Nothing to complain about

I have nothing to complain about really.  I'm going to the heart doc tomorrow and really it's not that big of a deal.  I love my current cardiologist and I haven't always been able to say that.  I'm having an echocardiogram and a holter monitor like I do every December and really that's not that big of a deal.  I'll have the exact same conversation with the echo tech that I do every year because she doesn't remember me from year to year.  I'll have the same conversation I do with the doc every six months (Are you exercising?  Why not?  When are you going to start?  What's the plan?)  I get a day off of work.  I'll be able to do all my Christmas shopping when I'm done. 

So what's the deal?  Every adult CHD'er (CHD = Congenital Heart Defect for those that don't know) will tell you the same thing I'm sure.  Going to the heart doc is annoying.  I work with around 50 people.  I can think of only two others that work here who have standing appointments with a cardiologist and they're men in their 50's/60's.  Although now that I'm less than 6 months away from 40 I'm starting to fit into the right age group.  It's fun trying to explain to people why you're going to a heart doc when you're 25 - "Are you waiting on your grandfather?"  "No, I'm here to see the doc." "But you're way to young for that." "No, trust me, I'm getting way to old for this.  It was much easier when I was 5".  Because lets face it.  When you're 5 the heart doc has toys to play with while you wait.  I mean come on! 

It's annoying because if I tell my family I have a heart doc appointment I get "Gasp!  I hope everything's OKAY!"  It is.  It's been okay for years now.  Please don't worry.  But they do.  Parents, aunts, uncles, cousins...they were there.  They remember the days when we were all fighting for my life.  They remember the tears, the prayers, the hopes, the wishes.  And then there's the brothers who all they've ever known is a sister with heart problems.  So it instills fear in them to hear I'm headed to the heart doc.  But then there's the new family.  My husband and his family.  All they've ever known is that I have heart problems, but other than 3 days in the hospital 5 years ago they haven't really seen it manifested so...."Do we worry?  What's going on?  Is something wrong?"  No, it's just what I need to do.  And the flip side of all of this is if I keep it to myself that I'm going for a check-up then I get.  "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US???"  So I kinda can't win here.  And I get both sides of that coin.  I really do.  And I try to be understanding.  But when I post the status, send the text, tweet, whatever...I brace myself. 

It's annoying because I'm allergic to some of the adhesives they use for the leads for the holter monitor.  Which means 24 hours of itchy.  Yay. 

But if I've learned anything by meeting CHD'ers on the internet it's that I have it really good.  It's been almost 20 years since my last open-heart surgery with only minor complications since then.  I've gotten off relatively easy.  I understand that I'm one of the few that's kept consistent contact with good medical care.  It's paid off.  I do have a hole in my heart, but it's not a big deal and doesn't seem to be anything to worry about anytime soon.  I'm truly blessed and truly have nothing to complain about.

But when has that ever stopped me???