A New Chapter in My Life!

 This is a post that I wrote on facebook on Wednesday of this week: 

My life and the life of my family changed forever on January 22, 2010 with Nicole's diagnosis.  Prior to this, I didn't know what my purpose was or what I was called to do.  I believe that my purpose is to be an advocate and voice for Nicole and for pulmonary hypertension and congenital heart defects.

One thing that I have learned in the last year is to wait to hear from God.  I am so proud of myself that I did this when I thought He spoke to my heart about training to be a pharmacy technician and He did provide for that. I know that this is His calling.

My commitments that I have had with NHE (homeschool group) are coming to a close and my involvement with the group will probably be minimal.  I have made some wonderful friends who have taught me so much.  I don't think that I would have been able to speak in Hawaii, do the video for Hawaii, speak at a NHE monthly meeting about Nicole's illness to the last speaking engagement I had on the radio a couple of weeks ago if it wasn't for the four years I was on the board at NHE.  I truly believe this has prepared me for the next chapter in my life.

Last year I met Colleen Brunelli through Generation Hope and she took the time out of her busy schedule to call me and give me encouragement and tell me about Tyvaso, which is one of the medications that Nicole takes for her PH.  It turns out that she was a peer mentor for Tyvaso and answers questions etc. for people starting the medication.  I was so impressed by this that I felt that this is something I would like to do.  One of the requirements was you had to be on the medication for six months.  Well, today it has been six months that Nicole has been on Tyvaso.  I contacted the peer mentor group on Tuesday to find out the procedure I had to go through and training etc. and talked to them yesterday.  They told me that I was in and I have an interview with them Friday evening.  I am SO excited.  If I can help others like Colleen helped me I am blessed.  When you have a child that has a chronic illness with no cure you feel helpless.  You have lost all control and you can't make them better or kiss them and make it go away.  I believe in my heart and with all my heart that my studying for a pharmacy technician degree and becoming a peer mentor will help Nicole first and for most and a lot of other people.  I hope to become more involved in PHAssociation also and I believe that this will happen but only if it's God's will.

To say that I'm not scared on this new path because it is scary for me, for Nicole and for my family but it is a road that I must take whether I feel like it or not.