(we were able to fit in one more family Tiger game (w/fireworks!) before summer's end.  Tigers won 9-0.)

Good morning. I knew if I said I'd type every Thursday, I wouldn't be able to keep that commitment. I never was good with follow-through. That's why I have Dave.

Things continue to go well for me. I feel almost 100% with the exception of those darn palpitations. I've gotten used to wearing the monitor, and my first set of EKG reports sent to Dr. Friedman's office showed no A-Fib or A-Flutter. That is really good news. The bad news is they may not go away and I'll have to just learn to live with them. Which, in retrospect - really isn't that big of a deal.

The kids started school this week. They love it, Natalie is such a cute kindergartener. It is really fun to watch them all pile off the bus at the end of the day, they race to see who can get home first.

Yesterday my mom went with me back to Ann Arbor. A friend I met at the ACHA (Adult Congenital Heart Assoc) website, Deb from the UP, is having surgery on Monday. She had her pre-op tests yesterday so I went down to be with her. Her sister Marie drove her down and is staying with her. I remembered my own pre-op day (very long...) and was glad I could be there to offer some support (as well as show her where all the different departments are located....) She will do great on Monday. She has a very positive outlook and is in very good hands. I plan to go back and visit her later next week when she is on the regular floor. Extra prayers going her way.

I received a incredibly wonderful card in the mail this week from a good friend. This was the second gift I received from her during my recovery. It really touched my heart. This friend has had her own challenges and obstacles in life to overcome and I am so overwhelmed by her generosity and support. She added a gift card to Bath & Body Works (which she shouldn't have done...but I love it) and I just wanted to say thanks. Her gesture reminds me of how much so many people truly care. This may sound corny...but, we are all here on earth dealing with our own life problems and when someone reaches out in a simple way it can have a huge ripple effect. Thank you to each and every one of you.

I haven't written about my neighbor Mike yet. I wanted to be sure if was ok with him before I shared what he was recently faced with. Mike is scheduled to have open-heart surgery on October 23rd. He's at Uof M as I was. He has a different surgeon as he has a different condition. Mike was born with coarctation of the aorta. He had a stress test done last winter and at about the same time I was lining up my surgery date.... Mike was learning he might need surgery. It was quite a shock to him; he did not have heart surgery as a child. I was glad to be able to give him Dr. Kovach's (my CHD specialist) business card and he was just as impressed with her as I was. I also introduced him to the wonderful people at ACHA.  It has been therapeutic for both of us to compare stories. I am looking forward to being able to help out during his recovery. I'm very confident he will do fabulous as well. Please keep him in your prayers.

Well, I'd better run. We have a lot of errands to get done today.... you know how that goes....

Have a marvelous Saturday. God Bless, Michelle