I thank God for ......

[LindaSo]

Tonight I was thinking just how much I thankul to God for all that He has done. And here is why.

I thank God for my diagnosis - it has taught me about who I am and what
I am made of.
I thank God for my local cardiologist - for sending me to a HCM center of
excellence
I thank God for my surgeon - thru his hands, God gave me a miracle
I thank God for giving me my life back - it is so very precious to me
I thank God for my sister - who left her family to come with me 1000 miles
away when I had my surgery
I thank God for my friend - who loaned my sister a winter coat to brave
Cleveland in the winter (we are from So. Fla)
I thank God for getting me thru my post op course - I can do all things
thru Him who strengthens me
I thank God for teaching me - that I have strength and courage that I
never knew I had
I thank God for not giving me anything that I could not bear - even when
I thought that I couldn't bear any more.
I thank God for giving me wisdom - for searching out experts in the field
I thank God for my "pump head" - laughing at yourself when you realize
that what you said made no sense. It is a great breathing
exercise.
I thank God for not being able to drive and living alone - it made me think
about life and what was important
I thank God for healthcare insurance - I don't know where I would be
without it.
I thank God for the lawmaker - who got the FMLA enacted in the
workplace.
I thank God for today's technology - think about those who didn't have
medications, surgical options or ICD's available.
I thank God for those who traveled on this road before me - it is how the
MD's learned how to treat me.
I thank God for my V-Tach - it was finally observed during my stress test.
It had been elusive prior to this. No better place to have it than
in a hospital.
I thank God for my sense of humor - why can't they download music into
my ICD ?
I thank God for grace to get thru this past year.
I thank God for giving me a positive attitude.
I thank God for helping me see how I might encourage another person with
HCM

What do you thank God for ?

[Laoshur]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for Lisa and Lori and for all those who have turned their suffering into a blessing for all of us.

I thank God for watching my aunts suffer with heart problems when I was a child so that I can know how blessed I am to have a diagnosis and treatments.

I thank God for my kind cardiologist who saw me today on a moment's notice when I was having unusually severe chest pain and did not complain at all for keeping him after hours.

I thank God for the two people who came to me in China because they had heart problems and wanted to know what to do and in doing so came to Him as well.

I thank God for teaching me that His strength is sufficient for me.

I thank God for an absolutely amazing husband who truly serves me like I am a queen when things are rough.

I thank God for my daughter and her husband who love me and pray for me.

I thank God for my wonderful three year old grandson, Noah, who brings me delight and a smile to my face no matter just thinking of him.

I thank God for my sister and her family and all the things we share - even HCM.

I thank God for beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics and especially for pancreatic enzymes at the moment.

I thank God for Linda's starting this thread.

[tyreke28]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for my diagnosis instead of death.
I thank God for my local doc who had the courage to admit that it was time to go to Tufts because there was nothing else to do but surgery.
I thank God for Dr. Marty Martin for caring so much about me and always being there for me when I was scared.
I thank God that my mother was able to fly 3000 miles from California to be with me during my surgery.
I thank God for my EP office because they were there for me the morning that my lead fractured...no wait straight in.
I thank God for the stubbornness that keeps me alive...I hate being told I can't do something so I fight to get it done.
I thank God for my husband and son because they are so good to me.
I thank God for putting Lisa in my life there have been so many times that I have wondered where I would be without her.
I thank God for making me see who my real friends are...everyone left me high and dry when I told them what I have. Some even treated me like they catch HCM from me.
I thank God for getting these last three and a half years, I even thank him for the hard days that I had because they have made me stronger.
I thank God for giving me a positive attitude that has never wavered.
I thank God for the technology and the fact that Lisa sent me to Tufts when she did...symtoms started almost 15 years before I was dxed and since then the technology had changed so much.
I thank God for the "angel" that I met here that has decided to play secret Santa to Tyreke this year because otherwise Christmas would not have been possible. I think at 9 Christmas should still be a special time of the year.
But of all the things that I am thankful for I am thankful that God has had his hand on my shoulder and comforted me every minute of everyday of my life.
There are probably a million more things to be thank for but I am very thankful for the HCMA this family is very special to me.

[Toogoofy317]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for my friend Bill who always takes care of me and thinks I'm cute even when throwing up in a Mickey Mouse can in the car.

I thank God for giving me a family that I never had. I will never forget last year's Thanksgiving at the Pyne's.

I thank God for the strangers in my life that cared enough to take me in not even knowing me.

I thank God for my church family because they help me keep my faith and always come to the hospital to be with me.

I thank God for Lisa and her willingness to get me to a HCM center. She even went out of the way to meet me there so I wouldn't have to do it alone.

I thank God for Dr. Marty Maron and the calls even at eight at night to make sure I'm ok or to answer a silly question.

I thank God for the diagnosis of needing a heart transplant because if I hadn't been forced to my knees I never would have known God like I do now.

I thank God for giving me the strength to go on because without his love I would have given up long ago.

I thank God for all the trials and hardships I've had to endure because it made me who I am.

And yes I thank God for the diagnosis of HCM because without it none of the above would have happened and I wouldn't have met all the wonderful people on this board.

There is so much to be thankful for. It was nice to be able to sit down and focus on what truly matters in life.

Mary

[Largehearted]

Re: I thank God for ......

This is a breathtakingly (no pun intended) beautiful thread. After I have thought a bit I too will add my thanks.

Leon

[mandksiders]

Re: I thank God for ......

I am going to do this too:

I thank God for my mom, first and foremost, who taught me that HCM will not and should not stop me from living my life to the fullest.

I thank God for my U of I cardiologist who didn't bat an eye at referring me to Dr. Ommen at Mayo.

I thank God for Dr. Ommen at Mayo Clinic and his wonderful nurse, who spent almost two hours total of their time talking to me about this condition and how to treat it, basically making me feel so much better!

I thank God for my ICD, regardless of the insurance issues after the fact, because it gives me peace of mind.

I thank God that so far, my boys are clear of this condition.

I thank God I have this husband who didn't sign up for me having a chronic condition, but has been supportive and sensible about everything. He keeps me as sane as I can be. LOL.

I thank God that I have a brother who makes me laugh about the lovely health issues we were handed from our family (he doesn't have HCM or the gene, but he inherited other things)

I thank God that I have this core group of friends who have been so wonderful, one who even went so far to write a poem called, "Ode to Kaye's Third Boob" before I got my ICD implanted. Humor helps me.

I thank God that I have a very good understanding of this condition and can advocate for myself if need be.

I thank God for my new job which makes me smile and laugh daily.

I thank God that my condition was caught early.

And while I hate that I have this, I thank God that I have HCM and not a condition that can't be treated.

-Kaye

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: I thank God for ......

I think this thread is wonderful - My list will be short - yet filled with so much...
I thank God for my entire family (past present and future) - biological and cyber - and for our wonderful medical professionals working to improve our lives every day.


Keep it going ....

Lisa

[Midge Rollins]

Re: I thank God for ......

What a wonderful thread and after my tears dry I am going to post.

[Largehearted]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for:
-my family
-blessing me to be loved by two wonderful women (my first
wife died)
-that I have an ICD
-that my kids have weathered the loss of their birth mom and love their
mom with all their hearts
-the HCMA
-doctors that care
-my "boring" job (at least I have one)
-the Cleveland Clinic
-health insurance
-our home
-great friends
-health
-Christian faith
-music
-good books
-deep thinkers
-the opportunity to serve others

[bakyardmom]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for:

My son's diagnosis

My Family

HCMA foundation

Dr. Bonow

My husband and I have jobs

Friends



Donna - 16yr old son dx'd with HCM in March 2008 - No family history.

[LindaSo]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for each of you and letting me know that I am not alone

I thank God for the miracles he has already given and those that He will
continue to give.

May each of you have a wonderful holiday, Merry Christms and Happy Chanukah ! This is the season for miracles.
Linda

[Danielaeh]

Re: I thank God for ......

Thank you for all the thanks you posted!!!
During my son's operation it helped me a lot to re-read and re-think about all the wonders and great things we have

[Jadensmommy]

Re: I thank God for ......

I thank God for this website and the people here who have dedicated their lives to help people understand HCM.

I thank God for my son who has HCM and our wonderful pediatrician who found the heart murmur that lead to the diagnosis of HCM

I thank God for Lisa who has given me so much information about HCM that has helped put me at ease because I have plan A, B, & C in place and I don't have to freak out if we hear he is obstructed.

I thank God for a wonderful family that is willing to learn about HCM and know how to help keep Jaden as healthy as possible

I thank God for my church family who has been there through evey bad day we have had to give us encouragement and prayer.

I thank God for the doctors who have put so much time and effort into researching HCM to improve the lives of those who live with it

I thank God for allowing us to have access to a great grandfathers medical chart to see where the HCM is probably coming from even though the records should have been shredded 3 years ago. The letter saying he was deceased was accidently put in the middle of the chart so they were not shredded.

Most of all I thank God for His presence in my life and His peace that surpasses all understanding. For being my rock and comforting me when I am scared about the future.

I thank God for His love and the fact that He is in control, not me!!

[rgong]

Re: I thank God for ......

I wanted to add to this thread when Linda first started it back in December, but never got around to it. I felt there was no better day than today to finally add to it (see my signature line ) I also hope we can keep it going periodically. In addition to being thankful to God for the many things that others have already mentioned, I've had a chance to reflect a bit today on the seemingly random path that brought me to diagnosis and effective treatment. The more I reflect, the more I'm convinced it wasn't random, that there was indeed a Guiding Hand. So if you'll bear with me, I'll connect the dots...

I thank God for my GP who detected the heart murmur.
I thank God for cardiologist #3 who finally diagnosed HCM, even though he really didn't know how to treat it.
I thank God for the seemingly pointless (at the time) change in my employer's health insurance that no longer covered cardiologist #3, forcing me to look for another cardiologist.
I thank God for leading me to the HCMA website, where I not only learned much about HCM but learned about specialty centers and where to find the closest HCM specialist (Dr. Sherrid, NYC). And of course, I thank God for the HCMA.
I thank God that Dr. Sherrid was *in network* with my new health insurance.
I thank God that my workplace is a 5 minute walk from the regional transit train that dumps you smack dab in the middle of Manhattan, 3 subway stops from Dr. Sherrid's office. (I'm almost certain that if I had had to drive into NYC instead, I may have never gone to see Dr. Sherrid).
I thank God for Dr. Sherrid, and for Dr. Swistel (surgeon).
Did I mention I thank God for the HCMA? And I thank God for Lisa who finds the time to talk to everyone who calls when trying to unravel treatment options, specialty centers, doctors, surgeons, etc.
I thank God for this message board, the supportive and knowledgeable community it represents, and the mods who put in so much time and effort making sure everyone's question gets at least an acknowledgment if not an answer. I have learned so much from the expertise and accounts of countless contributors.
I thank God for the successful outcome of my surgery 2 years ago, with relatively few complications.
I thank God we have treatment options, scary and as invasive as they are, that weren't available to us 50, or even 20 years ago.
I thank God for the faith community who upheld me in prayer. I'm convinced their prayers have made a difference.
I thank God, especially, for the small things that were restored to my life after fully recovering from surgery. Things like -- being able cross a busy street without fear of fainting. Being able to take my daughter to the playground and push her on the merry-go-round. Being able to run from the parking lot to the office in a rainstorm if I forgot to bring my umbrella. Being able to walk at a normal pace after any kind of meal. Folks, it is truly the small and simple things that I savor and for which I am the most thankful. I had no idea how much coping, compensating, and advance planning I was progressively resorting to in order to manage life with worsening symptoms.

To echo what Linda has said, I thank God for the miracles he gives, because to me all of this has been nothing short of a miracle.

Rich

[JEDoe]

Re: I thank God for ......

The generosity of the family of the donor whose heart now resides happily in my granddaughter's body. She said it best on a window she painted while in the hospital before her transplant. Since I can't post the photo, the text of the painted window is below:

"IT'S GOOD TO BE ALIVE"!!

I think that's the best sentiment. Any I thank God for all of you, who sustained the family during that trying time. Hard to believe it's been five weeks and Sara is doing so well she might get to go back to school in May!!