Superkid

Superkid Hikes to Delicate Arch

July 24, 2012 By Ruth H. 2 Comments

Hello, Friends! I know, I know, it’s been forever. I practically dropped off the blogosphere. We’ve been very, very busy selling our home, moving across the country, enjoying our new (and beautiful) surroundings, and settling into a new home. Things have gone well, and the only person to be hospitalized in the last few months was Bionic Man (Superkid’s dad), who suffered from a horrible case of food poisoning (courtesy Denny’s in Moab, Utah–yes, I’m naming names) while we were driving across the country. That made for a lovely layover in the small by friendly town of Ely, Nevada.

Anyway, recently I have begun chronicling some of Superkids adventures in short videos. We save these for when she’s just done something that other people might not think a little kid with an artificial heart valve could do. Climbing steep mountains, hiking to an amazingly scenic vista, running in a race…these are all things that Superkid can do, thanks to her artificial heart valve, the skills of talented medical practioners, and a Heavenly Father who works miracles. We’re awfully proud of Superkid and her courageous heart.

Enjoy the video that we made while hiking in Arches National Park, earlier this summer. You can’t hear what Superkid is saying due to the high winds, so here’s the interpretation: “I’m eight and I have an artificial heart valve. I hiked all the way here to Delicate Arch, thanks to the doctors and nurses at Riley Hospital. My heart works great! Hooray!”

Superkid Visits Delicate Arch on Vimeo.

Lots of other children, like Superkid, are doing amazing things while living with CHD. You can read some of their stories HERE.

Just a reminder, I’ve decided to limit the content here at A Trip to *Holland to updates about Superkid and our family’s experiences living with congenital heart defects, metabolic disorders, and grief. If, in the past, you’ve enjoyed crafts, recipes, and home improvement projects at this site, you can continue to enjoy them at my other site, A House in Holland.

With Superkid currently enjoying a season of good health, posts here at A Trip to Holland may be sporadic. If you would like an easy way to keep up and/or be notified of new posts, feel free to sign up for an email subscription by clicking HERE.

Filed Under: Postcards from Holland, The Faces of CHD, The Trip Tagged With: Superkid, travel

We Moustache You a Question…

February 13, 2012 By Ruth H. 1 Comment

…are YOU ready for Valentine’s Day?

I am happy to report that everyone at our house who is elementary school IS ready for Valentine’s Day. Check out these DIY personalized Valentines:

Pin It

We whipped out these funny valentine cards using Picnic (free for EVERYONE, right now!) and I had them printed out using Target’s 1 hour photo service through Shutterfly. It cost about $10 to print enough to hand out to both classes, BUT if I had been on the ball and used a Shutterfly promo code, I probably could have spent less than $6 for them.

The good news is that I still saved lots of time, because these handy cards already have my children’s names on them and don’t need to be folded or punched out or have stickers added to them. Hooray! Here’s how we did it:

I took a picture of each child.

I downloaded the pictures to Picnik. I used Picnik’s “Add a Sticker” feature to attach the mustaches. (Many mustache choices are available in the sticker files.)

Then I used Picnik’s collage feature to put the pictures on a colorful background and add text. It took a whopping 10 minutes.

Instead of candy, my children will be handing out mustaches-on-a-stick along with their Valentines. Much cheaper than candy, since we have all the supplies we need to make them. And I’m pretty sure the mustaches will be a hit with their friends.

Have you had any great ideas for Valentines, this year? If you are in need of any inspiration when it comes to doing something special for your spouse, check out the ideas I shared this weekend over at Infarrantly Creative.

Filed Under: A House in Holland, Holland for Families, The Trip Tagged With: children, DIY projects, DIY Valentine cards, holidays, Justone, Superkid, Valentine treats, Valentine's Day, Valentines

Sunday at Home

February 12, 2012 By Ruth H. Leave a Comment

Superkid has strep throat. One of my all-time favorite maladies, I have to admit. I mean, what could be easier than getting a quick swab, a prescription for antibiotics, and then having your child feel 100% better within less than a day? (Says the mother who thinks a “good year” is one in which no one has heart surgery.) I’m a big fan of illnesses that have quick and easy tests and quick and easy cures. Go strep!

Anyway, Superkid and I are hanging out together while the rest of the family is at church. We have spent the morning in our jammies, so far. Now we’re watching inspiring videos.

Just a moment ago, Superkid and I watched this video, and I cried. Cried happy tears, because I love stories like this. True stories, about young people who are making fantastic decisions and being good examples. I want to share it with you.

If you can’t view the video, you can click here to read the article.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Filed Under: Holland for Families, Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: friendship, good kids, LDS, Superkid

The Faces of CHD – Pinterest Awareness Challenge

January 25, 2012 By Ruth H. 32 Comments

As many of you know, I am the mother of two little girls born with congenital heart defects, known here as Superkid and Lily. I’m also an avid Pinterest pinner–I love collecting ideas and inspiration via Pinterest.

Those two elements of my life had absolutely nothing in common…until today! With your help, I’d like to help promote awareness of and advocacy for children (and adults) with congenital heart defects by founding a Pinterest board devoted to sharing the stories of families affect by the #1 Birth Defect. The board is titled, “The Faces of CHD – Congenital Heart Awareness Week Feb 7-12, 2012.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Postcards from Holland, The Faces of CHD, The Trip Tagged With: artificial heart valve, CHD, congenital heart defect, Lily, medical issues, Pinterest, Superkid

Ordinary Days

December 1, 2011 By Ruth H. 1 Comment

I’m very sad that I’m down to something like one post a week on this little blog ‘o mine. Sorry! I’m not even going to promise to do better, because things have been a little crazy at our house.

The good news:

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. Loved having family (Uncle Dustin and his A Team) with us. My nieces are adorable, and we were sorely tempted to let their parents leave them behind.
I’m determined to post pictures of the pies I made for Thanksgiving dinner, because I’m that proud of them. Stay tuned.
Christmas shopping is DONE–at least for my children. Still working on a few things for the extended family. But I’m feeling good about it. I’ve got momentum. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: CHD, children, Christmas, medical issues, pneumonia, Superkid, Thanksgiving

Mother Sews Best

October 30, 2011 By Ruth H. 5 Comments

Have I told you that I’m pretty sure a man invented Trick-or-Treating? A man without any children of his own? Because seriously, folks, would a woman–a mother–invent a tradition that involved elaborate costumes and unlimited candy for children? I rest my case.

Despite the fact that I had to pack for, unpack, and organize two back-to-back out of town vacations in the past week…despite the fact that I had several writing deadlines…despite the fact that just the mere effort of turning on my sewing machine these days causes me to say creative non-swearing epithets…I told two of my children I would make their Halloween costumes.

This is what my sewing room looked like by the end of the day, yesterday.

Though it may look as if poor Hunter the Dog got too close to my sewing shears, or as if I sacrificed some small animal to appease the evil spirit that dwells within my sewing machine, I can assure you that no animals were harmed in the making of our Halloween costumes. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holland for Families, The Trip Tagged With: Bionic Man, children, costumes, DIY costumes, Endeavor, Halloween, Halloween costumes, Justone, Mother Gothel, sewing, Superkid, Tangled, Trunk-or-Treat, Viking Warrior

Adventures with Superkid

September 22, 2011 By Ruth H. 4 Comments

Here’s the report on yesterday’s trip to the children’s hospital: Superkid was a superstar!

If I haven’t told you before, you need to know that Superkid considers all trips to our children’s hospital–for any reason–to be primarily a social outing. Any procedure or examination that the trip entails is secondary to the opportunities for social networking and the gathering of prizes, as far as Superkid is concerned. A true performance artist, Superkid also feels that every person encountered at the hospital is a fresh audience ready to be delighted with her medical history, family history, favorite songs, new vocabularly words, and dance moves.

I don’t know where she gets that. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holland Has Hospitals, Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: artificial heart valve, bravery, child life program, child life specialist, children, children's hospital, hard things, medical issues, nosebleeds, Riley hospital, Superkid

A Visit from The Nutmegger

September 21, 2011 By Ruth H. Leave a Comment

I’m delighted to welcome my dear friend Erica (a.k.a. Nutmegger)to Holland, today! She took me up on my plea for blog posts instead of casseroles. Thank you, Erica! I met Erica way back when we were both learning how to be wives and mothers. She was (and continues to be) a wonderful example to me of a woman who never stops learning. A talented violinist, Erica left behind a academic and performing career to focus on a role that doesn’t necessarily earn her the kind of applause she once received. She is now a mother of five beautiful children.

One of my many memories of Erica is of driving up at her house in a panic, handing her my two toddlers and trying to explain with a shaking voice that baby Superkid was in heart failure and I had to get to the hospital with her NOW. Erica hugged me, told me to drive as fast as I could, and said not to worry about Endeavor and Justone–she’d take care of them. I believe that run to the hospital turned into an ambulance ride to an out-of-state hospital, and I didn’t see Endeavor and Justone for a week. They were mothered in my absence by Erica and other dear, sweet friends until I could bring Superkid home from the hospital. Thank you, Erica, for being that kind of friend!

Erica is about to reveal what the contents of a woman’s purse say about her….take it away, Erica! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: CHD, congenital heart defect, friends, hospital, medical issues, nosebleeds, Superkid

Healthy Superkid Update

September 1, 2011 By Ruth H. 1 Comment

I have not found much time for blogging this last week, and I’m afraid that’s going to be the case until sometime next week. I somehow think I’m going to have all this extra time when school starts, but I think the reality is that I spend the morning recovering from getting everyone out the door, and the afternoon gearing up for everyone coming back through the door. Once they arrive, then the action and noise involved makes up tenfold for what wasn’t there during the day. School totally wears Hunter the Dog and I out, I’ll tell you that much.

Anywho, it’s late, and I’ve got lots to do tomorrow, so this has to be quick. I just wanted to share the good news that Superkid’s cardiology appointment last week went really, really well. It was her first cardiology visit in over a year, and her heart looked so good that they told us not to come back again for another year! That, my friends, is quite a record for us. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holland Has Hospitals, Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: artificial heart valve, cardiologist, cardiology, CHD, children, congenital heart defect, coumadin, Hunter the Dog, medical issues, miracles, nosebleeds, pediatric patient on blood thinner, Riley hospital, Superkid

Every Heart Has a Story Event

August 15, 2011 By Ruth H. 10 Comments

Today I sent my three children off to school. Hunter the dog and I waved good bye as the school bus drove away (well, I waved, and Hunter looked downtrodden–he’s not a fan of those big yellow monsters that take his peeps away) and then we went for a run. I took a leisurely shower, after which I let my good friend Nicole in the house. She’d just dropped off her youngest at kindergarten, and needed some chat therapy. (I love it when I can provide a service and do my own dishes at the same time.) And now I’m sitting down to the computer, about to update someone else’s blog widgets and write some articles and be a productive, wage-earning member of society.

I know, my life is just one thrill after another. But I like it that way–I’ve come to appreciate the magic of ordinary days.

Every once in a while I like to take a break from the glue guns and spray paint and the “fluff” of my life that I generally write about here, and revisit the topics that started my blog. Last year, I wrote something to explain that, and I want to re-post part of that blog entry, today. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holland Has Hospitals, Postcards from Holland, The Trip Tagged With: CHD, congenital heart defect, Every Heart Has a Story, family, forever families, gratitude, grief/loss, hope, Lily, loss of a child, medical issues, mitochondrial disease, school, Superkid