S.C.A.D. ... Anyone Heard of It, or Even Better, Had It?

I am not familiar with this condition...

However, I do have a daughter with a congenital heart condition. She was never expected to live.

At some point (probably when she was 4 ish) I decided to just live each day as it came.

She is now 18, and we are transferring her care to an adult cardiologist. The appointment will be a LENGTHY one,as all residents etc want to meet her.

NO ONE is promised another day. That is what helped me to deal with her prognosis.

Not sure if this helps...but it is the truth by which I live.

Some things are clearly out of *my* control...so I roll with it...and savor each day as best I can.

Best!

You already know how to get past it, "I hug my kids a little longer". You live in the day; prepare for tomorrow, but live for today.
My mom has more medical conditions than I can name. She wasn't supposed to live out her 20's much less have kids. Today she's 75 with 2 kids and 5 grandkids. Growing up I always knew tomorrow wasn't guaranteed with Mom but we tried to make light of it and move on, I mean what else are you going to do? Wallow for years and be trapped by fear? Mom and I share a dark sense of humor, I even took her to school for show & tell once because I was the only kid in school with a battery operated Mom (she had a pacemaker). Breathe, relax, live every day as fully as possible, find humor where you can. We all die someday, just because this happened doesn't mean it's going to be the thing that ultimately kills you, heck hopefully you'll die in your sleep from old age in 50 years.

You are experiencing completely normal fears. You've realized how quickly things can change and it wasn't brought on by something you can control. I know people who suffered heart attacks and their recovery included processing the feelings you have. Please know you will get through this. I am sure your doctor can recommend someone to speak with if you feel like you need help processing.

My dad wasn't comfortable leaving town for several months after heart surgery because he didn't want to be out of the area of his doctors. He didn't have a heart attack, he kept telling his doc he didn't feel right. His ekg was normal as was his echocardiogram. They did a heart cath to make sure and found 3 blockages that would've caused a heard attack if not corrected.

My aunt considered her ovarian cancer a gift. She said she lived life with more purpose after her diagnosis. She didn't feel that way at first. She went through all the normal reactions. I learned a lot through her illness. It helped me to realize to always make sure the people I love know how important they are to me.

Take care of yourself and realize you've been through a life changing experience. You will process your experience and begin a new normal. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you're scared and need someone to talk to. There is no "right" way to walk your path.

Blessings!
L.

Hi! I don't have any personal experience with this condition, although I've heard of it and knew it was possibly related to hormone levels. I always wondered if there was a genetic link? Or a pre-existing congenital condition that only surfaced because of the surge of hormones? It's all conjecture and I don't know if you'll ever know the cause. But you do know and live with the immediate effect and that is you now have to live your 'new normal.' I imagine you've had to start caring for yourself more and others less, that your energy is lower, that you need more rest and less stress. I hope that you embrace this time in your life as a time to prioritize, and it seems you have.

Take care of yourself and immediate family first. Never feel guilty for not doing more than you should reasonably do. Pace yourself. And of course, love and hug your kids a little longer.