A heartfelt thank you for another year

I woke up this morning and the first thing I said was 'Thank You, God!' I celebrated my one year rebirth today with a cupcake from Sprinkles in Scottsdale. You see, it was exactly one year ago today that I had to have my heart stopped and restarted.

I have this weird electrical problem with my heart that went completely out of wack on November 30th 2009. For hours it was racing at more than 220 beats a minute, and I ended up in the emergency room. I was surrounded by all these worried doctors who tried all these different kinds of medications to start my heart, and get it to restart in a normal rhythm, but it didn't work.

They finally had to shock me. Let me just say, that is not something anyone should go through. But it worked, it got my heart beating once again like it was supposed to do.

After having to go through two procedures to try and burn out the "bad" cells, I am doing much better. I now carry around a defibrillator to give me a little jumpstart if necessary, but I have made it.

I am alive and enjoying every moment of my new life.

So thank you to all my friends and family who have held my hand when I was too afraid.

And thank you to the love of my life Robin, who has not only held my hand, but let me cry at times, and at other's encouraged me to end what we so affectionately call "The Year of the Couch"!

This was me a few weeks ago, on a climb up South Mountain. It was a haul, but worth it, and I had my Robin right by my side. Couldn't ask for a better life than this!

Susan, Tempe