Reaching Out: Pay It Forward

Never in a million years did I think this blog would be such an inspiration to others. My story has reached many people. This blog was started to keep friends and family informed about my surgery and recovery, but it has grown bigger. Through this blog Cathy O'Grady and I have bonded. She is from Massachusetts and does charity work for the Boston Children's Hospital. She decided to use MUSC, where I had my surgery, for a Toy Drive. My dad's barbershop, Charlie's Barbershop, is taking donated toys. Cathy is flying to Charleston and we will be personally delivering the toys to MUSC and the Ronald McDonald House on December 7th. I will provide links to her website and blog for more information at the end of this post. I will also provide my dad's address so you can ship your toys to be delivered on the 7th.

A Public Service Announcement (PSA) was made in mine and Cathy's honor by Fox24. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJSJnStCzDY&feature=youtu.be

I encourage all of you to watch, read about, and participate in this Toy Drive. Every little gift makes a difference. I can vouch for this myself. Just having a teddy bear to hold during my week stay at MUSC made a world of difference. And yes I was 20 going on 21 years old, squeezing my poor teddy to death while getting shots. Some of these kids might not have a family to celebrate Christmas with this year. And with your help we can make their day brighter. I definitely feel for the children who have to spend their Christmas in a hospital. I was in the hospital during my surgery for a little over a week, and I was so ready to be home in my own bed. Some children have extended stays in the hospital and have to be there for long periods of time.

My dad, Charlie Druelle, needs to be recognized as well. He has a big heart and is always thinking about others before himself. He has had it rough the past two years with his business. People have forgotten how much he cares for this community in the midst of these hardships. I can remember being in elementary school running late for church. We stopped by the store to get our favorite "greeting people mints". When we pulled up in the parking lot, a man had the hood of his car lifted and a fire started. My dad parked our car and rushed to the scene. No one offered to help the man besides my dad. So my dad took it upon himself to help the guy, and pulled off his brand new Lionel Smith suit coat and smothered the flames with it. Nothing has changed since then. He would still give the shirt off his back to someone in need. He goes to customers to give them hair cuts when they can't go to him. I have known him to go to hospitals, nursing homes, and people's houses who weren't able to make a trip to the barbershop. His kindness has once again shown through in the MUSC Toy Drive. Deliveries are pouring in, and the back room of his shop is filling up with boxes.  He is expecting more toys as the days go by, so I decided to wait until more deliveries are made before I photographed them. I will have more photos posted to the blog later this week.

My dad and I at his barbershop today! 

Cathy told me today while discussing the toy drive, "Amazing how God puts people in our lives when He does. Facebook isn't so bad after all." I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Without this blog or Facebook, we would not be able to reach out to others. I think it IS amazing how God can use a few websites to bring people together. I do believe this blog is serving a greater purpose and has given me opportunities to change people's lives. MUSC is going to have some very happy children on December 7th, and I am so thankful to be a part of it. I have always prayed to have an opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, prayed for something bigger than myself. My surgery has allowed me this opportunity. The pain and difficult recovery I am still facing has been worth it by far.

Also, a special thanks to Cathy O'Grady for all you've done and continue to do!

How can you help? 

Send your toys to Charlie's Barbershop: 

126 Dominion Drive 

Suite 1050 

Aiken SC, 29803

Visit the links to gain more knowledge about the MUSC Toy Drive:
Cathy's Creations blog:
http://creationscathys.blogspot.com

Cathy's Creations website: 

http://www.cathyscreationsjewelry.com

Cathy's Creations fanpage on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/cathyscreationsjewelry 

Charlie's Barbershop fanpage on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/Chuckydabarber

Help us PAY IT FORWARD!

Twenty-One

Greatest Gift 

I celebrated my 21st Birthday yesterday with my family and my, WITHOUT my Pectus. This is the best Birthday present I could ask for.

I didn't have an ordinary 21st Birthday celebration. I was in a great deal of pain, but I had a wonderful day regardless. I also got to hold Haiden for the first time in a whole month!

No I didn't have any alcoholic beverages. I actually have never consumed alcohol. I had a Professor at a journalism camp tell our class that he had never had alcohol in his life, and he was in his late forties. I want to be able to say that one day. Chris didn't have any alcohol for his birthday either. For me turning 21 is more than being able to drink. To me 21 was another year to be thankful for. I'm thankful I came out of a major surgery with no complications, and I was able to spend my birthday with my family and my son.

Logan and her boyfriend Cameron joined Chris and I for the "festivities". We looked through old family photos and had many laughs, which is still hard for me to do after the surgery. Cameron fits right in don't you think?

We enjoyed a delicious ice cream cake from Marble Slab

PRESENTS

I will say, Chris ALWAYS gets me the best presents. He can be so thoughtful. He got me the sweetest card. He got me Flower Bomb perfume and St. Tropez self tanner that I have been wanting for months. He also bought me the newest Nicolas Sparks book, who is my FAVORITE.  

FROM: Haiden :) I got Minnie Mouse nail polish and the CUTEST sparkly slippers! I wish I would have had these in the hospital. 

NEXT WEEK: 

Since I wasn't able to go out for my birthday, my mom is taking my sister and I to Charleston to go shopping on King Street. 

Sharing my Birthday? 

Yes I share my birthday with Christopher. :) We have had 7 birthdays total together. We started dating when we were 14 and celebrated our first joint birthday at 15 years old. Before we started dating I really liked him. Girls, I know you have all done this so don't laugh at me. I told myself "If we are meant to be, his birthday will be in October." We were messaging back and forth on Myspace, asking the general "pre-dating" questions. So of course I asked when his birthday was and he replied "October 11. When is your's?" I told him mine was on the 10th. He said "Oh. Well I guess I can't ask you out then. My mom says I can't date older women." So maybe we're just meant to be, cheesy right? Not only is Christopher's birthday in October, he was born 14 hours after I was. I was born in SC, and he was born in FL. We give a whole new meaning to the song "When God made you, he must have been thinking about me". So yes we are A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, literally. Little did I know we would have our own child together one day. We've been through so much, and some days I think I might hate him. Yet I can't help but love him, no matter what comes our way. I like to compare our relationship to Pink and her husband Carey Hart. They have been through a lot to and she describes their love as "COMPLICATED". Her song 'True Love' perfectly describes mine and Chris' relationship. My family and friends can vouch for this. But I don't want to give up the memories, I just want to make more. 

For our 15th birthday (our first one together) we had my mom take pictures of us. This one below was one. We used one of these pictures for our birthday invitations. 

Our first Celebration: 

TONIGHT 
Tonight we celebrated at Outback Steakhouse with Haiden and the Rautio family. I said today was Chris' "Bad Luck Birthday". Poor thing got in a wreck and a few minutes before time to leave Haiden grabbed my straightener and burnt his finger. Haiden was not in a good mood afterwards and I felt so bad he had gotten hurt. Luckily the burn wasn't as bad as I thought, so no trip to the ER thank goodness. We had a wonderful time anyways and made the best of it.

 Poor Haiden! This is his "grumpy gills" face. 

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! 

Fantastic Follow-Up :)

My follow-up appointment at MUSC was this morning. I was excited about this appointment and getting to see the Pediatric Surgeon Staff!

Dr. Hebra told me everything looked great. My incisions healed nicely, and I should be able to be more active in the weeks to come. He asked me if I was more confident and if I was happy with the surgery. I replied YES to both questions! Of course I asked him for a photo with me for my blog. I felt honored! He did such a wonderful job with the surgery and he is a great doctor. 

ONE MONTH POST-SURGERY EXPECTATIONS: 

Dr. Hebra told me to practice holding Haiden. He said for me to start out holding him and not to lift him quite yet. He said lifting him would take some time. I also have to lift 5 lb weights everyday. Dr. Hebra wants me to wear myself out by walking or running. He wants me tired by the end of the day! This will relieve tension and will be good for my lungs and heart. I still have to take things slow, but the chances of the bar moving are very slim at this point. 

I wanted to visit the nurses who took care of me during surgery. I ran into Sam, one of the therapy dogs I saw when I got to sit up for the FIRST time in the hospital! He's so calm and sweet! 

After the appointment, I went with my mom and sister to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and the Charleston Market. The night before my surgery we went to Bubba Gump and our WHOLE MEAL was paid for. Our WHOLE meal was paid for AGAIN today! So thank you mysterious meal payer! My family and I really appreciate it! :) 

At the Charleston Market I found the cutest ring! My mom got it for me, since tomorrow is my 21st birthday. I told her I had to get it because it looked like a bunch of sideways 'S's for SERA :) Ring buying from the Market is a tradition. My mom bought me a ring when I was 5 years old, then another when I was 10. I wore the second ring up until I was a Senior in High School. She thought it was time for a new one! 

Oh Pectus, I don't miss you...

I found an old picture from 8th grade and it really shows how severe my pectus was. I thought I would share. I didn't realize how terrible my chest looked. I had grown so used to my dent, and most of the time I ignored it. I AM BEYOND GLAD IT'S FINALLY GONE! 

My "dent" is very visible in this photo

Considering Surgery anyone?

I would definitely recommend this surgery for those with Pectus. Especially if it is interfering with your breathing and your daily life. I am very thankful and blessed I was able to have this procedure. Yes it was painful and still is painful, but I am happy with everything and I know my lungs will be happy as well :) 

Almost ONE MONTH!

It has been almost ONE MONTH since my surgery. I have been trying to adjust to being at home and not being able to do much. This has been the hardest part. I have gotten out of the house a few times. But I'm not quite recovered and I've still been in some pain. I can't lift my arms about my head yet and I'm nervous about picking Haiden up for the first time. I see the doctor for a follow up appointment on October 9th (the day before my birthday) to discuss everything with him.

AFTER

BEFORE 

AFTER

BEFORE

Adjusting/Recovery 

I think the hardest part about recovery is the pain and the nausea, and both go along with this surgery. Even with pain medicine my chest still hurts. It gets better day by day, and some days are worse than others. Nights are difficult too because I can't sleep on my sides. I lay on my back with plenty of pillows under my upper back and head. 

I have been able to get out of the house a few times this past week. I did end up getting sick in the car on one of those trips. GROSS. Throwing up with a metal bar in your chest is painful and I started crying. 

Thanks mom for the lovely photo ;)

I was sure to take a lot of pictures while I was out and about! :) My first outing was to get yarn from Hobby Lobby. I am making infant hats for babies at the Boston Hospital! 

I also went to Lowe's with Christopher and afterwards we took Haiden to Halloween City! Chris kept asking why I was taking so many photos. I told him, "It's my first time out of the house since surgery! I have to capture everything!" 

The next day I went to pick out baby pumpkins for Haiden. And yes it was after this trip I got sick in the car. I'm looking a little green in this photo! 

After getting sick,  I went home to change and then visited my sister Logan at her new job! 

Relaxation is KEY

I have found that I have been very tense after surgery. Being in pain in my chest area scares me, which causes tension. I have had to tell myself it won't hurt forever and relax. I use a handmade lavender scented heating pad. I just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes before I go to sleep. During the day I try to keep busy and keep my mind occupied. I have bought books and I have been working on my crochet projects. 

Handmade lavender heating pad and my most recent book purchase

REGRETS? 

I have no regrets at all after this surgery. Yes, it has been painful and the hospital stay was rough. But God was with me and still is. I am so thankful I came out of surgery fine and I am still doing well. I could not have asked for a better outcome. I feel so much better about my chest. I can look down and I no longer see a dent! My posture also looks amazing. I am very pleased with how everything looks! 

THANK YOU 

Thank you everyone for the kind words, your support, and the gifts. I have wonderful friends and family. I am looking forward to my 21st birthday on the 10th and being "BOOBIE DENT FREE"! 

Surgery in the A.M.

          I figured I would blog about my upcoming surgery, instead of trying to put all of this in a Facebook status. I have not announced many details about my surgery due to the fact it is often considered a cosmetic surgery by most insurance companies, and there was a possibility I could be denied by my insurance. I have a chest deformity called Pectus Excavatum. It is something I was born with. The best way I know to describe it to people is a dent in my chest. I often call it my "Boobie Dent" (haha). Not many people know I have this issue. I stay away from triangular bikini tops like in these photos, since it is very noticeable. It is very hard for me to find bras that don't stick off of my chest. You can ALWAYS see down my shirt because of how my chest is shaped. Everything is sunken in and my shoulders go to the front, which created bad posture. All of this will change at 6AM tomorrow morning. I am constantly having to find clothes that do not draw attention to my body shape. I am so glad to be saying goodbye to my "dent" bright and early in the morning. I decided to share my story because not many girls have Pectus. It is more common for boys to have it rather than girls. I am also considering doing a video diary as well, but I haven't made up my mind! I am taking a break from college until January if everything goes as planned. I also won't be able to pick up Haiden for a few months, which is going to be the hardest on me. 

My stomach and ribs jut out as a result of my chest. Everyone with Pectus has the same problem. It's called the "pot belly". My ribs will still stick out after my surgery but it won't be so noticeable.

This is why I stay away from this type of bikini. The spot that looks like a shadow in the middle of my chest is my "dent".

THE PROCEDURE

      The procedure I am having done is called the Nuss Procedure. Basically a metal bar is inserted under my dent after two small incisions are made under each armpit. It will be flipped and PRESTO, the dent is gone. It's almost the same concept as popping a dent out of your car door. I will be in the hospital for about seven days for PAIN MANAGEMENT. I will be on a morphine pump and I will also have an epidural at some point after surgery. I am nervous about the pain, but even more so nervous about being put to sleep. I have never had surgery on anything, so I am worried. The surgery normally takes about 3 to 4 hours which isn't too bad. This procedure is normally done on teenagers, but I was so glad MUSC Children's Hospital in Charleston told me they would gladly perform the surgery even though they are considered pediatric. Since I am an adult, the bar will have to be left in for about 4 years instead of 3. After the 4 years is up, the bar will be removed and my chest will remain NORMAL! This surgery can be watched on YouTube, but I refuse to watch it. The way I have handled going into this surgery is to not think about it. I won't watch it or I will freak out tomorrow. Here is a link about the surgery: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1970203-overview 

Why I have chosen to have surgery: 

         I have noticed as I have gotten older and having to chase Haiden around that I am often short of breath. I suffer from fatigue and feeling like I can't breathe. I am unable to take deep breaths, because it feels like it "catches" under my chest. I had the Pulmonary Lung Test done at MUSC last month and I am only using THIRTY percent of my lung capacity. I was told by the nurse that even Pectus patients can use up to eighty  percent of their lung capacity. She told me the fact I was only using THIRTY percent was not good, and I would feel a lot better after surgery. Having this surgery will give me more room for my lungs and heart to function properly. I also wanted to get the surgery done for personal reasons. Most girls opt for breast implants to hide their Pectus. Being small chested has never bothered me, but the fact I have a dent in between my boobs did bother me. Having breast implants would not fix my dent. Even as a little girl I had the same shape, it just worsened after puberty. I have terrible posture and I curve at the top of my back. I wore tankinis until the summer before 9th grade because I was so self conscious about my chest. Now I wear bandeau bikini tops with ruffles to hide it. I want to be able to fit into a bra NORMALLY. I don't want people to be constantly seeing down my shirts and dresses, since my bra sticks off my chest. I want to be able to exercise and play with my son without being short-winded. 

What I'm looking forward to: 

HAVING A NORMAL CHEST! The first thing I'm doing after I recover is buying all new bras and shirts with empire waists. Maybe I can run a marathon too ;) I am also looking forward to updating the blog with "After Pictures" of my chest. I can't wait to see the difference! I am also looking forward to my first summer at the beach with my new chest as well. I'm hoping my posture will also improve with the surgery! 

                           GOODBYE BOOBIE DENT!