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Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association

Weesie has long QT Syndrome. She is only 2 years old and we are absolutely blessed to have had her diagnosed at age 1. There is a certain feeling of loss of control when you imagine in your darkest times ever losing a loved one to this deceptive disorder. Taking back that control for me has been joining the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association. By the time Weesie goes to school, we need to feel confident letting her out of sight and entrusting others with her care. This is part of that proccess.

From the SCAA site:

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA) is an organization singularly focused on sudden cardiac arrest. SCAA identifies and unites survivors, those at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, as well as others who are interested in being advocates on SCAA issues in their communities and beyond. Our membership is dedicated to promoting solutions to prevent sudden cardiac death, including increased awareness, immediate bystander action, public access to defibrillation (PAD), cardiovascular disease prevention, and access to preventative therapies.

SCAA is a nonprofit, tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to SCAA are tax deductible.

We are governed by a Board of Directors and are forming two advisory boards: one composed of members of industries active in the area of SCA and one of physicians and scientists well known for the practice and research in the area of SCA.

By sharing information, resources and experiences in promoting policy changes and community programs, SCAA aims to prevent loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest.

Mission: To prevent loss of life from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Vision: To eliminate preventable deaths from sudden cardiac arrest by 2020.

Status: To access the 2008 Annual Impact Report, click here.

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

AEDs in Schools/Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death

Please support or initiate fund-raising in your school district for AEDS. The passsage of the Josh Miller Heart ACT will "help" fund AED placement in schools. The child that may be saved could be any of ours.

Josh Miller Hearts Act Passes the House of Representatives

Thanks for your support of our work to encourage Congress to pass the Josh Miller Hearts Act for AEDs in schools!

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - June 9, 2009 -- The Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation applauds the passage by the House of Representatives of H.R. 1380 (the "Josh Miller HEARTS Act"). This legislation establishes a federal grant program to help fund the placement of automated electronic defibrillators (AEDs) at elementary and secondary schools across the country and also requires school personnel be trained in the operation of AEDs.

Tragically, each year in the United States, several thousand young people between the ages of 1 and 22 die of sudden cardiac arrest due to cardiac channelopathies. Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is the most common cardiac channelopathy, affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 individuals in the United States with 500-1,000 new carriers born each year. This syndrome causes cardiac arrhythmias in seemingly healthy and often young individuals and can lead to syncope, seizures, cardiac arrest, and sudden death. LQTS is one of the more common causes of sudden death in young people, resulting in 2,000 to 3,000 deaths per year. Appropriate use of AEDs can reduce the risk of untoward events that lead to death as people diagnosed with SADS conditions respond well to defibrillation.

According to Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic and SADS Foundation's Board Chair, "Cardiac arrest does not have to be fatal. It is often possible to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm with an AED. If a sudden cardiac arrest occurs outside a hospital environment and if an AED is available in this same location, then an AED can be used to shock the heart of the victim and hopefully restore normal rhythm. Early defibrillation of cardiac arrest victims is essential. The earlier the victim is defibrillated, the greater the chance of survival." Dr. Ackerman explains that AEDs consist of two electrodes that are placed on a patient's chest while a computer interprets the heart's rhythm and determines whether an electrical shock is needed. The rescuer then pushes a button that delivers a shock to the heart. AEDs have become so simple that anyone can be trained to use them.

AED devices provide high voltage electrical shocks to a dying heart to normalize the heart beat. AEDs are computerized defibrillators that talk users through the use of the device in an emergency. This legislation will expand the placement of AEDs to one of the most critical areas that children who suffer from these conditions are: their schools. This, and the training mandated by the bill, will save lives. According to USAToday, many schools across the United States have already begun to equip themselves with AED devices.

The SADS Foundation thanks Representative Betty Sutton (OH-13) for introducing this life-saving legislation and urges the Senate to consider and quickly pass H.R. 1380.

Read the Josh Miller HEARTS Act Letter to Congress

Handmade Dress From ETSY by dress baby beautiful

"dress baby beautiful" on Etsy has some beautiful Summer everyday and dressy dresses for tots!! This dress, I call it the "Pear Dress" was one of Weesie's 2nd Birthday gifts! It is a light cotton in a really pretty pattern. It was ONLY $20! This was a special that dress baby beautiful was running, but her veryday prices are only @ $20 to $30. She runs sales all the time. The stripe fabric at the hem of this dress makes it very special!

Visit dress baby beautiful at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6733241

Chocolate Lab Mayhem!!/Adventures of Seamus!

Our beautiful chocolate lab Seamus aka "Shay" and "shameful". At least once a week we have an adventure, mishap, or some other episode that causes mayhem in our house with Shay!!!! The one that occurred tonight almost landed me in the hospital with internal injuries!!! Dear Shay loves to be close to mom. If he can possibly sit on my foot or lean against my leg with all ofhis 80 pounds, he will. He thinks he is still a puppy and is all baby!

So tonight Shay was sitting under the silver metal chair (long story behind this chair...) that I have at my computer desk as I sat typing away and sorting my pile of stuff almost about to block my screen. QUIET.......I got up to throw away some papers in the kitchen. As I got up, I felt the chair tumble to its side. I am thinking in this split second "Oh Shay has gotten his big body up from under my chair and knocked it over..." until I took a foot of the metal chair to the abdomen: HARD! This is followed by a crazy LOUD METAL noise and I see Shay running through the house with a METAL FOLDING CHAIR ON HIS BACK! He is panicked but everytime he comes near me I am in danger of getting impaled! Finally I grab him by the harness (yes, he still wears a harness at age 3 and THIS IS WHY).....and I wedge him and the metal chair against the recliner and SCREAM for my son to HELPPP ME!

The metal chair is firmly wedged in one of the 90 degree angles of the harness. The chair has slipped down into the harness! He can't get loose and his only option, as he sees it, is to run the darn thing around the house clanging and banging and scaring the bajeebies out of his dog self! So back to me holding the 80 pound dog with the steel chair...my son yells "what?????!!!!" for clearly I am interrupting something important (video game) with my hysterical shrieking. Said son finally responds when I scream ITS SEAMUS!! (I will not EVER forget this delay in his response to my dire need...like when my B-in-law "went to the bathroom" before picking my sister up from the bottom of her outside stairs with a broken ankle)....so my son (adult by the way!) pulls the chair out of the harness and wa-la all is well! ( then he told me it was my own fault that I got such a big dog ....made me wonder if he is really my kid?!)

I have a bit of a bruise (like when you fall on your handlebars), but all is well...until next time!!

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If you would like to see more beautiful, gentle, and really sweet dogs visit Shay's human dad's site:

http://www.ourchocolatelabs.com/

Truly the sweetest dogs in the world!

Fabulous Fun Finds Heatherly Designs Giveaway

Fabulous Fun Finds is hosting a Heatherly Designs jewelry giveaway. Beautiful vintage look jewelry on ETSY at very reasonable prices. Click on over to FFF for pics of these special pieces and enter the GIVEAWAY!

http://fabulousfunfinds.blogspot.com/2009/06/heatherly-designs-necklace-giveaway.html

So Proud of our Students!!

Congratulations to all of my student nieces and nephews! Their achievements and honors make me so proud of them as students as well as the wonderful people they are becoming! Here are highlights of the achievements that I know.

Emily: won Academic awards for college prep English and pre- Algebra!! Awesome for a kid who complained that her English teacher was "hard" and who NEVER been a math wiz (like her mom and Aunt Sarah). Completed her freshman year on top!

Mitchell: graduated 8th grade! "Most Friendly" according to his yearbook! Handsome and sweet for sure! National HONOR SOCIETY! Congrats Mitch!!

Melanie: graduated 8th grade! Academic awards including straight As in 5 subjects! Yikes very big brains! National Honor Society!

Brandon: promoted to 5th grade with Honor Roll ALL 4 MARKING PERIODS!!! awesome!

MITCH MAN!!!

BRANDON is posing!!

(My favorite pic of Melanie, Emily, and Mitchell...4 years ago!!)