This is not good-bye

[Christina L]

it is "see you later."

I want to clarify that I am not leaving the board right now because of any of YOU - just the opposite - it is because of ME!! I am an obsessive-compulsive type personality and when I am faced with the "problem of the moment" I tend to dwell on it and dwell on it and dwell on it some more!!!

I work at home doing medical transcription, so I am able to check the VR.com board up to 10 times a day! If not more!!!

I love to help the newbies because I was helped so graciously by all of you when I went through my heart surgery. I want to give back.

However, the time has come for me to get my mind off of my heart, so I can get back into life. This latest bout with the PACs showed me first-hand how out of control things are getting - I was majorly upset last night because of the "wrong" medication that I was given by my cardiologist. Poor Wayne - our life is resolving around my heart and I want that to stop so Wayne can have his life back also (our life back) - at least now while things are relatively good with my heart because we all know that life can change on a dime.

I am just taking a break. I will miss you ALL. I hope when I come back to the board, there will be ALL good news and I will find much happiness for each of you.

Love you all - you are my new family. Have a wonderful summer and remember to enjoy each moment!!! I hope to see many of you in October here in beautiful, pristine, stunning, glorious (need I go on?) Colorado!!!

Christina L.

 

[Rain]

We love you Christina... what ever makes your life a happier place.

We love you Christina... what ever makes your life a happier place.

Christina!!!!

Maybe you could make a deal with yourself to only check the site once a week. Or allow yourself so many hours a week... or something like that. It may sound crazy to some people... but it works for me. That's how I quit smoking... I'd allow myself so many a day, then a week until I didn't smoke anymore. Maybe that would work for you. On the other hand, other people seem to need to do things 'cold turkey' and if that's what it takes to make your life a better place, I totally understand.

I know I come here a lot when I have time and then I get busy and ya all barely see me for awhile. I can see how it could take up a LOT of time if you tried to read and respond to every post. I don't even try to read them all.

But Christina!! You better at least come to the reunion!! You're close enough.... if we don't see you ... we'll come up to Estes Park and get you!!! If I don't see you for a while, take care girlfriend and know we love ya! We're always here when you need us.

 

[Karlynn]

Christina,
Take a break, but jump in occasionally to say Hi. We'll miss you while you're "away".

 

[Ross]

Do what you must, but come back to us. I'll miss you!

 

[Sherry]

Christina, we'll miss hearing from you, and I understand you need to do what you need to do, but I hope you'll reconsider. I obsess a bit about my own heart symptoms, but I have the opposite reaction to the forum. It truly helps to hear that others have had the same problems (vision, PVCs, high blood pressure, etc.) and that we can all discuss treatment options, doctors' advice, and meds. I guess it just helps me put all my problems in perspective. Take care.

 

[Ross]

It truly helps to hear that others have had the same problems (vision, PVCs, high blood pressure, etc.) and that we can all discuss treatment options, doctors' advice, and meds.

Lady your on the wrong board. None of us have problems here. Well, except a Ross problem. Everyone here has that though.

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Christina,
I hate to see you leave. I have always enjoyed your posts. I hope everything turns out OK for you and Wayne and I hope to see you back posting soon.
I am looking forward to meeting both of you at the reunion.
Take Care

 

[Shine_on_Syd]

Christiana,
We will miss you. Hope that you can stop by from time to time.
Jim

 

[Scottie]

Christina

Christina

Hi Christina ...I think I recognise where you are at right now ....my op was such a shock to me that I became obsessed with finding out as much as I could about my heart ....after the op I was the same ....this site was a great support but after a while I recognise that although I felt better I was running my life and my family's around my heart condition. I became obsessive about my PACs and spent many hours worrying about them and the people on this board ..thinking about their ops and my own condition. It took a major break from the board before I got things back into perspective.
Now I can pop in ...read some posts ...I don't reply too many but I do send up little prayers for folks ...I follow how folk are doing ...but I restrict myself timewise to how often I allow myself to be here . I never allow my puter life to restrict my real life ...and I have taken back my real life. There are some wonderful people in here and I will be for ever truely thankful that I came across this site . You take care of yourself ....take some time ...but do come back and keep in touch ....
Scottie

 

[SJJ]

Christina,
Well I'm poutin' just a tad but I'm gonna be big about this decision of yours to give it a rest for awhile. When you're ready, I know you'll come back to us-we're flat out irresistable. We'll be missin' you while you're missin' us.
Take care of yourself!
SUE

 

[hensylee]

Christina - how thoughtful of you to let us know. We would have wondered. We always do when somebody is missing for awhile, especially if that one is a regular poster. You do your thing and from time to time pop in and let us hear that things are well with you. Love to you and your dear husband.

Thank you for all your great participation - and your words to me. Ann

 

[tobagotwo]

I have had to do that: skip in, skip out. It does become too intense, if you don't back away from time to time. It's completely understandable.

You have to get your head out of your heart sometimes, to make sure there is enough room there for your other family. There is a time to not think about it for a while, and just enjoy living with the benefits your new parts have given you.

The results of valve surgery can be a wonderful gift, and it indebts us each to pursue that gift to its fullest measure.

Enjoy your summer, or your summer+. After it's not such a driving force in your life, please come back and visit. You will always have a bond with the people you have met here, one that you can count on to visit or return any time.

We'll miss you.

Best wishes,

 

[Creed3]

Christina!
I was sad to see that you were taking a break from the site, but I do truely understand why. Please pop in from time to time to let us know how you and your hubby are doing. If you ever do need to talk to just get some things out, don't hesitate to give me a call. I will definately miss your posts. You are a very special person and you have helped me tremendously when I have been confused by some things. You take care of yourself and I hope things get better for you.

God Bless!
Gail

 

[Raverlaw]

Christina,

I'll really miss hearing from you regularly. Your input helped me a lot as I prepared for surgery and recuperated afterward. You're not going to go away; you'll always be one of us - I know that. I hope you will visit once in a while.

As the Eagles sang in "Hotel California" :

"You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

 

[mamsram]

reaching out

reaching out

Christine, Just to let you know, "I will remember you". sometimes you touch someone and then go your separate ways but the memory remains. We may have been in separate cars but traveled the same road. We were in the same time zone, the same fears, and are survivers of very serious physical conditions. God bless you and my best to you and have a great life.

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi, Christina -

I've been on-again, off-again on this site too, since my surgery. I want to be helpful to others, and I want to keep up on anything new that might be important to me, and I want to help ones who had questions like I did, but I also WANT TO MOVE ON. It's a fine balance. I wonder if any of us achieve that balance very well. It's a perpetual struggle. I do enjoy the comraderie though. It's nice to read things other people write that reflect what I'm feeling. And I'm so glad Hank started this site! Hope to see you and many others at the Reunion in October! Take care!

 

[carlapv]

Christina,
If anyone knows what you are saying about obsessing its me. I have been out of touch for a while. At first it was because I just could not talk about my experience and then later it was because that is all I could think about. It got so bad that I questioned everything I did ...was it too much or not enough, everything I ate was measured around how it would effect my coumadin levels. I constantly was listening for the ticking, was it faster, slower, steady? I feel really bad that I haven't been contributing to the board but I know that whatever I offer will be influenced by my state of mind. I am slowly getting better with the help of a friend who is a counselor who has helped me see that I am now well...I am no longer sick. My heart has been fixed. I could get sick again but I cannot ruin today worrying about tomorrow.

It is important to take the time you need to concentrate on putting all this into perspective. Don't rush yourself. I will miss reading your posts but I know that you will be sneaking a peek now and then.

Know that you will be missed!

Carla