Growing up with a Heart Defect and Faith

By Shelia Ratliff

About My book
The Story you are about to read is based on my life. Its a true story. I wanted to share it with others hoping it will make a difference in their life. After you read it you will see how I fit back with my faith, by helping others fight back as well. How I was called a poor girl to heart trouble kid. But with my faith I was the richest girl in the world. Not money wise, but being blessed wise. Stories about some of my friends who fit back with their lives and won. About special people in my life who made a difference. You will see how miracles happen. You will be amazed how little things can make a difference and never give up on faith or your dreams, because this is one of mine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9781441578556

Shelia Ratliff

I, Shelia Ratliff was born in Logan West Virginia, I lived in a small country town called Bias West Virginia. I lived there for seven years of my life. We then moved to Ohio and I lived there until I was almost eighteen, when I then had met my husband Tony and got married and moved to Kentucky. I was born a poor country girl, and as the old saying goes you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl, sort of speak. I guess when you’re born country you stay country. I know its always been in my blood line, because I always wanted to live in the hill. Or should I say the country I’m still known as country bunkin. I was born with a heart defect. I have had three open heart surgeries. The doctors gave me up to die all the time. But I fit back with my faith and helped others do the same. The doctors said I’d never have kids or live a married life. I’m happily to say I have two wonderful sons and I have been married for twenty eight years to the same man. I wanted to give back some of what God had give to me. Writing this book is something I’ve always wanted to do. I wanted people to know, my faith in God helped so many others and me. I only hope that when people struggle in their lives, they will always know they have somebody there. God is with us when no one else is. All we have to do is ask and we shall receive. When I can’t find the answers, anywhere else, I open up my bible and it’s as though it’s right in front of me. So, don’t ever underestimate what God can do. You will see in my book why. Sincerely, Shelia Ratliff

Book preview

It wasn’t easy for my mom

It wasn’t easy for my mom having six kids, and two that she had to take back and forth to the hospital. I know having sick babies must of have been a load on her.

Taking care of six kids was a job all by it’s self. I don’t think my Dad helped much either. My grandma had said; my Dad use to run the road too much. My Mom would have to find a baby sitter the best she could.

I remember us having to eat squirrel gravy, and my Mom would make anything, as long as she fed her kids. But we didn’t go hungry. Even if Dad had to kill possums or rabbits, so we could eat. Of course that is if I didn’t let them go.

I remember once when my Dad had two possums underneath the washtub on our front porch. He had said; he was going to kill them for us to eat. I was the one who fed them, and I wasn’t about to eat them.

So I got up early one morning before Dad did and let them loose. I scared them off our porch. Dad asked the next morning if we knew who let them out? I didn’t say anything. But he was looking directly at me. I didn’t care though; I could go down to Aunt Hess’s and uncle Harman’s for good cooked food. If grandma was there I know I could have gotten cornbread and milk, or ice cream. When we weren’t home that’s where we was most of the time anyway.

I remember my mom telling me about selling ink pens, just so she could get me to the doctors. She had to be a good mother. My mom told me, You got to do what you have to sometimes. When you have kids, you don’t get time to think you just got to do.

I remember us having to bathe in one of those round washtubs. We got our water from a stream out back of our house. We had what they call a path or outhouse. I remember the outside wasn’t much, but my mom had wall papered the inside, and made it all pretty. We had a fireplace to keep us warm. It had a big porch all the way across the front of the house.

At Christmas I remember we didn’t get a whole lot. But we appreciated what we did get. I even remember when my Dad had dressed up in a Santa suit. I had never seen a skinny Santa until then. I had said hello daddy Santa. He said he’d never dress up again, because I was to smart for my britches. I wish now I hadn’t said anything. Because I know he was just doing it for us kids. Even skinny Santa’s can be pretty nice sometime.

But no matter what we got, my Dad would let me open my gifts first. I never knew why, I guess I was just too little to understand. I loved cracking walnuts in front of the grate, so my mom could bake us a cake she had made from scratch. I love it because my Dad would help me. I’d sneak and eat some of the nuts just to hear my Dad holler at me, and then he’d grin and say, Save some for the cake. I just knew he had caught me eating them. I guess it was being normal for a while, was the fun part and knowing my Dad was doing something special with us. Like being there.

The Day My Sister

Carried Me Home

I remember it was in the summer; I wanted to go to my cousins to play, so my mom let me go. It wasn’t to far from where we lived; it was just down the hollow a little ways.

As I started down the hollow, I started to feel sick. I didn’t want to go back and worry Mom, so I kept going until I got down the railroad tracks just a little way; I had to sit down. I guess I had sit there for a while.

Then I had saw my sister coming down the tracks with my cousin. She came over and asked me what was wrong? I had told her I didn’t know all I knew was I felt sick, and couldn’t get up. So she felt my head and said, Shill your all blue and hot; I’m taking you to Mom.

So she picked me up and carried me home. My cousin helped some, considering I was almost as big as they were. As soon as I got home, the first thing my mom said was Sheila your going to the hospital. My sister stayed with the kids until Dad came home. Mom sent my Grandma to help her until he got there.

After we got to the hospital, I remember I had to stay a long time. It seemed like months. I remember it was something wrong with my heart, and something to do with high blood pressure. I had to start taking an antibiotic after I got out. It was horrible too. As a child it seemed like I lived in the hospital. Mom should have called it our second home.

Taking shots

When I started the first grade, I remember I went to a small school. They would make us take shots in the lunchroom. I hated that too. I didn’t care about them giving me the shot in my arm, but anywhere else I would throw a fit.

I remember my mom taking me to the doctors. I did not know what for; All I know is the nurse came in there and told me to roll over and she had a big needle. So I started to scream. Mom said it took seven of them to hold me. She said I was kicking them and trying to fight them. I couldn’t imagine me being that mean. But I am scared to death of needles.

When I would go in the hospital, I hated even getting IV’s because they had to stick me a lot of times just to find a vein; I hated that. You would think once was enough, twice was too much. But I guess they had too, so they could make me better.

When you’re sick and don’t feel good, you don’t feel like people poking on you. But sometimes it’s better to let them do their job, even though we don’t like it. Sometimes it can make a difference in our lives.

Chapter Two

Feeling Left out

As the years past, I guess I was about four. My mom had to take my little brother John, to Charston West Virginia one week. The next week, she took me to Bloomsfield West Virginia. Because of him being born bowlegged. At that time I knew mom had to be tired of going back and forth.

But as I got older, my murmur was getting worse and they found two knots on each side of my abdominal . I had to have surgery for them to be removed. I remember they had started from two tiny kernels, and kept getting bigger. I was in and out of the hospital. All I knew was that God must be on my side and I wasn’t going to think the worst now.

I remember I was singing on our front porch to God. I was only about five years old. I bet my Dad and Mom thought I was crazy but I didn’t care. My Dad asked me once, what I was doing, I told him, Praying for him. He just laughed and went back inside. But I was really praying for my mom and Dad to understand. I wanted to be treated like my brothers and sister.

I was all time singing on our front porch. I would sing to the birds and my dog Renee. I loved my dog because he would cry when I cried, and he knew when I was sick. My Dad would always run him off, and he would come back. I remember once I hid with him under our floor. It was small and nobody could get underneath there, just Renee and me. I loved animals, and I could never stand for one to be mistreated. I knew he loved me.

I wanted Mom and Dad to treat me like the rest, and not someone sick. I felt sometimes when they told me I was sick, it made me worse than I really was. If someone keeps telling you something long enough, after a while you believe it. I felt worse especially them saying your going to die and stuff like that. Then I’d sit and think well I have faith in God and I’m going to be ok. Because he’s always there for me;

My brother on the other hand, had his legs operated on to straighten them, so he had to ware braces. But we came threw like a trooper. Now my brother’s legs are straight. He’s a father now, and doing great.

Learning a lot as a kid

By the time I was six, I was going to church every Sunday. I was limited to my activities. I could remember Bob Preacher would pick us up in his old pick up truck. He’d make me ride in the front because of my heart. I hated that too. I wanted to ride in back with the rest of them.

I remember that I felt left out. I couldn’t understand why they were allowed too and I wasn’t. It was hard being a kid with heart trouble. I always felt like the rest were better than I was, just because they got to do fun things. Just because they were normal it didn’t mean I wasn’t. I had a heart problem but I wasn’t crippled or brainless.

I loved it when I