Why do I talk about Congenital Heart Defect Awareness so much? BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN HOW MUCH MY LITTLE MEN HAVE FOUGHT TO SURVIVE!
At just 21 years old, I was a young mother, and I had to watch my 8 month old, Thomas, go through drug withdrawls after having open heart surgery, because of all the medications he was on. I have left behind my baby Samuel for 2 months, before he was even a year old, to sit by Jonathan's bedside in the hospital for 2 months fighting to survive an...d being told he's a 9.5 out of 10 on rarity, complexity to to PREPARE!!! I sat by Jonathan's bedside, with his chest open and a piece of plastic over top of his chest, while I watched his heart beat, because it was far too swollen to close his chest. I have had my children in PICU's over the common cold. I have put my healthy heart child, Samuel, through echocardiograms, EKG's, pulse ox's, etc, as I was so scared I missed something or the doctor's missed something, as he was my ONLY healthy heart child.
THIS MAMA HAS SEEN FAR TOO MUCH IN HER SHORT 30 YEARS, yet 99% of it has been seen in the last 9 years. THIS IS WHY I FIGHT FOR ALL CHILDREN, NOT ONLY MY CHILDREN, TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CHD (CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS) AS I HAVE SEEN THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF THIS AND I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING FOR NO ONE ELSE TO HAVE TO SUFFER. Sadly, I have the good stories, the hopeful stories, too many of my friends are grieving because of this disease. IT'S NOT FAIR FOR A PARENT TO HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR CHILD. I have to be aware my children look healthy now, but will NEVER be cured; I have to know the risks, however, I will NEVER be prepared!
Awareness=Research=SAVED LIVES
At just 21 years old, I was a young mother, and I had to watch my 8 month old, Thomas, go through drug withdrawls after having open heart surgery, because of all the medications he was on. I have left behind my baby Samuel for 2 months, before he was even a year old, to sit by Jonathan's bedside in the hospital for 2 months fighting to survive an...d being told he's a 9.5 out of 10 on rarity, complexity to to PREPARE!!! I sat by Jonathan's bedside, with his chest open and a piece of plastic over top of his chest, while I watched his heart beat, because it was far too swollen to close his chest. I have had my children in PICU's over the common cold. I have put my healthy heart child, Samuel, through echocardiograms, EKG's, pulse ox's, etc, as I was so scared I missed something or the doctor's missed something, as he was my ONLY healthy heart child.
THIS MAMA HAS SEEN FAR TOO MUCH IN HER SHORT 30 YEARS, yet 99% of it has been seen in the last 9 years. THIS IS WHY I FIGHT FOR ALL CHILDREN, NOT ONLY MY CHILDREN, TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CHD (CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS) AS I HAVE SEEN THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF THIS AND I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING FOR NO ONE ELSE TO HAVE TO SUFFER. Sadly, I have the good stories, the hopeful stories, too many of my friends are grieving because of this disease. IT'S NOT FAIR FOR A PARENT TO HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR CHILD. I have to be aware my children look healthy now, but will NEVER be cured; I have to know the risks, however, I will NEVER be prepared!
Awareness=Research=SAVED LIVES
