Why I Had Open-Heart Surgery At 39 Years Old

"A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22 When that heart was operated on during open-heart surgery, that cheer and gratitude hits differently, let me tell you! So, a few days ago in an introductory post I made on Instagram, I mentioned that I started to study content creation while recovering from open-heart surgery in Summer 2020, and my Instagram sis, Michele, asked whether I’d mind sharing more about my open-heart surgery. I’m happy to share my story, and honestly, I think my story is far less dramatic than it sounds. “Open-heart surgery” … I know it sounds major and scary… and it is, but at the same time, if it is a planned surgery rather than an emergency surgery, you can feel a bit more prepared and at ease. So, going back to my early 20s, I recall a primary care physician (PCP) telling me that I have a heart murmur and that heart murmurs are quite common. Nevertheless, he sent me to a cardiologist for a more thorough examination of my heart, and the cardiologist confirmed the murmur and said that I should follow up with him annually. I didn’t.

The Journey

We all know the “Are we there yet?” question is associated with childhood. During our car rides and trips to various places, our sons have asked how long will it take, which is a valid question. However, when that question is persistent and then becomes the focus of the drive or trip, it distracts from certain things like the beautiful scenery along the way and the event or outing itself that we are usually excited about. As adults, do we do this with God and His plans and purposes for our lives? I know I’ve done it. So, this Word, honestly, is not to condemn anyone, but is to address something identified within me, and I hope it is helpful to you too. What if we approached life like we did our cruises or other vacations? What if we looked forward to the journey and not just the destination?

Real Talk: Pandemic... 2020... How Are You Doing?

Hey, My Cruising Family friends, and fam!!! It's been an interesting year, to say the least!!! How have you been???

Having felt overwhelmed in one way or another, for months, I exhale right now to share with you and hopefully hear from you too.

Allan and I have noticed that challenges started almost immediately after we returned from our amazing 10th anniversary celebration in 2019. God knew we would need that “mountaintop experience,” and we’re thankful for it, and we are thankful for God’s faithfulness through every step of the way.

Starting around November 2019, our family, with the support of some of the best educational professionals, became engaged in a process to identify and secure the best school environment for our super smart, lovable, and loving younger son, LJ, and we also worked to provide the best support for our older son, AJ, through this time. This process was intense and stretched into March 2020, which is when New York City, where we reside, went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and working from home and schooling from home all began.

We cancelled a cruise we had planned for March 2020, and it's a good thing too because, in March, Allan went into quarantine after working with a former coworker who tested positive for COVID-19, and that coworker passed away in early April 2020. Thankfully, for the most part of his quarantine, Allan was asymptomatic. For the safety of his family, and by circumstances only God could align, Allan’s quarantine went until the first week of June 2020.

Then, in June 2020, I had open-heart surgery.

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