(7th Anniversary)
I was woken up this morning by my husband and the girls singing Happy Birthday and carrying a tray with fruit salad and apple juice. The anniversary of my heart surgeries have become my “second birthday” and there is nothing better than to celebrate with my family and apple juice! (Readers of Beautiful Affliction know why.)Â
This year is extra special since my book just came out! Wow, that morning seven years ago I could never have imagined that one day I would hold a book in my hand, telling my crazy story!
Today seven years ago chapters 38–40–42–44–46–48–50 in Beautiful Affliction took place. I didn’t realize until now that so many chapters of my book happen during a single day! And what a day it was, I will never forget hugging my small girls goodbye before leaving them with my mother, as my husband drove me to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for my heart surgery.
(My husband just called and told me that he booked a trip to Bali next week! Yay!! So instead of a book tour I will relax on the beach and gaze out to the horizon, my absolute favorite view.)
I am so very grateful that my life was saved during my planned open-heart surgery on October 8, all those years ago, and then again thanks to an emergency open-heart surgery on October 9. After having been so close to death, it felt like I was reborn through the miracles that led me to this dramatic climax to years of fatigue, chest pressure and difficult breathing. This re-birth is what we celebrate on October 8, my second birthday.
It feels pretty great, being seven years old. đ Last time I visited my cardiologist in Singapore, he couldn’t see any wear and tear on my new heart valve, so the wearing-out process seems to be slow, which is a good thing! It means I will not need the next heart surgery until many more years, hopefully, so I am very happy about that.
Thanks for stopping by and take care of your hearts my friends,
Lene
PS. If you’ve read my book, Beautiful Affliction, and liked it, it would mean the world to me if you would consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Thank you.Â
Comments (16)
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Happy seventh!!! Have a great trip to Bali! Trying not to be jealous. One day…
And yay for your heart valve keeping up well! That was one of my follow-up questions, so thanks for answering. =)
Yes, so happy that my heart valve is functioning well! I am dreading the day when my second birthdays turns to countdowns to the next surgery. And will be good to get out of the city next week (to tell you the truth it is kind of driving me nuts, especially the constant noise from the construction site behind our house). Longing to the ocean like crazy…
No, construction noise isn’t the greatest soundtrack to work or relaxation…waves are much better! =)
Here’s to the next surgery being FAR FAR FAR in the future. An apple juice a day keeps the doctor away, hehe!
He he, I love that: an apple juice a day keeps the doctor away! đ And yes, I’ll take the sound of waves over construction noise any day! đ
Grattis pĂ„ 7-Ă„rsdagen đ Vad fint att det har gĂ„tt sĂ„ fantastiskt bra, med livet och boken. Trevlig resa till Bali.
Tack sĂ„ mycket Eva! Ja, det skall bli sĂ„ skönt att se hav och natur efter ett halvĂ„r i storstadsdjungeln Jakarta. Och nu skall boken firas ordentligt! đ
Grattis pÄ denna viktiga födelsedag! = Àppeljuice
Tack! Japp, massa Ă€ppeljuice! đ Kram!
Hipp hipp hurraaaaa, grattis pĂ„ 7-Ă„rsdagen. Ănskar dig supermĂ„nga lyckliga framtidsĂ„r
Stort tack Anja! KĂ€nner mig jĂ€tte-firad med sĂ„ fina hurra-rop! đ Kram! <3
Hej
TÀnker pÄ dig och vill ge dig en stor KRAM och önskar dig lycka till i fortsÀttning. Var dag Àr en sÀllsam gÄva.
Ulla
Stor KRAM tillbaka och det Àr verkligen sant att varje dag Àr en sÀllsam gÄva, som jag vet att du ocksÄ fÄtt erfara pÄ mÄnga sÀtt. Du Àr fantastisk! <3
Lene: Happy 7th Birthday! I cannot believe all those chapters you listed happened in one day either. It was such an amazing part of the book. I couldn’t put it down at that point, waiting to read all the things that happened to you. My nephew had botulism and had a ventilator breathing for him too. Your description of that experience felt exactly like what I saw him go through. He eventually had to have a tracheotomy. Anyway, enough about that. Congratulations on your heart surgery anniversary! Enjoy your vacation staring off into the horizon. You deserve the very best in life!
P.S. I have three Swedish boys visiting us now from Hudiksvall. They are my son’s exchange friends and it’s so nice. I told them about your book and showed them it. They want to read it. Oh, and I forgot to tell you. I did a speech the other night in Toastmasters about “how I wrote my book.” And I used your book as an example of not only a great book, so well written, but a book written in a second language. You do amazing things with the English language in your book. You make it sing and I really appreciate it. Everybody looked at your book and I hope some of them order it. Best to you! Leslie
Thank you Leslie! Yes, that surgery day was a very intense experience and writing it all down has helped me a lot to process it. Your nephew had to go through some challenging medical experiences as well and I hope he is well now. It is so great that your family is Scandinavian! Say “Hej” to your Hudiksvall friends! Amazing! And thank you so much for showing my book to your Toastmasters friends! <3 Big hug, Lene
MÄnga lÄnga kÀrlekskramar dessa 7 Är och framöver.
Ja, vad mysigt, kraaaaaaaaam!! đ