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!