Easy Chocolate Cake—in the Microwave!

I can’t believe that it is 2012 already! It seems like just yesterday it was Thanksgiving and in a blink of an eye it is already the New Year. For me, this means my birthday is super close by—it’s today! After my birthday, I know the holiday season is officially over and that “real life” will commence.

Each year my mom recalls that day that I was born and the terrifying time that occurred right after. When I was born—as you can imagine—I was immediate rushed away and “worked on.” A few hours later several doctors and nurses came into my mom’s hospital room and explained to her that I had major heart problems, they didn’t know how I was alive or how long I would stay alive, and they were talking to doctors at Children’s National Medical Center to devise a plan. Then they handed her my birth certificate and left.

That is a lot to take in (and in such a short time) that I cannot blame my mom for misspelling my middle name on my birth certificate. My middle name is supposed to be Renee but she was so distraught that she left out the last “e.” So now my middle name is Rene. I just add an accent mark to the last “e” and say it is French!

So this year—this birthday—makes me 24. This means I have lived a whopping 24 years longer then any doctor, nurse or specialist thought I was going to. I think that is a pretty darn good accomplishment. I always tell my mom that I am too stubborn to die. While I seemingly sprinkle in laughter as my coping mechanism for my congenital heart defects, the truth is that it is not all laughter and giggles.

Being a CHD patient has shaped my life and me as a person and I wouldn’t change that for anything. It has given me appreciation for life that most 24-year-olds don’t have. It has given me direction to become a Registered Nurse, but truth be told—I am scared. Because of a clot (a side effect of a surgery), I was placed on Coumadin and now get my INR tested all too often. The Coumadin won’t get rid of the clot, it will just make sure that new clots don’t develop and this one does not get bigger.

As the Greek writer Seneca wrote “If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living.” So I stick by my mantra for “I am too stubborn to die” and live my life, love my family and friends, learn daily and just enjoy the ride.

What ride would it be without birthday cake—chocolate birthday cake—to celebrate proving all those doctors wrong?! Here is a simple, single-serving, 1-minute microwave cake recipe that you can make whenever you just want to enjoy the ride. Hope you love it as much as I do. Have a happy and healthy New Year, everyone!

Easy Microwave Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Boxed Devil’s Food Cake Mix (like the kind by Betty Crocker)
1 Tablespoon non-fat vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small microwave-safe ramekin.
2. Place in the microwave for 1 minute.
3. Let cool for 2 minutes.
4. Top with whipped cream, sprinkles, a candle or other desired goodies!
5. ENJOY!