Life with Helen Johnson

 In Dec 2023 when I was diagnosed I had naively assumed they'd operate on me as soon as possible. I then went to see a cardiologist in Jan 2024, he said the operation would be done before Dec 2024. In June 2024 I spoke with the surgeon who said it would most likely be April 2025. I spoke with the cardiology department yesterday who said it would likely be September 2025. So chances are I will be waiting 1.5 - 2 years from my diagnosis until the operation.  You can imagine how I felt after this conversation. I broke down in tears, every month the operation gets delayed it feels like its our lives being delayed. Another month living with a condition which impacts my mental well-being, another month not being able to travel, another month not able to start our family. To say it's frustrating is probably underselling how I feel right now.  In last weeks blog I talked about appreciating your blessings, it's never been more needed than now. If I'm honest, I'm sick of not ...

  When I found out I needed heart surgery one of the first things I asked is "what will the recovery be like?". I am still waiting for the surgery and I will continue to blog the journey, but there are some things I already know to expect. I'm aware when I shared with you that I needed heart surgery some of you may have thought "what will life look like for Helen after surgery?'.  1. Recovery time is from two weeks to one month  If all goes well and there are no complications then I should be returning to work and "normal" life after one month. This could take longer if my surgical wound gets infected, or if there are any other complications. If you require a stent after having a heart attack it can take several weeks or months to recover.  2. How long does the operation take? And how long will I have to stay in hospital? The operation can take up to 2 hours (if all goes well) and typically they only keep you in hospital for one night. 3. Are there any ...

  This year has been quite a challenging one for me and I've had to learn that in order to move forward with my life I have to fight fear, rather than succumb to it.  My husband Andy pointed out to me recently that I wasn't seeming myself and that I had lost some of what made me, me. This upset me, but in a good way (if that makes sense). It made me realise that I had let myself change without even wanting to, and not in a good way. I decided to make some changes to overcome fear, rather than give into it. Before I share the 5 ways I have overcome my fear I want to caveat that I still feel fearful at times and I am not a finished product, just someone trying to manage a little better in this chaotic life we find ourselves living in! 1. I prayed about it If you're a religious person you might be thinking 'weren't you doing that already?' and if you're not a religious person you might be thinking 'how is that meant to help me?'. What I realised I hadn...

 It seems weird to say I'm thankful for the condition I have, at times I really am not, but there are some things I am thankful for. I hope these give you encouragement to see the silver lining in your struggles. 1. I'm thankful that I've had my heart checked and will continue to get it monitored So many people die of heart attacks or strokes without knowing that they even had a problem with their heart. In a book I listened to called Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity by Dr Peter Attia he said that many young people in their 20s who sadly passed away, after the autopsy it showed plaque build up in their arteries. I'm thankful that I can have my heart regularly checked, so if anything is starting to develop it can be treated. If you have a history of heart conditions in your family I would encourage you to ask your GP for an echo-cardiogram.  This is a photo of me being monitored (a 24 hour blood pressure monitor): 2. I'm thankful that I can enjoy my early...

 I'm only 31, I got diagnosed with a heart condition at 24, it's not that common for a young adult to require heart surgery, so I'm sure some of you may be thinking....'why do you need heart surgery?'  Let's start from the beginning.... When my mum was pregnant with my me and my identical twin Louise the doctors informed her that she had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (see the link at the end of the blog for more information). With treatment there is only a 50-65% chance that both twins will survive. However in 1993 this treatment wasn't provided to my mother, without treatment the odds weren't looking too good. My mum had an emergency c-section at 7 months, miraculously both Louise and I were alive, however it took a number of months before we were both healthy.  Fast forward 24 years, I'm on my way to work and when I arrive at work I notice my pulse in my neck feels really fast. I called my GP and they asked me to come in and see them. When I ar...

 Hi, I'm Helen Johnson and this blog is about my life (the good and the bad). You could say it's the journeys the Johnson's go through (my husband Andy and I).  To introduce myself, here's some facts about me: - I'm 31 years old - I've been married to my husband Andy since January 2023 - I'm a Christian - I'm a debt advisor (I help people get out of debt) - I'm passionate about good health & fitness - I'm on a waiting list for heart surgery - I love walking and travelling  - I love food - Andy and I are currently starting our own walking business (with a few more businesses up our sleeves) This blog is going to be following the journeys I take as I became a business owner, have heart surgery, grow in my marriage and my faith, continue coming up with useful business ideas and just enjoy life! I'm excited to have you join the journey!  Next blog: Why I Need Heart Surgery