Information Overload and Blogs Galore

I have embraced the idea of making this blog something helpful to others, but the first step in helping others is actually making this a place they come to find it!  So, I've been exploring ways of making the blog more attractive and I came across a reference to Gisele Jaquenod and Birdie on another blog I follow and when I saw their website and the contest they are having, I just had to share.  It is one of the cutest blog designs I've seen!  I'm going to try out a free template for blogger, but I must admit I'm a little behind the times in blog savviness, so I don't know if I will be able to make it work.  But the contest offers a free personal blog design by them!

I have realized in the past couple of weeks the absolute volumes of information out there on CHD, transplants, etc.  I've joined some groups for parents of children with CHDs and am working on a couple of things related to raising awareness - I think I talked about the awareness week in my last blog entry.  I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and will have to spend some time sorting through all the information at some point in the coming weeks.  I am also realizing all the work I have to do to get ready for school starting in ONE WEEK!  So, it will be a busy, busy week for me.  I am going to adjust my daily schedule a bit, working on getting up earlier and going to bed earlier as well as getting an in-home office space set up so I have a space to work that is usable.  I just have to find the space for it and the time to get it set up.  I'm excited about the new semester getting started, but I also realize I need to be uber-organized during the semester.

I just heard/read about Gaines Adams, a Chicago Bear player, who died from cardiac arrest this morning at 26.  The autopsy showed he had an enlarged heart - cardiomyopathy - that was unknown to his family.  I posted the other day about a project to get high school athletes tested for cardiac defects.  This type of screening may have caught the defect in Adams and prevented this death.  It is sad that these are preventable deaths but are never detected even in high-level athletes who should be receiving medical attention/analysis each year.  Adams' family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers - I hope that we can prevent these deaths from occurring in the future by raising awareness and getting better screening in place.