicken nuggets. My family had gone down to eat there dinner. Then my nurse came in and said I needed to go on a walk. I said okay and he helped me and I walked down the hall. It felt good to get up and walk. but my body was still sore it and ached pretty bad. When my parents came back I told them I had walked and they were happy and proud! I slepty better that night, so screaming babys.  but they still wake you up every hour..
 Next day it was thanks giving and I felt great, I was eating and drinking more.  My family spent the day with me. My boyfriend couldn't.. But we watched the Dallas Cowboy game and than I got moved into a new room! They needed my room for another baby. So I moved to a bigger room and we ate our dinner. The next day was Friday. And they said I could go home today. Dr. Kaza came in and talked to my mom and said I looked really well. I had also done an x-ray around 5am. My cousins Zack, vincent and his wife Lori, came and saw how I was doing. They visted for a little bit. Till the nurse said I could go home. So my mom called my dad and I was ready to go. My mom packed her stuff and my stuff. I got out of the hoisptal bed and waited in a chair. My dad came and got my prescriptions, but we were still waiting for the discharge paper's After waiting for a little while, we got to go and I was on my way home!!!
I was happy to be wheeled out of the hospital, I could go home and lay in my own bed. We took  the pillow's to help me at home. My dad helped me into are car and we were on our way home. Of course the ride home was very uncomfortable. My shoulders and most of my back ached and I could barely move. We came home and there was a sign on the window. It said "Welcome Home Micky!" With the background being green & black checkers. my fave!! My boyfriend was there with my sister waiting for my arrival. My dad helped me up the stairs and to my room. I laid down in my recliner that my parents got me and fell asleep.

Day before surgery/ day of

The days seemed to go by quick and before I knew it,  I was at the hospital for my pre-op.
My appointment was at 1pm, My whole family came and supported me. My mom had gotten a letter in the mail telling us what steps we had to do first. So first we had to go to Out Patient and they gave me that little bracelet that says your name and birth date.  Than I had to go to get blood taken my sister Kiley was taking pictures of me along my journey. So she came in the back with me, and the nurse and a lady who was there to assist the nurse. The nurse asked how I was doing, and why I was there. I told her my story and she signed my book. Me and mom had went to the mall to get a book by Paul Cardall, its called Before My Heart Stops. Its a story about his life and what he has gone through. I was going to have people sign it, along the way of my journey. Anyways, They took four different things of blood. I don't really mind getting blood drawn, its never scared me and it doesn't hurt. After the blood taking, we all went upstairs to meet my Nurse practitioner  Annie. She just checked over me, made sure that my body was healthy enough for the surgery tomorrow because two weeks before my surgery I had gotten sick with a cold. I had to be taken out of school and kept home so I would get better. I took vitamins everyday, took airborne to make me feel better and to take the cold away..I did my school work at my home before my term ended which was before Thanksgiving break. And I was going to be in the hospital for Thanksgiving.
Annie went over some stuff and how my surgery was going to go down. At that moment I wasn't really scared or worried. I  felt kind of relived, and excited that it was finally here. I would be fixed. After that we went down for a x-Ray. Having everyone I met sign my book. The x-ray was easy and the guy was really nice. I felt comfortable in the hospital, Ive always wanted to work as a Nurse. So feeling comfortable was a good thing, it made me less scared. Later that day I came home and took a nap, I felt exhausted the last couple months. I  than woke up and watched TV with my dad. It was about this competition  where these guys have to build cars that will go over water. It was really awesome. Than I got a piece of pie, We had a huge Thanksgiving dinner the week before, since I wouldnt,t be able to do it like usual my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, grandparents from both sides all came to support me. I had a wonderful time, it showed me how much my family really loved me!! <3
I couldn't eat after 12am and drink after 4am. I stopped after 10pm And than before I knew it, I had to go to bed. I had to get up at 4:30am. We had to pick up my boyfriend Josh and head all the way up to Primary Childrens.  It was hard for me to sleep that night, I only slept about 4 hours. I remember waking up and feeling this worry and I was nervous. I got up and got ready waited for everyone else to do the same, than packed some cloths, toothbrush, and other items I would need, And than spent sometime with my puppy Bullet, I wouldn't be seeing him for a little while. And than we left to pick up my boyfriend and head up to the hospital.
It was time, we arrived and shortly my Aunt Lynne and my cousins Chris, (4) Jaymarie (5) and James Showed up to support me. I was happy to see my family, but I just kept thinking about my surgery..
 My mom and dad went up and got me all registered in, and my mom said I would be with them for another 1 or 2 hours, but she was wrong. 10 minutes later they call me back and they wont let My sister Kiley or my boyfriend Josh. It made me mad!!!
But I got changed in a room with my mom, and it was time to met my Anesthesiologist and my Surgeon Dr. Kaza.  My Anesthesiologist came in and we talked, he told us what he was going to do and why hes there. He told me there was a bunch of different smells and I choose Spearmint!  Dr.kaza came in and told what he was going to do. I already knew what he was going to do, some things he mentioned I didn't know, but i'm glad he told me. And before I knew it, it was time. I walked out in my gown that drowned me, and my whole family walked with me down to where they were allowed too. Than I said my byes. and hugged and didn't cry. I felt strong. When I turned around and walked through the doors that lead through another hallway, leaving my family behind. Hoping I would see them all again. I did not feel nervous, like I didn't earlier. I felt like I was powerful, I felt so strong and excited. and when I laid down on that surgery table and breathed in the Anesthesia I was ready for this. My body was ready for this. I was ready to have a 2nd change at life, and I did.

Waiting for the fundraiser....

As the days lead up to the fundraiser I continued with school  and tried to keep life as normal as possible , I found myself having days Good and days Bad! My family and I had many emotions going on many different thoughts racing through all of our heads. I couldn't wait for the fundraiser I knew it would help my family out a lot financially because I'm sure my parents were a bit stressed on how this would effect them, though I know my father could handle it , my mom did just have Brain surgery a year ago I'm sure this was a lot for them to take in. So my sister had her work donate gift certificates to the raffle and my mom worked on getting my father's work to donate to the raffle as well. And there were fliers made up and hundreds of people were showing me so much Love and support on face book it was so AMAZING!!! I just couldn't believe how nice people could be to me and my family. We made up fliers and took them to my school as well.Margaret her friends and my family members worked on this fundraiser for about  a month and they had it at the 19 th Hole Golf course in Magna on Oct 16 . I must back up a moment though Because before the fundraiser I  got to have a photo shoot with My sister Kiley who Owns FROZEN LENS PHOTOGRAPHY she did a shoot with me and  she named it FIGHTER It looked as though I had been in a fight symbolizing my fight against MY CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT and how I would beat my BATTLE !!! I also did a second photo shoot with Sam Shore and this one was called Angel of Light , it was shot at The National Peace Gardens . I had so Much fun in my yellow dress and wings!!!
So back to the fundraiser . That morning we went and made copies of my photo shoot pictures so that everyone could see them. When we arrived I was surprised to see how many people were there already, and the food smelled yummy!!!  As the day went on hundreds of people came and went and ate and supported me and gave me words of encouragement and love and HUGS!!! I had my family and my boyfriend  Josh by my side the whole day I was so HAPPY!!! I just couldn't believe all these people I didn't even know were all here for ME ! It gave me strength to know I could do this , but inside I was still scared , But I was getting stronger everyday.

Waiting.. and More Waiting.

The days went by and I tried to live a normal life as possible. Trying not to stress and think about what's going to happen to me. I was kind of in denial about the whole situation, I felt as if I was still waiting as if there was still a chance I wouldn't be having Open Heart Surgery. Soon enough I came to a point where I knew I was going to have to go through this. I was scared. I felt like crying when I would be at school and something someone said would remind me of the situation. I became angry. I didn't want to talk about it, I'm not very good at saying how I feel. My mom ended up helping me she told me to just cry. To just get it all out. To not hold in emotions. And it worked! School became kind of the thing that took my mind off of  my surgery. It was only Sept, and I was still waiting for my phone call from that surgeon. I was hoping it was after Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It would be nice to just have fun, of course no Haunted Houses for me!  Don't want my heart racing fast. A week or so later the surgeon called and said they are backed up. But that my surgery date was November 22nd. I was kind of disappointed it was that far away. Which means it was more and more waiting more and more stress and also a lot of worry. I would be in there for Thanksgiving. Me and my family had a lot to be thankful for. A little bit later after we found out about my surgery. A lady had contacted my mom and asked if she could do a  fundraiser for me, She said she saw my moms status about it and wanted to help our family. Of course my mom and my whole family was speechless. We said yes. Her name was Margaret Mondragon, shes the wife of my parents Tattoo artist Jr. Mondragon. Margaret, a lady we know  only so little of. Wanted to help me, our family.  God had sent her to us. To help us, so our family didn't feel alone. My fundraiser was Oct. 16.... To Be Continued.

The beginning

So My story starts on Aug. 20th, 2010 when my mom took me for a regular routine check up , she took me to a new Dr. who was listening to my heart when she heard a Heart murmur. She asked My mom if she knew I had a Heart murmur , My mom said NO! She had a concerned tone in her voice and in her eyes and said she wanted to do a EKG .So the next thing I knew I was hooked up to a bunch of wires. And she then said I needed to be seen by a Pediatric Cardiologist @ Primary Childrens Hospital A.S.A.P I'm not going to lie I was scared. She told my mom don't wait go home and call right away.My mom asked what is a murmur and she said its a HOLE in the heart , We were SHOCKED! We left the Dr's and on the drive home we both cried I was scared I didn't understand what was going on, neither of us did. When we got home my Mom made the call to the cardiologist and we couldn't get in for another 3 wks. So I tried to make life go on as usual but it was not easy for any of us. I have my father a sister and a boyfriend whom were all worried for me. I started a new school and threw all my concentration or tried to any how into it , until Sept. 14th came around which was the day we went to Primary Childrens . When we arrived they hooked me up to all those wires again and did another EKG and confirmed the murr, murr and then the cardiologist came in and examined me and asked me questions like do I get out of breath easy when I run , and I told him yes I also do when I walk up the stairs and my heart feels like its popping out of my chest as if I have just ran a around the block when I'm just relaxing watching T.V , all these things I thought were normal because I have lived this way for 14 and half yrs. He then told us he thought I had something call ASD or ATRAIL SEPTAL DEFECT its a Congenital Heart Defect something I was born with. And I would need surgery. They could do surgery one of two ways . 1. A catheter could be placed in my leg and a device could plug the hole if there was enough rim on either side of the hole, or 2. Open Heart surgery. The only way to make this decision was to do and ultrasound on the Heart . so the next day Sept. 15th we went in for the Ultrasound and seen my Heart , the hole was massive and there was no rim on either side of the hole and the only option was Open Heart Surgery. Again We were SHOCKED! So a month ago I was getting ready to start my freshman year of High school and that was my ONLY worry and now I was being told I was having Open Heart surgery . The Dr. said The surgeons would be in contact with us and would schedule a date for the surgery it could be 6 weeks out . So more waiting , not sure we could handle this... to be continued........