Music Monday!

Hey guys, 

So for this Music Monday I want to share a song with you that I signed back in 6th grade at my school talent show. First let me give you a little back story. 

In 6th grade, I was scheduled to get my pulmonary valve replaced but it was put off by fluid in my lungs. Finally once that was taken care of, I got my surgery. But sadly once I got home, they discovered that I had an infection called MRSA. This infection was sitting on top of the patch of my heart and was eating its way through my breast bone and making its way out through my scar. I still remember the day when I reached down to touched my scar because it felt funny and I felt a golf ball sized lump there. That's when they really got scared. 

Needless to say, they got me into surgery as fast as they could. One moment that still replays in my mind is when I told my mom that I had to go to the bathroom before they took me in. For some reason they didn't have a bed pan available. So my mom had to hold me up as I shuffled across the hall into the bathroom. I could barely stand up straight I was so weak and as I washed my hands, I looked up in the mirror for the first time in several days and I saw just how pale white I was. My mom has told me since that day that when she first saw my face and how white I was, she said it reminded her of a ghost. When I finally made it back to my bed, they wheeled me in and my surgeon told my dad that if the infection was a flesh eating bacteria, it may have eaten up too much of my sternum and he wouldn't be able to sow me back up... meaning I would die. 

Thankfully that was not the case and I did live but it wasn't an easy fix. I was on a ventilator for 12 days and during that time they had something called a wound vac inside of my chest; having to leave my chest open for it to work. The infection had made its way into my blood stream so the wound vac was to help clean that up. When I finally woke up and got strong enough to go home, I signed up for my school talent show. 

The night of the talent show, my parents hooked me up to portable oxygen and sat in the cafeteria with my whole family and friends to watch me sign this song. This song is called Miracles Happen and it is by Myra. I think its easy to see why I love this song and why I chose it. One of the reasons that might not be as obvious are two certain versus. "I can't imagine living my life without you now. Not ever having you around." speaks to me so strongly because I think of my parents and family the moment I hear it. Without them, I would not be here. 

I hope that my story and this song will help you to remember not to give up hope and miracles can and do happen. 

Miracles happen, miracles happen
You showed me faith is not blind
I don't need wings to help me fly
Miracles happen, miracles happen

I can't imagine living my life without you now
Not ever having you around
We found our way out
(on you I can depend)
Don't have to look back to realize how far we've come
There are million reasons
I'm looking up
I don't want this to end

Nothing
Nothing should ever bring you down
Knowing what goes around will come around

You showed me faith is not blind
I don't need wings to help me fly
Miracles happen, once in a while
When you believe
(miracles happen)
You showed me dreams come to life
That taking a chance on us was right
All things will come with a little time
When You believe

There is no question we found the missing pieces
Our picture is completed
It's fallen into place
(it's fallen into place)
This is our moment, you and I are looking up
Someone is watching over us
Keeping me close
Closer to you everyday

Nowhere
Nowhere on earth I'd rather be
No one can take this away from you and me

You showed me faith is not blind
I don't need wings to help me fly
Miracles happen, once in a while
When you believe
(miracles happen)
You showed me dreams come to life
That taking a chance on us was right
All things will come with a little time
When You believe

When you believe
The soul is a shining light
When you believe
The heart has the will to fight
You can do anything, don't be afraid
We're gonna find our way

You showed me faith is not blind
I don't need wings to help me fly
Miracles happen, once in a while
When you believe
(miracles happen)
You showed me dreams come to life
That taking a chance on us was right
All things will come with a little time
When You believe

 
 A funny part to this story - we forget to actually turn the oxygen tank on and I stood there the whole time with tubes up my nose with nothing coming in!
 
What songs make you feel hopeful? Or what songs do you listen to that make you realize anything is possible? Whatever they are, I invite you to turn them on whenever you are feeling down and just let the music speak to you. 

Hope and Love,
Becca

Knott's Berry Farm

Hi everyone,

So last week I went to Knott's Berry Farm for the first time! I performed there with my Sign Language group. And for those of you who don't know just what I mean by signing to music , here is a brief explanation. We put a CD into the player and while the music (lyrics and all!) is playing from the speakers, we interpret what is being sung into Sign Language. 


I had never been to Knott's Berry Farm before but I had looked up on the internet to see what rides they had. Sadly, I am limited to only a few rides. Usually the kiddie ones. Haha. This is because of my heart condition and the pacemaker/defibulator I have. Some of the seat belts for the rides, the ones that go over the shoulders could move the pacemaker/defibulator that is inside of me. And the G-Force from the roller coaster could possibly kill me. So it's best that I stick to carousels and water rides. Which I don't mind, thankfully. But I must say, I do miss being able to go on roller coasters. I am an adrenaline junky; so it is a bit sad and hard for me to watch all these people come off of roller coasters with these big smiles on their faces and know that I can't do that. I think one of the things I look forward to the most with a transplant is that I will be able to go on my beloved roller coasters again. While I miss Mountain Dew because I can't have caffeine and I wish I wasn't on a low salt diet - I miss roller coasters the most. 


However, I did have fun even if I couldn't go on the roller coasters. I went on the rides that I could go on and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a great way to start the summer. I got to do one of my favorite hobbies, go on a bunch of rides and I hung out with a group of amazing people. I think it's important to remember that just because you can't do a few things - doesn't mean you can't have fun. 


Hope and Love,
Becca 

Here is a video of me doing American Sign Language to music to help you see just what exactly I do. 

Sorry it's been a while

 Hi!


 Sorry I haven't written in a while. I came down with what we think was the flu. I had a fever for about five days straight and just felt awful. And on top of that I had to go in for some of my finals. Thankfully I am now feeling much better and I have finished my first year of college! It's amazing to me how fast this year has gone by! It's amazing to me how just a few years ago the idea or even the thought of me going to college wasn't something the doctors or my family thought would be able to happen. Yes we hoped and fought for it, but it wasn't always a definite yes I'd love to go to college and here I am, my first year of college done!


On top of that I also have some great news about this summer! I have written a few articles for Pulmonary Hypertension Association. It is an organization for people who have Pulmonary Hypertension; like myself. Every other year they also have an International Conference and this year it is going to be in Florida! We had planned on going so I could see some of my friends and catch up with them. About two weeks ago though they contacted me and asked me to be on a panel and talk to patients, caregivers and family members about how creativity has helped me cope - especially my writing and Sign Language. I am so excited to be able to do this! On top of getting to see all my friends, I will be able to help families and patients learn great coping strategies. It's all amazing and I am so excited!!


Other than that, not much else is going on. Tonight I will be going to my church's talent show and performing American Sign Language; so that will be exciting! I promise to update more often now that I am not sick!


Hope and Love,
Becca 

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while, the Holidays have been keeping my family and I really busy. For Christmas Eve I performed Sign Language at my church’s Christmas Eve Service.  My brother, his wife and their little girl flew in from New Jersey for Christmas. It was really great to see them! There little girl is less than a year old and so adorable!!

I also performed Sign Language at the Phoenix Zoo during Zoo Lights. After the show my family and I walked around the zoo to look at the lights. It was amazing!

I finished school and my break is about a month long, which is really nice. My classes went really well and on the last day of finals a few of my friends and I went to Denny’s afterwards. We were also able to get together again during the break and went out to lunch and then walked around the mall. I am looking forward to classes this semester. When I signed up for classes, a few of my friends and I signed up together so I thankfully have two classes with friends in , and then two that I don’t. Making new friends but keeping the old. Ha ha.

Well it’s almost time for dinner, so I have to get going!

Love,

Becca