Tuesday, August 31, 2010

What this Heart Means to Janice

First and most important it means my big brother will be around longer!
And what little girl would not want their big brother around?

It means Michael and I can share secrets that only the two of us can remember.
Most good and happy times that brings a smile.

It means knowing that the other one will be there if needed.
We can talk, or just be together sharing the time with no words spoken.

It means a lot more cooking and sharing laughs as a family.
Good food, good times and loving family what more do you need! With no PAPER PLATES!

It means being together watching all our grandchildren grow, learn and become adults.
Michael’s four grandkids and my one are shared by all, and know what love means.

It means Michael and I can laugh together at our grown children when being a parent tries their patience!
If no one gets panted green all is good with the world!!!

It means more shopping for me and more fussing for Michael.
I know he really does like getting gifts!!!!

It means closing the book on what he can’t do because of his heart and opening the new one which reads, “Look out World here he Comes”!!

It means we all get to share in that joy.
Thanks to a person unknown to us, but who will always be such a big part of our lives. Thank you.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

More Good News

On Dad's last doctor visit they lowered his anti-rejection medication to a very low dose. He was doing so well that they were able to cut back dramatically on this drug. Since this particular medication is responsible for keeping his heart and body on good terms, the doctors wanted to make sure that this new does would not compromise Dad's health. So, last week they sent him to the lab to get some blood work done. The good news is is that his prograff level is just perfect and he will be able to stay at this very low dose. This is truly amazing. Some transplant recipients never get to this low of dose of anti-rejection medication. Dad is truly blessed!

Dad is also up and moving around a lot more than he had been in the last few months. He seems to be feeling tons better. Yesterday Mimi and Papa brought Taylor and made a special visit to come and see Abby and Victor. We all had a nice dinner and then they took all three kids for a trip to Toys R Us. A great time was had by all!

What this Heart Means to Leslie

This year I created a heart. Well, not me really, but I am getting to be an amazing part of it. At only five weeks, my son was the size of a sesame seed but already had four working chambers that were beating and pumping blood to his miraculous new life. It's amazing what our mighty God can do and how, no matter what you believe, the life of a child can put everything into perspective.

Seven years ago I saw this occur. My Uncle Mikey became a Papa for the first time and he changed. This new life and the two that made him a grandfather again and again caused Uncle Mikey to "wear his heart on his sleeve." I had never seen a grandfather love and dote on three kids so much. He had fallen in love with these new lives "heart and soul".

What this heart means to me is simple... the continued ability for a papa to experience life with his family, both new and old.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

What this Heart Means to Melissa

heart (härt)
n.
1. Anatomy
a. The chambered muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from the veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the entire circulatory system.
b. A similarly functioning structure in invertebrates.
2. The area that is the approximate location of the heart in the body; the breast.
3.
a. The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities.
b. The repository of one's deepest and sincerest feelings and beliefs: an appeal from the heart; a subject dear to her heart.
c. The seat of the intellect or imagination: the worst atrocities the human heart could devise.
4.
a. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character: a man after my own heart.
b. One's prevailing mood or current inclination: We were light of heart.
5.
a. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart.
b. Love; affection: The child won my heart.
6.
a. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated.
b. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food.
7. A person esteemed or admired as lovable, loyal, or courageous: a dear heart.
8.
a. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center.
b. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm.
9. The most important or essential part: get to the heart of the matter.
tr.v. heart·ed, heart·ing, hearts Archaic
To encourage; hearten.
Idioms:
at heart
In one's deepest feelings; fundamentally.
by heart
Learned by rote; memorized word for word.
do (one's) heart good
To lift one's spirits; make one happy.
from the bottom/depths of (one's) heart
With the deepest appreciation; most sincerely.
have (one's) heart in (one's) mouth
To be extremely frightened or anxious.
have (one's) heart in the right place
To be well-intentioned.
heart and soul
Completely; entirely.
in (one's) heart of hearts
In the seat of one's truest feelings.
lose (one's) heart to
To fall in love with.
near/close to (one's) heart
Loved by or important to one.
steal (someone's) heart
To win one's affection or love.
take to heart
To take seriously and be affected or troubled by: Don't take my criticism to heart.
to (one's) heart's content
To one's entire satisfaction, without limitation.
wear (one's) heart on (one's) sleeve
To show one's feelings clearly and openly by one's behavior.
with all (one's) heart
1. With great willingness or pleasure.
2. With the deepest feeling or devotion.

I think that just about sums it up. The heart is physical, it is emotional, it is action, it is peace, it is life, it is everything.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What this Heart Means to Amanda

A heart has never meant more to me than it has in the last twelve months.

8 months ago a heart became something that could betray me suddenly. A heart became something that could stop without notice in one body and thus break hearts in countless others. A heart was a cruel organism that could betray its owner, cause suffering and continue breaking long after it seemed possible. A heart could ache and it seemed a heart could not heal.

5 months ago a heart became something that could be exchanged. A heart may have stopped working in one body, but the heart could be given to another to create life. The heart conflicted me. The heart could cause rejoicing in one life and suffering in another. It seemed so bittersweet, the heart.

4 months ago a heart became something that could be created. A heart could be grown from a single cell. A heart became a cause to rejoice without the pain of loss. A heart became not just a sign of suffering or a sign of conflict but instead of pure joy. Finally a heart became peaceful.

Today a heart means complexity. Sometimes it means joy, or guilt, or pain, or happiness. Sometimes the heart means calm, restfulness and sometimes it means chaos. A heart means life. Not solely in the essence of being alive but instead the idea that life encompasses all emotions, ones that are categorically "good" and "bad" and all of the grey areas in between.

All of these things combined mean love. A heart is neither pained or prosperous without love.

Monday, August 23, 2010

What this Heart Means to Marlene

What does the precious heart one special family gave to our John Michael mean to me? From a broader and more general definition It means a blessed and gracious ‘continuation’ of love yet to be given, yet to be shown, yet to be received and yet to be known by family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers. From a personal perspective it means that the person I have seen grow from a young man of only 18, to my sister’s husband, to a brother-in-law whose home I would work on most every weekend (Evans St.?), to a father, to a pawpaw …can now be here with us longer and ‘continue’ his commitment to marriage, loyalty to his wife, dedication to his children, grandchildren and son-in-laws. John Michael has been someone that throughout my life has modeled stability within his family and who has been a male figure of a family man in my children’s lives. We and others have always been able to count on him.

Kelly and Lindsey shared how the circumstances of John Michael’s heart condition actually brought with it unique ‘opportunities’ to draw nearer in relationship and I agree that it has done that for all of us. They also mentioned that humor is an important component of the ongoing process and I believe everyone has lived up to that for sure. Having said that, John Michael’s new heart does not seem to have changed the sometimes sarcastic, often cranky, completely pampered (spoiled by his wife) ol’ geezer that we all know and love … and surprisingly enough, I am actually grateful for that. For all his gruffness …he’s still the same big old ‘bald’ teddy bear and we love him in spite of himself :-} …and that’s the truth.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Good News

Dad had his regular blood work, biopsy and visit to the doctor today. I am pleased to report that all reports are good! His biopsy came back at a 1 and they are even lower the dose on a few of his medications. This is very good news! Dad is making huge progress and it is so nice to see him doing so well. Keep up the good work Dad!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

What this Heart Means to Kelly

When I think of all the major on-goings in my life as a kid, they all seem to revolve around Dad being sick. Not sure if it’s good or bad but my most fondest memories and funniest moments have been during Dad’s “episodes”. To this day we still laugh about Lindsey riding in the plane on the toilet seat to Iowa, and Dad giving Steve a hard time about how due to his lack of driving skills he tried getting rid of him during Hurricane Ike. What good are life changing events if you can’t find anything to laugh about afterwards? The one important thing I learned growing up from Dad was to joke about everything, laughing will always make you feel better. There is only one person in the world that you would ever think of when you see a bean bag, a roll of duck tape or a crappy old beat up not running car that would make you laugh uncontrollably…that’s my Dad. There’s always something to laugh about when he’s around. By reading my sister’s What This Heart Means…you can see she was the more serious one of the family, me not so much. Dad and I have always had a sick sense of humor when it comes to showing affection to each other and others around us… make fun of people or joke with them this shows them how much you love them. So note to everyone reading this, if we’ve joked about you then you know you are loved!

What this heart has meant to me is that I actually got to know my Dad, all jokes aside. Growing up I have a lot of really great memories, but none like the one I will have during the 3 months he was in the hospital waiting for his new heart. We’ve always joked, but never really sat and discussed life, kids, work, etc. Our daily breakfast, occasional lunch and weekend visits with the family were something I will always cherish. I’ll never forget the look on the nurses face the first time he went on a walk with R2D2, he pretended like she unplugged the machine and he was being electrocuted (of course I was standing there getting it all on tape)…we both laughed – she didn’t! From then on everyone in the hospital knew never to take either one of us seriously. I honestly thought many a times that if a new heart didn’t come or something happened, I felt like I knew and understood Dad better than I ever have and I’d be ok with whatever came our way. Now the added bonus is that he got a new heart, and now my kids are going to get plenty of jokes, made fun of and lots of laughs. They can learn how to be jokesters from the Master.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

What this Heart Means to Lindsey

For as long as I can remember, my Dad and his heart have been a big part of my life. When I was little I didn’t really understand the seriousness of my Father’s disease. My parents did a good job of shielding us from it and I never would have guessed that my dad would face years of battling heart disease. However, over time I became more aware of my dad’s condition. Once I moved out of the house, late night calls sent me into an immediate panic. I would wait to hear the tone in my mother’s voice before deciding how to react. Plans were made with the reality that we may never see them through.

Don’t get me wrong. My life with Mom, Dad and Kelly was wonderful in so many other ways. My parents were adventurous, spontaneous and never ran short on hugs and kisses. I will never regret for one minute the life I have with my family. My dad’s illness has allowed me a unique perspective on life that I was blessed to learn at a very young age. My glass was never half empty.

So, what does my Dad’s heart meant to me? Everything. It means we get to make plans for the future. It means I get to imagine my Dad watching his grandchildren grow. It means I get to see the most important woman in my life grow old with her soul mate. It means I have a chance to have my daddy around to give me a hard time, make fun of my hair and tell everyone where my kid’s good looks come from. This beautiful gift from God will never go unappreciated. I will always be grateful. Yes, this heart means so many things to so many people. For me, it means I get my Dad back.

Blog Project

I can't believe it has only been four months since the transplant. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were given the news that Dad's heart had reached the end of its useful like. I remember that day so clearly. It was the beginning of an experience that forever changed my family.

While Dad was in the hospital awaiting his heart, the jokes were non-stop. Laughter filled his room. It was not the scene of a man who's days were numbered. No. Life surrounded him.

We all stayed strong while on this adventure. We rarely got upset in front of Dad. We saved our tears for private moments when we could release the fear, frustration and exhaustion without an audience. Over time I just assumed that the emotions would get easier to handle. I knew we would all be full of so many emotions after Dad got his heart, but I thought time would calm those down. Ironically, the opposite has happened. It doesn't take much to send the entire room into tears. We know we have been given a gift. We know we are blessed. That is such a strong emotion that you can not help but let it out.

This brings me to my new blog project. We each have our stories. We each have gained something different from this experience. I thought everyone would enjoy getting a glimpse of what this heart means to us.

Two Cute Stories

I have to tell two cute stories about Victor and Papa. I need to give a little background first. Victor had his 4 year vaccines a few months ago. Dad can't be around anyone for a few weeks after vaccines because of his weakened immune system. Dad came to visit about two weeks after his shots and we were still being cautious.

When Dad walked in the door, Victor went to give him a kiss and a hug. Victor went to kiss him on the lips and Dad turned his head and asked for a kiss of the cheek. Vic asked why and we explained about the shot and how we have to keep Papa safe.

Later that night we all went out to dinner. After dinner the kids all asked for a penny to throw in the fountain to make a wish. Mimi digs some change out of her purse and asks Victor what his wish will be. He thinks really hard and then responds, "I will wish that I could give Papa a kiss on the lips." Needless to say, the entire table broke into tears. So sweet.

It gets better. A few minutes later Victor asks Papa if he will take him to the bathroom to wash his hands. Dad tells Victor that it might be better if someone else takes him. He explained to Vic that he is still moving kind of slow and has to make stops along the way to regain his balance (all the meds are still taking their toll on him). Victor looks up and Dad and says "Don't worry Papa. I will hold you hand." He then proceeds to walk with Dad to the bathroom at a snails pace. He took very good care of him.

All of the grandkids have really been great through this. They are all so concerned about Dad and have such compassion. I am so glad they all have had this experience to learn and grow from. It will serve them well in the future. I know it has for me.

Busy Times

I have to apologize for not posting more often. Now that Dad is getting better, life is returning to normal and we have all been busy! First, an update on Dad. He has been in one time since my last post for blood tests and a visit with the doctor. Everything looked great! They assured Dad that four months post-transplant is nothing and that he should not discouraged when he isn't feeling 100%. They are amazed at how well his heart is working. The doctor told him that it is working far better than his first one ever did. It really is amazing how well he is doing. We cherish every day he improves.

Mike is finally getting up and around. A few weekend ago he went with Kelly, Steve and Taylor for their first trip in the camper. I think Taylor was thrilled to have his Papa with him. Last week Dad spent a few days with his grandsons and took them to the junkyard. He is staying busy and the kids are loving it! A few more months and we may not be able to keep up with him.