THIS CAST IS SPONSORED BY the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation www.lrhf.ca OR www.lloydminstermentalhealth.ca

The LRHF is passionate about health care in the Lloydminster region! They offer a variety of ways for YOU to get involved with the health of our region. We ask that you check out their website and consider donating to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.

0:20 Thank you to the LRHF

1:00 Introduction to Meredith Rhinas

1:42 Kristen shares about her similar circumstances with heart struggles and asks Meredith about her experience in the ICU

2:24 Meredith was born with a congenital heart defect, she always knew she would have to have surgery- SOME DAY

2:49 The diagnosis

4:45 Trusting the system... advocating for ourselves in the health care and medical system

9:00 Things are getting serious

9:33 Getting through the tough feelings... "this sucks"

14:45 When critically important medical results weren't communicated

20:00 Balance

25:00 "Left hanging" and anger... anxiety

30:00 "The jist of it was I shouldn't have had another baby..." Now, how can I deliver safely

31:20 Processing feelings of feeling like Meredith failed

39:27 Discussions about mental health and defining moments. "That day was one of the hardest days of my life."

48:48 Going into the surgery and how Meredith's husband handled the surgery... "We thought this was going to be the easy part, but unfortunately."

50:00 Massive heart attack: "During the surgery there was a complication where my coronary artery was crushed. They didn't realize that had happened until..."

56:30 "The moments I was most nervous about. I had a bad feeling." Writing letters to the children, do it or don't

1:11:57 The Why's and "Thriving"

1:24:40 Social media as a creative outlet

What now...

Thank you to Meredith for sharing with us and we look forward to having you back!