My One Year Anniversary

My One Year Anniversary

I now have a new day of remembrance on my calendar. My special day comes just a few days after most people celebrate a special a day called Valentine’s Day, a day of love, hearts and kisses, and of course chocolate and flowers. My day also falls in the month of February in which our nation tries to bring awareness to Congenital Heart Defects which is the #1 (NUMBER ONE) birth defect. I also share my special day of remembrance with my good friend’s daughter for the same reasons only she had her experience a year before me and at the precious age of 6 months old.

On February 17^th of every year I now celebrate how my AWESOME God brought me safely through Open Heart Surgery and allowed the skilled hands of Dr Fraser and his surgery team to repair the defects in my heart that I was born with. Today I am so thankful that I’ve been allowed one more year on this earth with a more efficiently pumping heart. I remember how wonderful the nurses and hospital staff were as they helped my healing body and soul. I’m also so thankful for how wonderful it was to have the support of my wonderful husband and parents as the Lord lead me through that “valley” in my life, and for the wonderful family and friends back home that took care of my precious boy and me when we returned home.

February 17th, 2011 right before surgery

While my body has healed from the invasive procedure and my heart is now pumping at 30% more capacity than it has in my entire life I still have a few scars to remind me of the experience. Some people think I would want to hide them or desire them to go completely away. However, I find it to be my badge to wear proudly. There are so many precious little ones that joined the “Zipper Club” at such younger ages than me and I am now a tad proud to be ranked among them. During my recovery time spent on the heart floor of Texas Children’s Hospital I was able to see many of these precious ones as they healed and fought, some as small infants and newborns, others as energetic little 4 year olds using their chest tube poles to “surf” around the halls. These little ones and their parents are true heart heroes.

This past Monday I traveled back down to Texas to see my Cardiologist at Texas Children’s for an echo and a fetal echo on our baby growing inside me. For those who don’t know, we are expecting Baby Two sometime in April and due to my CHD all of my children will be screened for heart defects as well. We had already had one fetal echo done back in November but due to the gestational age of Baby Two and the position he or she was laying in they were unable to see every part of the heart they needed to completely rule on a healthy heart. So we were to return during the third trimester to finish screening the baby. Thankfully they were able to get all of the images they needed this time around. However, they did find a narrowed area in the Aortic Arch that is causing enough concern that we will need make sure the baby is screened birth with another Echo and a couple of other screenings.

February 17, 2012 one day shy of 32 weeks gestation 

I would ask that you remember our baby in your prayers. Of course I hope and pray that they were “off” on their measurements and there is NO defect or that the narrowing does not cause any problems and we will not need any repair work done. However, I know that NO MATTER what the outcome is that my AMAZING God will bring us through.