Heart wide open...and my eyes too!

I'm not sure where I've been for the last 8 months, but apparently, I haven't really felt like writing about it! Not much has changed with the health issues, but I'm still alive and kickin'. In fact, I'm still so alive that my mind keeps running 100mph even when I wish it would go to sleep.

Last night, I was so tired of tossing and turning that I decided to open up my iPad and do a little reading. On my way to the Kindle App I managed to take a quick peek at Facebook. A friend of mine from high school had posted something intriguing so I followed her Facebook to her Instagram and finally to her blog. After reading just a few minutes I was almost overwhelmed by her story and more profoundly by her purposeful pursuit of joy. She had over a thousand acknowledgements of daily "gifts" from God in her life. She was living with her heart wide open to what God was doing in her, around her, and through her.

I knew that this hashtag, #1000gifts, was in reference to the book, One Thousand Gifts, A Dare to LIVE FULLY Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp, because it was a book I had partialy read a couple years ago. But, it wasn't until I read my friend's story that I really "got it." I spent the next hour, at least, reading lots of random people's gifts and I felt the tug to start my own journey towards recognizing all the ways God is blessing me in my everyday life.

So, I'm choosing to live with my heart wide open to the goodness that God is giving me and to purposely pursue JOY! Let the gifts begin...

1. encouraged by an old friend's story and inspired by their joy, all via social media...thanks Katie @cardiganway #1000gifts #joydare

2. working for a school that embraces/encourages outside the box thinking & teaching #1000gifts 

3. loving the people I work with and their sweet families #1000gifts

4. being a part of an authentic, Jesus-loving home group at the village church #1000gifts

5. wireless printers - AMAZING! #1000gifts

It's gonna take awhile to get to a 1000, but it's gonna be an amazing journey!

Argh...

Well, I went to the doctor on January 8th to discuss my options. We made a plan to do another Venogram and remove the IVC Filter immediately if the blood clot was gone, which the doctor was convinced it would be.

I went to the hospital last Thursday (the 17th) afternoon ready to be finally finished with all of this business. The thought of the clot still being there and not being able to remove the filter absolutely never crossed my mind.

They rolled me into the operating room and got everything ready...cleaned and sterilized my neck area and my leg. I was laying there under all the surgical drapes for an awkward amount of time while we waited for some last minute blood work to come back. When it finally came back they got busy! I'm convinced they were so eager that they didn't give the Lidocaine enough time to take effect before they cut my leg open!!

Within just a few minutes they were taking the first pictures and then they were done. The clot was still there...this time bigger and more solid than it looked last time. It was also no longer attached to the filter. The filter is actually completely clear!! So apparently my blood clots are super clots that are not deterred by a titanium claw!!

Another interesting thing...my filter has tilted and is now sticking out of the vein!! Awesome!! Here's my attempt at a picture....

Just another exciting day in the life of me!! It looks like we'll be doing that experimental procedure after all sometime in the next few weeks! My friends and family say I keep downplaying the seriousness of this, but I'm choosing to take every moment as it comes and live every day to its fullest. I try not to take anything or myself too seriously. I know that God is in control and every tomorrow is a gift. In the end, my hope is in Him and if I meet Him sooner rather than later, that really is OK!! Blood clot or not, that's a good way to live!