A Thrifty Mom » I’m a Heart Mom http://athriftymom.com We show you how to live "thrifty". Come learn where to find thrifty finds, cheap meals, and an easy way to learn how to use coupons to save a ton of money. We do the work to find you the deals. ___________________ Always Free Classes - Always Free web site! Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:31:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 What “Heart Day” means to me http://athriftymom.com/2010/02/what-heart-day-means-to-me-2/ http://athriftymom.com/2010/02/what-heart-day-means-to-me-2/#comments Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:01:09 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=20351

Happy Valenintine’s Day In November of 2001 I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew, who is now 8 years old. He was a beautiful baby boy with a full head of dark brown hair. All was well, and in an instant I was this sweet little boys [...]]]>

Happy Valenintine’s Day
In November of 2001 I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew, who is now 8 years old. He was a beautiful baby boy with a full head of dark brown hair. All was well, and in an instant I was this sweet little boys Mom. Soon we realized our son was struggling, trying not to worry we hoped for the best.
About 12 hours after my sweet little Matthew was born we found out he had one of the worst heart defects you can be born with. He was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), or in other words he was missing the whole left side of his heart. In an instant my world was turned upside down. We had three choices,
  • 1. Let him peacefully pass away in our arms, and spare him a long road of surgery’s, and hospital stays.
  • 2. A heart transplant, which he would most likely never get in time.
  • 3. Open heart surgery’s (at least 3 and a hand full of other corrective surgery’s). The first one he would need with in days and he only had a 25% chance of surviving.
We decided to give our son a chance at life, no matter what the odds were. We knew we had to try to repair his tiny heart and give him a chance at life. So off to Seattle Children’s Hospital we went. In three years my son had 3 major open heart surgery’s, and 11 other corrective surgery’s. Those three years were filled with moments of total despair. At times the challenges seems more than I could handle. But they were also filled with gratitude, joy, and on over whelming love for my tiny son. Matthew was in the hospital for weeks even months at a time. I had to rely on the knowledge of Doctors and Nurses to give my son the critical care he needed to live. I also had to rely on the kindness of other “heart moms”, who gave me support and love in those difficult times. I was humbled by the kindness of others I made a promise to myself that I would try to give back as a way to say thank you.
Some have asked me why I take the time out of my busy day to write this blog? I know that some of you out there are struggling, I know what it feels like to be over whelmed with the burdens of everyday life. So this is my way of helping you, Let me teach you another way to provide the basics for your family. When I get an email telling me I have helped someone, I feel like I have kept my promise to give back, to help others in their time of need! This is my way of saying thank you …..SO Happy Heart Day!
With a heart full of gratitude!
Sarah
]]> http://athriftymom.com/2010/02/what-heart-day-means-to-me-2/feed/ 19 My Baby boy is 8 years old today http://athriftymom.com/2009/11/my-baby-boy-is-8-years-old-today/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/11/my-baby-boy-is-8-years-old-today/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:21:29 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=14384 Today is a very special day to me. On this day 8 years ago I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew.  He was born with a full head of hair so handsome,  had all his fingers and toes and as far as I could see perfect in every way.  Within hours of his birth [...]]]> 004Today is a very special day to me. On this day 8 years ago I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew.  He was born with a full head of hair so handsome,  had all his fingers and toes and as far as I could see perfect in every way.  Within hours of his birth we found out that his little body was far from perfect, he was missing the whole left side of his heart.  (hypoplastic left heart syndrome) We were told the road ahead would be a long one, and had three options.  Hold our baby in our arms and let him peacefully pass away, free from pain of years of surgery.  or we could try to get him a heart transplant, but most likely his heart would fail before a match would be found.   Or send him to another state, for his 1st of many heart surgery’s ( that he only had 30% chance of living thru).

003

At 3 days old my tiny son, was in total heart failure and not a candidate for surgery, but after pleading with our surgeon to at least try Matthew had his first open heart surgery.  He beat the odds and made it….  He spend months in the hospital in 3 different states.  I came to love many other heart families, we shared in each others joys and heart ache.  I watched many of them loose their sweet little ones.  At that point we started to  celebrate each day, week, and month  Matthew made it realizing that each day was gift.  Over the next three years our lives were dedicated to keeping him well enough for his next surgery.  He was tube feed for almost 3 years, he did not go out into the general public in a effort to keep him well.  We never knew what the next day would bring, after 14 heart surgery’s  he has been stable and healthy the last  4 years.  We still have issues come up, and every night I pray for his tiny heart to be strong, and for another day with my sweet little boy.

Sarah111b

I was so young and had no idea how to be the Mom to a special needs child.  The last 8 years have not always been easy, but have been well worth it and filled with joy.  I have become a better person, more compassionate, I have learned to remember what is truly important in this life…..Family.  So on this day I once again thank the Lord for eight wonderful years with a little boy who has filled my life with happiness.

Matthew heartThis is a photo taken of his heart, during his last surgery.

matthew in hospitalHe has always been a great example to me, of keeping a smile on your face and finding joy even when times are hard.

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/11/my-baby-boy-is-8-years-old-today/feed/ 53 My family http://athriftymom.com/2009/10/my-family/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/10/my-family/#comments Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:00:04 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=12367 Many of you know my son Matthew, who is now 7 was born missing half his heart ( Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome). He is in overall good health now, but is very fragile when it comes to cold and flu season.  The first 4 years he was pretty much a bubble boy, we did not [...]]]> sickchild.jpgMany of you know my son Matthew, who is now 7 was born missing half his heart ( Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome). He is in overall good health now, but is very fragile when it comes to cold and flu season.  The first 4 years he was pretty much a bubble boy, we did not take him out in public in an effort to keep him well enough to have all his heart surgery’s.  I have to admit I am kind of a “germ freak” but I really try hard to let him be normal.

Well the Nasty H1N1 flu is in our area, and I new it was just a matter of time before it hit our family.  Matthew came down with a fever 2 nights ago.  He also struggles with seizures so I was worried that his fever might trigger one.  So I was up checking on him most the night, then finally put him in my bed so I could keep a very close eye on him.

Yesterday I could not get him to eat, and he was very tired, and pale.  I was finally able to get some homemade chicken noodle soup down him.  A bath, and off to bed only to have long night.  I woke up to him struggling to breath, and shaking due to a high fever again.  His little heart was having a hard time keeping up, so he was also very “dusky” in color.  We waited a few hours, but at 3 am Matt took him to the ER.  They confirmed that he has the flu, and due to his health transported him to the Children’s Hospital in Boise.  About 40 mins from where I live.

After some fluids and meds  he seems to be doing better.  But they will keep him at least 24 hours to make sure he is going to be ok.  Matt is  a very loving Dad and also a  Nurse so he is in very skilled hands.  So I am sure that little Matthew is going to be fine but it is hard for me to not be with him.  But I need to stay home and take care of our 2 little girls.

I know this post has nothing to do with saving money or being thrifty.  But I wanted to share with you, we hope to have our little boy home soon.

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/10/my-family/feed/ 126 From one Heart Mom to another http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/from-one-heart-mom-to-another/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/from-one-heart-mom-to-another/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:00:06 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=9389

I have told you all about my son Matthew who has, Hypoplastic Left heart Syndrome. He was born missing half his heart ( to read more about his story click here)  It  took us years to get him well enough to face every day life.  He is a strong  yet sweet spirited little [...]]]> matthew

I have told you all about my son Matthew who has, Hypoplastic Left heart Syndrome. He was born missing half his heart ( to read more about his story click here)  It  took us years to get him well enough to face every day life.  He is a strong  yet sweet spirited little boy.  He asks a million questions a day, loves to be hooked to my side 24/7 some days I get frustrated being the mommy to a special needs child.  But by the end of the end, when I tuck him into bed, sing him his goodnight song, and kiss him goodnight I can help but feel blessed.  Every night I pray to the lord that he will make is thru the night, and that his little heart will give us another day.  He has made me a better more caring person, I am blessed to be a mommy to such a special little boy.

One of my readers who is a heart mom also send me this poem, that another heart mom sent her.  I wanted to share it with you all!  It really touched my heart and I hope it will yours too.



Forever Young

“It’s a beautiful day up in heaven. Jesus is rounding up his tiniest angels to go live on earth and be born. One of the sweetest angels says to Jesus “I don’t want to leave, I like it here, and I will miss you”. He reassures the scared little angel that everything will be okay and that he is just going for a visit.

He is still not swayed on this idea so Jesus kneels down, and says, “How about if you leave half of your heart here with me and take the other half with you, will that be okay?” The angel smiles and says, “I guess that will work” but the little angel is still a little scared. He asks, “Will I be okay with only half of my heart?” Jesus replies, “Of course you will, I have other angels there that will help out, and you will be fine.”

Then Jesus gives the angel more details about his plan. He says “When you are born, your mommy and daddy will be scared, so you have to be strong, and when you feel weak just remember that I have the other half of your heart”. “Enjoy your time with your family, play and laugh everyday and when it’s time to come back to heaven, I will make your heart whole again. Always remember that you are not broken, just torn between two loves.”

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/from-one-heart-mom-to-another/feed/ 9 Ouch…. http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/ouch/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/ouch/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:45:25 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=9200 We got up early this morning and took the kids fishing ( still did not catch anything).  They have so much fun casting their little poles into the water and reeling them back in.   Even my little Maleeya gets in on the fun saying ” round and round”  then does it all over again. [...]]]> 013We got up early this morning and took the kids fishing ( still did not catch anything).  They have so much fun casting their little poles into the water and reeling them back in.   Even my little Maleeya gets in on the fun saying ” round and round”  then does it all over again.  We fished for a few hours, then came home, little Matthew jumped out of our excursion and fell to the ground in pain.  I knew something was really wrong because me is such a tuff little guy. He is tiny and frail, but never complains.  As many of you know he was born missing half his heart, and spent the first 3 years of his life in and out of the hospital.  He has learned to deal with pain, and is an example to me, of how to face life with a smile.

I scooped him up off the driveway and carried him inside, he refused to move his foot.  He was shaking, and turned very blue due to his little heart over working due to the pain he was in.  His oxygen saturation were only around 77%  ( which is normal for him in an event like this)  He wanted me to hold him and kept saying, mommy I am just in a lot of pain.  So we took him in to get an x ray and sure enough he had broken both the bones in his ankle.  So he got a soft cast, and in a few days he will go back in for a hard cast.  He will not be able to walk on it for a few weeks and due to low muscle tone is not going to be able to use crutches.  So it looks like we will have to get him a little wheel chair to get around in.  What a way to start the first week of school!

So sorry the Sunday deals match ups are not done yet…..I will try to work on them.  But it has been a long day and my little boy needed his Mommy today!

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/08/ouch/feed/ 46 Thanks KFC for our FREE grilled chicken http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/thanks-kfc-for-our-free-grilled-chicken/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/thanks-kfc-for-our-free-grilled-chicken/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:05:48 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=2308 Today was a crazy day to say the least.  Just coming home from a long trip and trying to get caught up on the laundry ( a task that seems never ending)  around noon I got a call from my sons school saying he was a little blue.  For those of you who don’t know [...]]]> img_0603Today was a crazy day to say the least.  Just coming home from a long trip and trying to get caught up on the laundry ( a task that seems never ending)  around noon I got a call from my sons school saying he was a little blue.  For those of you who don’t know he was born missing half his heart, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  So I tossed the girls in the car and dropped them off at my neighbors then dashed to Matthew school.  He was waiting with the nurse, and starting to feel better.  He told me ” mom I am Pink again”.  I decided to keep an eye on him and take him home, but realized in the mad dash out of the house I forgot my house keys and I was locked out.  So I  had to meet my husband at work and get his keys.  Long story short we were right by KFC so I thought might as well make the most of this detour.  They happily gave us our FREE piece of grilled chicken.  I have to say I was impressed it was really good!

If you missed Free chicken day make sure you read my post here on how to get it free till May 17th

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/thanks-kfc-for-our-free-grilled-chicken/feed/ 4 Support for heart moms http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/support-for-heart-moms/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/support-for-heart-moms/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:37:32 +0000 A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/?p=1146 Please note that this post has nothing to do with a Thrifty deal, or coupons. But something much more important and personal to me. Those of you who know me personally know that my oldest son Matthew who is now seven was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) or in other [...]]]>
Please note that this post has nothing to do with a Thrifty deal, or coupons. But something much more important and personal to me. Those of you who know me personally know that my oldest son Matthew who is now seven was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) or in other words he is missing the whole left side of his heart. You ask me how he is alive? We have been blessed to be one of the lucky ones…..with all odds stacked against us, and 14 surgery’s later Matthew is a happy 7 year old boy. We have our daily challenges, but face them with faith and a smile on our face.

One of my readers asked me about vacation ideas, I emailed her back saying I would look into it. I told her we don’t leave town much due to my sons heart. Through emails, I learned that her son Jacob is also in heart failure and sees the same cardiologist as Matthew. She is part of a support group for Heart Family’s. It is new to the Boise area, but has been needed for a long time. My son Matthew had to be flown to Seattle and Phoenix for most of his medical care. They have a large support groups. I was alone, scared, and had the world on my shoulders. It was the kindness of other heart moms that helped me make it. I did a post here, explaining how doing this blog and helping struggling family’s is my way of trying to give back and say thank you to them.
I am thrilled to pass along the great news that Idaho now officially has a pediatric heart support group.
Courageous Hearts of Idaho

Courageous Hearts of Idaho is a support group for families affected by pediatric heart disease.
CHI was founded in 2008 by parents who recognized the need in our community for face to face support and sharing of resources and information. Courageous Hearts of Idaho is the only pediatric heart disease support group in Idaho.
A message from Jacob’s Momma:
Did you know that 9 out of every 1,000 babies born have some form of congenital heart defect or heart disease? My son Jacob is one of them. He was born with a condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which caused him to be in congestive heart failure. It caused his heart to become weakened and enlarged, and now it cannot pump blood efficiently. Jacob is now on over 10 medications a day and even though he tries his hardest to be a typical 3 year old boy, he isn’t thriving. He tires fast and just can’t keep up with the other kids. Even with all the wonderful scientific advancements that have helped him live this long, he still is reliant on a feeding tube and is still in heart failure. I hope that someday we will find a cure for heart disease, so that Jacob and all the kids like him can grow up and lead happy and healthy lives!
Sincerely, Jinjue Serre

Up Coming Special events
Participation in American Heart Association’s START Treasure Valley Heart Walk (this is actually coming up in May!!)
Courageous Hearts of Idaho family picnic to be held annually
Contacts
Julie Du Bois RN St Lukes RMC Pediatric Cardiovascular Services Coordinator 208-381-1978 email duboisj@slrmc.org
Parent Contacts:
Andrew and Jinjue Serre
Becky Gross
De and Melanie Enrico
Websites
Meeting Information
Who: Moms, Dads, extended family, caregivers, nurses…Anyone that loves some with a Courageous Heart!
When: The 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM
Where: St Lukes RMC, downtown Boise. South Tower, Andersen Center 5th floor
How: Just show up! The group is a positive, informal and comfortable place to meet others with similar experiences and share information

]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/04/support-for-heart-moms/feed/ 4 The blessings of being A Thrifty Mom http://athriftymom.com/2009/02/the-blessings-of-being-a-thrifty-mom/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/02/the-blessings-of-being-a-thrifty-mom/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 07:06:00 +0000 athriftymom http://athriftymom.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/the-blessings-of-being-a-thrifty-mom/ When we were first married, my husband Matt and I both worked. Yet with 2 pay checks we still barely made just enough to pay our bills. We had a weekly grocery budget of $15, I tried to be creative and make what little we had stretch. Yes we ate [...]]]>
When we were first married, my husband Matt and I both worked. Yet with 2 pay checks we still barely made just enough to pay our bills. We had a weekly grocery budget of $15, I tried to be creative and make what little we had stretch. Yes we ate a lot of potatoes, rice, and Mac and Cheese. I worked up till the day before I had my son. Still not knowing if I should quit my job, and loose that 2nd income. When our son was born, we found out he was missing half of his heart (Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome). Our whole world changed with in a single moment. My decision was easy, I would quit my job and care for my fragile son, and nothing else mattered. For three years, he was in and out of hospitals all over the Western States. We were then blessed, because Matt got a better paying job. When we did stay in the hospital for months at a time, total strangers would bring care baskets full of food and supplies. It was the kindness of others that helped us make ends meet. It is a humbling thing to have others give you help. Since then I have always looked for a way to give back, a way to pay it forward to others.
A few years ago I decided to try and learn a new way to shop. Never knowing what an impact it would have, coupons have blessed my family to be able to have all we need and more. This last week I have been able to get over $60 of items for free ( see photo above). My family already has plenty of these items, so why did I buy them? I will be dropping these off at a local Ronald McDonald House, a place that helped us and gave us a place to sleep when Matthew was in the hospital. I can’t tell you how good it feels to give back. This past week I was also able to get several items for free at Albertsons, I did not need them for for myself, but I went ahead and picked them up and gave them to a family who is struggling. Being A Thrifty Mom is truly a blessing!
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]]> http://athriftymom.com/2009/02/the-blessings-of-being-a-thrifty-mom/feed/ 2 What "Heart Day" means to me http://athriftymom.com/2009/02/what-heart-day-means-to-me/ http://athriftymom.com/2009/02/what-heart-day-means-to-me/#comments Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:26:00 +0000 athriftymom http://athriftymom.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/what-heart-day-means-to-me/

Happy Valenintine’s Day In November of 2001 I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew, who is now 7 years old. He was a beautiful baby boy with a full head of dark brown hair. All was well, and in an instant I was ?this sweet little boys Mom. Soon we realized our [...]]]>

Happy Valenintine’s Day
In November of 2001 I gave birth to my oldest son Matthew, who is now 7 years old. He was a beautiful baby boy with a full head of dark brown hair. All was well, and in an instant I was ?this sweet little boys Mom. Soon we realized our son was struggling, trying not to worry we hoped for the best.
About 12 hours after my sweet little Matthew was born we found out he had one of the worst heart defects you can be born with. He was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), or in other words he was missing the whole left side of his heart. In an instant my world was turned upside down. We had three choices,
  • 1. Let him peacefully pass away in our arms, and spare him a long road of surgery’s, and hospital stays.
  • 2. A heart transplant, which he would most likely never get in time.
  • 3. Open heart surgery’s (at least 3 and a hand full of other corrective surgery’s). The first one he would need with in days and he only had a 25% chance of surviving.
We decided to give our son a chance at life, no matter what the odds were. We knew we had to try to repair his tiny heart and give him a chance at life. So off to Seattle Children’s Hospital we went. In three years my son had 3 major open heart surgery’s, and 11 other corrective surgery’s. Those three years were filled with moments of total despair. At times the challenges seems more than I could handle. But they were also filled with gratitude, joy, and on over whelming love for my tiny son. Matthew was in the hospital for weeks even months at a time. I had to rely on the knowledge of Doctors and Nurses to give my son the critical care he needed to live. I also had to rely on the kindness of other “heart moms”, who gave me support and love in those difficult times. I was humbled by the kindness of others I made a promise to myself that I would try to give back as a way to say thank you.
Some have asked me why I take the time out of my busy day to write this blog? I know that some of you out there are struggling, I know what if feels like to be over whelmed with the burdens of everyday life. So this is my way of helping you, Let me teach you another way to provide the basics for your family. When I get an email telling me I have helped someone, what a joy! This is my way of saying thank you …..SO Happy Heart Day!
With a heart full of gratitude!
Sarah



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