Christine Rekash - Top Ways In Which My Family Helped Me Heal
Christine is a volunteer with the American Heart Association’s Heart Valve Ambassador Program and shares her story to help raise awareness. She wrote this blog in honor of National Family Caregivers’ Month and also World Kindness Day.
My family and friends’ love, dedication, compassion and support on all levels were the cornerstone for a positive and successful recovery. Everyone was unique and different in their own way re: the support that they demonstrated to me during this time. My husband provided me with positive and encouraging thoughts to keep me motivated, especially when I hit road blocks in my road to recovery. I often thought to myself, "will this ever end" and he provided me with reassurance that " no matter what" we would get through this together. From engaging in the heavy lifting of household chores, laundry, administering Levonix shots, to invoking humor at times when all I wanted to do was cry, my husband had stepped into my everyday role as CEO of the household and pup mama.
My family members also contributed in their own ways to ensure my successful recovery. My mother maintained a schedule of visiting me each morning, helped me prepare for the day's activities and accompanied me on a daily walk. She, along with my husband, attended each of my follow-up doctor appointments, and cardiac rehab sessions due to my complications. She chose to be with me by my side, every heartbeat of the way, which provided me with the reassurance that only a mom can give. She also encouraged me to pray for patience, which became very thin at times when I hit those road blocks to recovery. My father gathered old time movies, books and a movie snack pack for when I arrived home to pass the long hours that were ahead of me. He also provided me with references to encouraging songs to pull me out of my doldrums as well as ideas on how to change up the scenery from walking around my block several times, to exploring the walkways at a local zoo and park. I even spent "sleepovers" at their house in order to give my husband a break and provide me with a scenery change. This provided me with variety that I needed in order to keep a positive outlook on the progress that I made by looking forward and not backward.
From a phone call to cheer me up, keeping me in thoughts and prayers, offering to help in any capacity, listening to me vent my frustrations, helping me with daily living activities, meals on wheels, being my chauffeur, taking me out to dinner, to helping me see the positive in every situation, my two sisters, brother in laws and friends were also there every beat of the way.
Words cannot express enough how much my family and friends motivated me to "keep on fighting with heart" whether they were near or far, and I could not have pulled through it all without them. As a result of this strong support group, I have made it my mission to pay it forward to others struggling with heart disease and receive their continued support regarding this mission.
From the bottom of my repaired heart, a HEARTFELT Thank YOU to my mission support team: My husband, parents, sisters, nieces, brother in laws, caring canine companion and countless cheerleaders of extended family, close friends, co workers and most importantly, my cardiologist, surgeon and care team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
TELL US: How did the people around you help you heal? Thank them in the comments below!
My family and friends’ love, dedication, compassion and support on all levels were the cornerstone for a positive and successful recovery. Everyone was unique and different in their own way re: the support that they demonstrated to me during this time. My husband provided me with positive and encouraging thoughts to keep me motivated, especially when I hit road blocks in my road to recovery. I often thought to myself, "will this ever end" and he provided me with reassurance that " no matter what" we would get through this together. From engaging in the heavy lifting of household chores, laundry, administering Levonix shots, to invoking humor at times when all I wanted to do was cry, my husband had stepped into my everyday role as CEO of the household and pup mama.
My family members also contributed in their own ways to ensure my successful recovery. My mother maintained a schedule of visiting me each morning, helped me prepare for the day's activities and accompanied me on a daily walk. She, along with my husband, attended each of my follow-up doctor appointments, and cardiac rehab sessions due to my complications. She chose to be with me by my side, every heartbeat of the way, which provided me with the reassurance that only a mom can give. She also encouraged me to pray for patience, which became very thin at times when I hit those road blocks to recovery. My father gathered old time movies, books and a movie snack pack for when I arrived home to pass the long hours that were ahead of me. He also provided me with references to encouraging songs to pull me out of my doldrums as well as ideas on how to change up the scenery from walking around my block several times, to exploring the walkways at a local zoo and park. I even spent "sleepovers" at their house in order to give my husband a break and provide me with a scenery change. This provided me with variety that I needed in order to keep a positive outlook on the progress that I made by looking forward and not backward.
From a phone call to cheer me up, keeping me in thoughts and prayers, offering to help in any capacity, listening to me vent my frustrations, helping me with daily living activities, meals on wheels, being my chauffeur, taking me out to dinner, to helping me see the positive in every situation, my two sisters, brother in laws and friends were also there every beat of the way.
Words cannot express enough how much my family and friends motivated me to "keep on fighting with heart" whether they were near or far, and I could not have pulled through it all without them. As a result of this strong support group, I have made it my mission to pay it forward to others struggling with heart disease and receive their continued support regarding this mission.
From the bottom of my repaired heart, a HEARTFELT Thank YOU to my mission support team: My husband, parents, sisters, nieces, brother in laws, caring canine companion and countless cheerleaders of extended family, close friends, co workers and most importantly, my cardiologist, surgeon and care team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
TELL US: How did the people around you help you heal? Thank them in the comments below!
