What it's like to have a child with CHD

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Written on 10:43 AM by gracefully discovering:

I found this on another Heart Mom's blog...I enjoyed reading it, and it gave some insight on what to possibly expect very soon!

It’s Lasix,aspirin,Captopril….It’s wondering…Lord what’s your will?…It’s monitors and oxygen tanks…It’s a constant reminder…to always give thanks…It’s feeding tubes, calories, needed weight gain…It’s the drama of eating…and yes it’s insane!It’s the first time I held him…(I’d waited so long)It’s knowing that I need…to help him grow strong…It’s making a hospital…home for awhile…It’s seeing my reward…in every smile.It’s checking his sats…as the feeding pump’s beeping…It’s knowing that there… is just no time for sleeping…It’s caths,x-ays and boo boos to kiss…It’s normalcy…I sometimes miss…It’s asking…do his nails look blue?It’s cringing inside… at what he’s been through.It’s dozens of call to his pediatrician…(She knows me by name…I’m a mom on a mission)It’s winters homebound…and hand sanitizer…It’s knowing this journey…has made me much wiser.It’s watching him sleeping…his breathing is steady…It’s surgery day…and I’ll never be ready.It’s handing him over…( I’m still not prepared…)It’s knowing that his heart… must be repaired…It’s waiting for news…on that long stressful day…It’s …praying…it’s hoping…that he’ll be okay.It’s the wonderful friends… with whom I’ve connected…It’s the bond that we share…it was so unexpected…It’s that long faded scar… down my child’s small chest…It’s touching it gently…and knowing we’re blessed…It’s watching him chasing…a small butterfly…It’s the moment I realized…I’ve stopped asking…why?It’s the snowflakes that fall…on a cold winter’s day…(They remind me of those…who aren’t with us today)It’s a brave little boy…who loved Thomas the train…Or a special heart bear…or a frog in the rain….It’s the need to remember…we’re all in this plight….It’s their lives that remind us… we still need to fight!It’s in pushing ahead amidst every sorrow…It is finding the strength to have hope for tomorrow.
-Author Unknown

Pregnancy photo shoot!

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Written on 9:38 AM by gracefully discovering:

Okay, so anyone who knows me...knows that I LOOOOVVVVVEEE taking pictures. I have my camera with me almost at all times...and I'm quick to snap some photos at any event. My husband on the other hand (despite his beautiful smile) does not like to be photographed...but he does enjoy photographing other people...especially since he bought me/him the Nikon D40 for Christmas.
Earlier this school year, our photography teacher at school asked if I would be willing to allow her and her husband to take pictures of my belly when I got further along. I was like...OF COURSE...as long as I don't have a bunch of stretch marks!! Then she said, we would like for your husband to be a part of the photo shoot too....and I'm like...oh hell naw, he is NOT gonna want to do this. But I asked him if he were interested..he said NO...then I told him how much I wanted him to be a part of the images that would capture one of the best times in our lives. I even sent him a website of preggo photos so he could see that it wasn't that bad!
He finally said YES...so this past Friday...we took the pictures! I had so much fun taking them..and he said he had a good time too.
Here are a few pics from the shoot.

We were photographed by Ben and Angela Perkins-DeSoto. If you are in the Houston area and would like for them to do an event for you- their email address is zendfoto@hotmail.com and the phone number is 713.705.1470. They are truly amazing to work with.







Another good reason to donate your organs!

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Written on 8:55 AM by gracefully discovering:

Yesterday was a very exciting day for my family!! My father in-law (and I only put in-law so that you all will know which father I'm talking about...because there are no in-law feelings for him....I am closer to him than my real dad) But anyway-he finally got the call that we all have been waiting for. They found a matching kidney for him!!!! Now although we are overjoyed, I know that there is a family who is mourning the lost of a loved one...and I pray for them.
They got the call yesterday morning and was told to be there in an hour...WELL...they just happened to be on vacation in Myrtle Beach- which is four hours away from Augusta! So they jumped up and immediately left- leaving grandma at the Timeshare to enjoy the rest of her vacation!
They got to Augusta and went straight to the hospital. He had surgery last night around 9pm and it all went very well! He is currently still in recovery and we are so blessed that everything was a success.
Since before we were pregnant..or even planning to have children, he has been talking about his granddaughter(s)- he even named her before she was conceived Dee...and now that there are two- he has named then Dee and Dee-Dee! The funny thing is that I used to be Dee...but I got kicked to the curb apparently. This man is so excited that they are coming...I really think that he and my husband are neck and neck with excitement! Now he doesn't have to worry about going on Dialysis three times a week..he can just hang out and spend as much time as he wants with his precious granddaughters. And now that they have a kidney- they may even move here which would be awesome! He is no longer limited to what he can do or where he can go! I am excited and I feel so blessed that he has gotten a kidney.
So as I have said before, if you're not an organ donor already...you really should consider it! It can save lives and bring more joy and happiness to a family than you can ever imagine!
Thanks to everyone who sent up special prayers yesterday for him. They worked!!



Photo taken during the Christmas holidays 2008. My mom, mother and father in-law! He just jumped in their picture...just like something he would do! I'm telling you I love this man! He is the reason why my husband is such a wonderful man..he had the perfect example! I wish I could clone him and put him in families across the world- that need good dads!

An unexpected Mother's Day

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Written on 8:24 AM by gracefully discovering:

At 7 1/2 months pregnant, I wasn't really expecting to celebrate Mother's Day until next year! When people would say "oh, you're about to celebrate your 1st Mother's Day" I would reply..."No, I'm not....I'm not technically a mom yet!" I was even so sure that this wouldn't be my year- that I told one of my friends that I was kinda jealous because just to spite me..."daddy's little girls" would come early so that he could celebrate Father's Day this year.
But oh was I surprised! I got a ton of text messages, phone calls and even cards in the mail from family and friends wishing me a Happy Mother's Day.
I have to publicly apologize to my baby girls because they didn't spite me- they bought me these beautiful roses! I'm telling you, we have the most smart and polite little girls on the face of the earth- they are already buying gifts and writing Thank you cards!



But I think the gift that topped them all was from the most wonderful man on earth. I swear- God knew exactly what He was doing when he created and designed this man just for me almost 27 years ago. I couldn't have dreamt of a more thoughtful, kind, compassionate, smart and loving person to spend the rest of my life with. I truly love and am even more IN LOVE with this man....than I ever thought was humanly possible. He is incredible- and not because he buys me good gifts- but because he epitomizes what a REAL man is! He has it all...and I am truly blessed and favored by the Lord to have him in my life.

Moving on...because I am getting teary-eyed over here! So anyway....that great man that I just talked about is also very funny and sarcastic...and according to him(which is probably true) I will find a way to mess up a surprise no matter what!! But this time, I am proud of myself because I didn't! So I get up Sunday morning to get ready for church and he says " I don't think I'm gonna make it to church because I'm kinda tired". I knew that he was tired...because the night before- they went out to celebrate a friends birthday. Now in my mind...I'm thinking like my grandma...who always said, "I don't care what you do the night before, or what time you get in...you will go into the house of the Lord on Sunday morning if you are living in my house." Typically, I would have made a big deal about him not going to church...and especially on Mother's Day! But something said....don't say anything. So I didn't!
When I got home from church- he called me upstairs and asked about church. Then he said " It must have felt weird being in church by yourself huh?" So I'm like yeah...but it was cool.
Then he starts to explain the real reason why he didn't go to church. He had to go and get my gift that had finally come in. All week he had been working to get this gift...but since it was such a popular item...they kept running out, the shipment was late, etc. So he prepaid for it and picked it up while I was at church.
As he started to explain the gift..my eyes started watering...This has to be the most thoughtful gift ever...and he has done some pretty extraordinary things in the past 8 years. Here is my gift



Of course, I can't describe word for word what he said...but it went something like this. "I think this is supposed to symbolize two people in love or something...but it means so much more to us than that. It has two hearts that symbolizes our two little girls beating hearts...and no matter what happens or what people say...RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO BEATING HEARTS INSIDE OF YOU. One of the hearts is smaller, which symbolizes Nia's heart and the other one is larger which symbolizes Naomi's heart. The best part is that the hearts are connected and intertwined as one...and as long as we love them and share our hearts with them, then everything will be okay.

So by this time..I'm crying uncontrollably. But it couldn't have made more sense to me. I will cherish this gift forever and ever. No matter what happens- I will always be reminded that we had TWO BEATING HEARTS INSIDE OF ME for 9 months.

My first Mother's Day will always be a day that I will remember. It was full of love, happiness, and joy! Thanks to all who made this day very special for me.

After church

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Written on 2:25 PM by gracefully discovering:

Just seeing if my mobile blogging works!