Four years ago, I gave birth to my third son – a boy, named
Christian. He was cleared as a healthy bouncy baby boy, and I enjoyed those
first few days of his infancy feeling blessed. But on the third day,
Christian’s short life took a rapid turn. He was diagnosed with several
congenital heart defects, the main one being Tetralogy of Fallot. In critical
condition, he underwent his first open-heart surgery when he was just seven
days old and his second open-heart surgery at six months old. I was completely
blind-sided and scared to learn my son was born with a congenital heart defect.
I thought I had a healthy pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby, but I didn’t
and no one saw it coming.
Today, I could not be any happier with my little angel. He is an overly active, energetic, and happy child. I am so proud of my baby. He is growing normally and acts no different than any other child. Christian is my true miracle baby!
CHD Info:
- · One in every 125 babies is born with CHD every year in the United States, alone.
- · CHD kills twice as many children s childhood cancer
- · Still, pregnant women are not routinely tested – and newborns are not routinely screened – for CHDs. CHD often go undetected until sometime after birth, and it may be too late.
CHD Awareness Week is Feb. 7 – Feb. 14. This is the week
where individuals, local support groups, national and local organizations and congenital
cardiology centers around the world help education the public about congenital
hearth defects. I am a member of Little Hearts, which is a national
organization that has provided support, and education to our family since CHD’s
changed our lives.
