Strutting Extra Hard This Year

I'm a fighter (fighter with a PICC line)

Go Red Strut! - Tuesday, February 12, 2013 in San Francisco, CA

The gorgeous room

I nearly forgot to post pictures from Go Red Strut! This is an event to raise awareness for Heart Health Month (February) and the hope is to help  and prevent heart attacks, stroke, heart disease, and good health. To see last year's pictures and blog, -Click here-

Two more survivors! These lovely ladies also had heart surgeries when they were young. They were also Strutters! 

I participated in this event to spread awareness of the AHA which funds the research that has kept me alive! As many of you know, I was born with severe heart defects. My defects include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis and transposition of the greater arteries. I’ve had five surgeries, at ages 2 months, one and a half years, 4 years, 7 years, and 15 years old. Two of them were open heart, the major repair being at age four. I try to be stay active, and eat right, and I lead a pretty normal life aside from having several surgery scars. Even though I'm as careful with my health as can be, I got released from the hospital a mere 12 days before the event for having Endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves. Thanks to research, they were able to send me home with a PICC line which is like a hardcore IV that went into my bicep, snaked up my shoulder and was a direct line for sending antibiotics to my heart. 12 days out of the hospital I was still moving incredibly slow but I couldn't miss the awesome chance to raise Heart Health Awareness and to wear a pretty dress! With what happened to me early this year, it goes to show that even when one is so careful, they are still at risk.

Runway!- I searched for hours for those red shoes the day before! 

Go Red Strut was so much fun! I spent almost two full days preparing and it took everything out of me. I was still pushing my antibiotics an hour before the event start! 

Twirling!

My besties, Mary and Tim kept me laughing and smiling. There is some video footage somewhere (taken by the AHA) of Mary and I dancing to music in our heads... Hope it never turns up! And did I mention there was a photo booth. =)

Not sure how Tim got the weirdest accessories.... But he sure got into the part!

Mary is channeling her "I am woman. Hear me Roar!"

Not sure what happened here....

Btw, I think I neglected to mention that: I GOT MY PICC LINE OUT!!! It's been two weeks and after about a week and a half of rest and reentering life, I finally feel much better. And I'm running again. Huzzah!

Possibly have some Ink Drawings coming out for sale later this week, stay tuned!

Out of the Hospital and Taking it Easy: Heart Awareness Month

Day 5 in the Hospital with flowers from my family

Some of you may have seen my facebook recently which declared taking a break due to medical reasons. I would love to write a detailed blog entry about what that specifically means, but my energy is extraordinarily low. I lost a lot of weight while in the hospital and am extremely weak. (possibly coz hospital food is wretched) I'll have to summarize now and write more later.

Basically, I just got out of a week long hospital stay on Thursday, the 31st of January. I wrote in an earlier blog that I had the flu-- well, apparently it WAS NOT THE FLU!

My doctors (I had at least 6 of them including Cardiology and Infectious Disease doctors) finally tracked that I had Endocarditis, which in short, is an infection in the lining and valves of my heart. While this is generally bad news for most people, it's even worse news for me due to my heart conditions which have led me to a few open-heart surgeries... LUCKILY, I did not have to have another open-heart surgery this time around! The doctors administered around the clock antibiotics and by Tuesday I was finally showing signs of improving.

I was sent home with a PICC line, which is basically like a hardcore IV. The PICC is inserted in my left arm and there is a plastic wire that snakes up my arm, through my shoulder, and into my heart. Because of the PICC, I personally inject antibiotics intravenously four times a day for 2.5 hours at a time. Don't worry, I only have to do this for 6 whole weeks...

My planner right now is filled with injection times, pill times, and doctor visits. My job is now my health.

On the plus side, this couldn't have come at a better time, as February is Heart Health Awareness Month!!! (trying to find a silver lining somehow!) Usually I sell products on my website and donate a dollar from every product to the American Heart Association. This year, I do not have energy to fill orders. But please spread the word and try to focus on good Heart Health-- it is SO important for everyone. If you would like to donate to the American Heart Association, they are the reason why I get to be alive today. They are an amazing organization and the donations help fund research! Their website is www.heart.org Their site has a multitude of information on Healthy Living and if you are inspired to donate, the button is in the upper right corner.

I hope at some point to write a more detailed blog about my hospital stay and experiences. For now, I thought I'd give a general update to my family, friends, fans and caring people. So many of you sent me so many sweet texts, phone calls, comments on facebook, positive messages, hospital visits and prayers. I am so happy to know I have so many True-Blue friends and the best family I could ask for! I couldn't be more grateful to you all. Thank you for your kindness, support and prayers during this wild trip in my life.

Go forth and be Heart-Healthy!

On the Catwalk

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day, I know I did at Go Red Strut! As I mentioned in my last blog (which you can read by clicking here) I was going to be one of the Strutters for Go Red Strut-- a FUNraiser to raise awareness of Heart Health! I had a blast and somehow didn't fall down even though my heels were four inches.

All the Strutters were so great! There had to be at least 100 of them. There were Strutters on bikes, in balloon dresses, can-can girls, poodles, boxing cardiologists, and more... It was like the costumes changes of Lady Gaga! It was seriously epic! Every Strutter did their part to make the event SO MUCH FUN and to help raise awareness of the importance of heart health!

 On the Catwalk... Yeah on the Catwalk...

Here is where the emcee told the audience that I was a survivor of heart defects, so I pulled out my guns to show my tough side! Rawrrr!! I made sure to wear a dress that showed off my surgery scar, because I wear it proudly.

If you would like to donate to the American Heart Association, please visit www.heart.org

Also you can donate by purchasing some fairy art for that special weirdo in your life, and $1 of every product goes to the AHA. Visit www.etsy.com/shop/ClaireNoblesArt

Now for more pictures!!!!

 Before it started....

 Big Red Boa!!

I told you there was a poodle! (or maltese, not sure what breed)

These two were the boxing Cardiologists, figuratively "fighting" heart disease, doing push ups -- they were hilarious!

And the crazy people bicycling on the catwalk!!! (they were all telling me before they went up that they were afraid they'd bike off the stage! And they were thankful to be wearing sneakers instead of my shoes...)

Striking a pose!

 I think I meant to punch heart disease in the FACE!

Hope you all enjoyed the little slideshow, I might post more pics somewhere.... I'll link it if I do!

Thanks everyone who came to Go Red Strut! You made my Valentine's Day!!

STRUT!

Pleas join us for this FREE event!!

In celebration of Heart Month, the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women and Macy's invite you to GO RED STRUT

on February 14th, 2012

11:30am-1pm

Macy's Union Square, San Francisco, Ca!!!

This is the surprise I was waiting to share with you all-- I will be one of the "Strutters" for Go Red Strut. That means I get to wear my red sparkly dress and heels and walk a catwalk in front of tons of people. Just a bit of pressure. It's nothing I have ever done before and I just hope I don't bite it on the catwalk.

I am participating this event to spread awareness of the AHA. As many of you know, I was born with severe heart defects. My defects include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis and transposition of the greater arteries. I’ve had five surgeries, at ages 2 months, one and a half years, 4 years, 7 years, and 15 years old. Two of them were open heart, the major repair being at age four. I try to be stay active, and eat right, and I lead a pretty normal life aside from having several surgery scars. As long as I continue to be healthy, I won’t need another surgery for years to come. Otherwise, if my health is in jeopardy, I may have to have another surgery much sooner.

Thanks to research done by the American Heart Association, I am alive today. I am so excited to be supporting them and help spread awareness!

February is American Heart Month (and the month of Love!) This event will be amazing and I am so happy to participate in it! I hope that if you can come, that you will-- it would be so great to see your shining faces there to support the AHA and the fact that though I can't walk in high heels, I will be trying my best....


For all the details on this fab event, click here!
For more on the AHA, click here.
And check out their facebook page!

Heart Awareness Month!

Valentine's Day threw up all over my website... It's really, really pink and scary over there... But it's for a good cause! (promise!) Read on...


February is Heart Awareness Month! This is a very near- and dear cause to me, because I was born with heart defects and have faced 3 open heart surgeries due to my condition. Heart health is very important to a person like me, and I hope I can help the American Heart Association spread the word about health and research!


So for the month of February, for every one item you purchase on my Etsy Shop, $1 will be donated to the American Heart Association! So if you buy 5 prints from me, $5 will go to the AHA-- if you buy 2 bookmarks and 3 prints, $5 will be donated to the AHA. It's all about quantity! If you feel inspired and just want to donate or just to find out more information about the AHA, visit this link. The red Donate button in the upper right hand corner.


I hope this year we can raise at least $50-- But let's try and shoot for more!


February will be a busy month for me and there will be a big surprise happening on Valentine's Day that I still cannot BELIEVE I got myself into, but I will tell you all about that closer to the date! 


So head on over to my Etsy Shop and check out my art!