A Christmas gift

[Lisa Salberg HCMA CEO and Founder Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa Salberg]

Hello to all and Merry Christmas!

I thought I would share a story that JUST happened. Since Becca woke this morning around 5am to see what Santa had left, and I went to sleep sometime around midnight....I was taking the traditional Christmas late afternoon nap on the sofa after all the family had gone home. I woke up and no more than 5 minutes later the door bell rings. It was a neighbor and old friend of the family with a man I had never seen before. This stranger said his name and I thought what a great surprise! It was the father of a young man (26yrs old) who had a myectomy at Cleveland Clinic a few weeks ago!!
The world being small and my neighborhood even smaller... here is how we met. When I was a teenager I use to baby sit for Johns daughter Katie, then John became my "copier guy" at Packard, then he helped the HCMA get its first copy machine. John has attended every golf outing we have held and has learned a bit about HCM along the way. 2 years ago on Thanksgiving morning my phone rang and it was John. He said his cousins son had HCM and could I help them. I gave him all my contact numbers and said to have them call whenever they needed to. The phone did not ring for sometime... then about several months ago I received a call from father and son. It seems that symtoms were progressing and the gradient was high, myectomy seemed to be in order. Off to Cleveland (Lever) they went with wonderful follow up care in NYC (Sherrid). The myectomy was 4 weeks ago and today he is at home recovering, some minor a/f (2 episodes, short lived)and some pain with a good sneeze but other than that all is well.
Today his dad knocked on my door to say hello and let me know all went well. What a wonderful end to Christmas and what a wonderful gift they have given me! I will let them share there names if they wish... but I wanted to share their story!
Peace to all this Christmas Day!

Lisa

[Reenie Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Reenie]

Re: A Christmas gift

What a wonderful story. Thanks.

Reenie

[shirleymahoney Brave Heart Find all posts View Profile Close shirleymahoney]

Re: A Christmas gift

Lisa

That was a great story, it is a small world isn't it, my daughter gave her father and i a picture of her 2 kids on a mouse pad and a coffee cup, this year, i told her that was the best gift in the world, it is precious,



I hope everyone had a great christmas with your families, we sure did

Shirley

[Toogoofy317 Member of 1000 Post Club! Find all posts View Profile Close Toogoofy317]

Re: A Christmas gift

You know I've learned that some of the greatest gifts in the world don't cost a thing. For many years of my life I was missing one of the greatest gifts in the world and that was love. I never realized until this year how much it means to be loved by someone. My biological creators never bothered with that. A kind word was something that never fell on my ears by them. I assumed I didn't need anybody and that I could tackle this world alone.

Then this wonderful condition reared its ugly head about a year and a half ago. It hasn't been the best of times but I've survived them and that is all that matters. I have realized however the truth in that everything happens for a reason. If I never had this condition I don't think I would have found the love my soul so desperately yearned for. I didn't even realize how much I had changed since then. Until, today, I was talking to my high school guidance counselor who helped me survive the **** I went through with my parents. She always told me that she loved me and I never realized it but I never said anything back until this time. I told her I loved her too. She told me that I had finally did it. I was confused at first. But then she explained to me that in the seven years she had known me that I had never uttered that word to anyone and she was right. One man though showed me that there is such a thing as unconditional love.

It came from the most unusual of sources. My boss. This bonding became because of two different heart conditions that occured within six months of the other. John had a heart attack and was having a hard time adjusting I didn't know him very well but decided to write or call him everyday to let him know we were awaiting his return. He never forgot that two weeks. Almost, six months to the date I got diagnosed with HCM and while going through all of this testing I was scared witless. My family could have cared less about my health so I was going to have to do this alone or so I thought. John would have nothing of it. That afternoon he was by my side holding my hand and reassuring me. And until this day he has never failed me. Every single time I've been sick he's been right there by my side. Sometimes though it is a lecture on my stubborness but mainly it is a shoulder to carry me through the storm.

So, on this Christmas day I recieved the most precious gift of all and that is love. After we exchanged gifts we stood there and hugged. I felt like I was the richest person in the world because I found out that someone loved me no matter how stubborn I was or how sick I got. That is something that I will never take for granted and I hope people will read this and realize how precious that is.

Sorry for such a long post but I do believe it is a story worth telling.

Mary S.

[Lisa Salberg HCMA CEO and Founder Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa Salberg]

Re: A Christmas gift

Mary,
I have seen you grow over the past year and a half, you have opened your heart and let yourself be happy. No, it is not always easy. Yes, it would be better without HCM. However this is our path and if we were not all on this path we would not have the chance to know each other.
As we head toward next year we all know that regardless of whatelse may face us, we have each other. This message goes for all of us and I wish you all a happy New Year!

Best wishes,
Lisa

[EpLaurie Shy Heart Find all posts View Profile Close EpLaurie]

Re: A Christmas gift

[quote="Toogoofy317"]
[/Sorry for such a long post but I do believe it is a story worth telling.]
Wow, Mary, what a touching story. No story is too long when it has something like that to share!

Thank you and I'm so happy you've gotten to experience "love" firsthand.
It's wonderful, isn't it?

I certainly don't know where I'd be without all of the love that I've been blessed with, from my husband, friends and family.

Warmest Regards for a Lovely New Year!

Love, Laurie

[EpLaurie Shy Heart Find all posts View Profile Close EpLaurie]

Re: A Christmas gift

[quote="EpLaurie"][quote="Toogoofy317"]
[/Sorry for such a long post but I do believe it is a story worth telling.]
guess I don't know how to use the "Quote" thing correctly, oh well!

[Reenie Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Reenie]

Re: A Christmas gift

Don't worry about it, Laurie. We totally understood the meaning of your post, and that's all that counts.

Reenie

[Sarah Brave Heart Find all posts View Profile Close Sarah]

Re: A Christmas gift

mary,

i know a little bit about what it does to a person when their parent's don't make them feel loved, so i know what a big deal this is. see, there is a silver lining to everything -- even HCM!

love,

Sarah

[shirleymahoney Brave Heart Find all posts View Profile Close shirleymahoney]

Re: A Christmas gift

Sarah

I know what you mean about family support, i live in Virginia and my Dad and Brothers live in Olkahoma, they all know i have HCM but never call or call me for my birthday or any special occasion, they know what HCM can do because we have lost a brother to this, i guess that's just the way they cope with it but it really hurts me when i don't hear from them, my husband and kids are here for me though. Take care everyone and have a happy new year

Shirley