Charging batteries

After two weeks of intensive work for that ANTI- contemporary art project, I finally had a a day of today. I've spent the day at home, listening to music, doodling and tinkering and drinking hot blackcurrant juice cup after cup.I would have gone out gathering maple leafs, but I felt too cold.

It's been easy and laidback day. I didn't do much for my energy levels felt rather low. Sometimes it's just better to unwind when ever you can.

Tiina

Full speed ahead!

I don't know what's gotten into me. Maybe it's this autumn, my favourite time of the year, or the fact that I've finally recovered of that heartincident and -surgery I had more than year ago. Or maybe it's both! In anycase, it seems like nothing can stop me now. I'm full of energy and ideas and am super-excited about everything! I'm working on a contemporary art-project with my classmates, and I'm dreaming of my own artexhibition. I'm also working on on my thesis; my longtime product design-project, that hopefully someday will turn into a product that I can sell. Then there are some prints and patterns and stuff that I want to take to Heimtextil-fair in Frankfurt next spring. And have I mentioned that I'm dreaming of doing my practical training abroad? All that and some other stuff too, it feels like I was hyper! In the evenings I can't get sleep for all the ideas are running amok in my head. I guess I'm trying to catch up after holding back for a year.

I'm still attending my psychotherapy sessions every week, atleast till the end of this year. Only now, instead of going through the incidents and feelings of past year, I'm working on on my future, and am very happy about that. Also, I met my cardiologist in helsinki few weeks ago, and he said that everything was ok, and that we can now slowly start reducing my medication. Who would have known that recovering can take this long??

Inspiring autumn to you all!

Tiina

A lucky heart!

Alive and feeling damn good!

The summer is officially over, and so is my holiday too. And I can tell, it must have been the best summer for years! I doubt if I've had such a good time in years and never in such a short period of time have I realised that I can do so many (crazy) things if I only try. I travelled, I hitchhiked. I spent time with my friends and family, I spent time on my own. I met new people, I made new friends. I felt good and healthy, I challenged myself and succeeded. I'm so happy about my summer, that instead of working or practical training, I'm going to spend next summer on a holiday as well.

One of the best parts of my holiday was that hiking trip to Koli with other heart young and -adults. I remember I had just gotten out of hospital in the mid of June and was on my way home from Helsinki when I enrolled to that meeting. I felt so broken and weak after that horrible May (read here, here and here) I wasn't sure if I can hike at all. But I enrolled anyway, as soon as I could, for I had been waiting for that trip since last november. And luckily I got better during the summer.  Physically the Koli trip was a bit trying but it was so easy to be there with other likehearted. I didn't need to explain myself to anyone if I needed to take a breather. Neither was I left alone in the end of the line puffing, but someone was always there with me. And we catched our breath, laughed, took a picture and continued hiking. We hiked bit over seven kilometres on the rocks and hills of Koli on one day. Some hiked about ten kilometres, but I was pleased with my seven. We also got to crawl and climb through the longest natural cave in Finland, tried running on water in a Zorba-ball and swam in the lake Pielinen. I and other two of us also attended a clown jump competition in the Koli harbour. During the trip I had truly realised that I regret things I didn't do more than things I've done. So by the end of Saturday I was quite exhausted and extremely happy, for I had tried everything possible. Except eating worms.

The Koli trip was a home run. There were twenty of us, aged between 15 and 49. Some of us had attended Synja-meetings before, others attended for the first time. My first time in a Synja-meeting last November was very important to me, and I hope that those who attended for the first time at Koli, catched the same feeling of peer support, understanding and sharing as I did back then.

-Tiina

Some photos from Koli, all taken by Ville Ikkala. Many thanks to the photographer =)

At the top of Ukko Koli

The lakeshore in the evening

The woods of Koli

The cave Pirunkirkko

Ready for the Repokallio-cave challenge

Group of congenitally heart defected people climbing another set of stairs =)

Peer support. I love this picture