Well it's that time again... CHD Awareness Week <3... Three years ago I wasn't even aware of the number of people and families that were affected by heart disease. Not until I held my beautiful baby girl for the first time and heard the words "Your daughter has Hypo Plastic Right Heart Syndrome", then it became very real and I became very aware of how many people have gone through or are going through the same thing I did. Nearly one of every 100 babies are born with a CHD. Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood. Although those are heart wrenching facts, there is something great that outweighs the bad...... We serve an AMAZING God. Never did I imagine I would have a baby born with half of a heart, but I can say.. I'm Blessed that I did. That might sound crazy to some people, but for me it's very simple.... I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for my faith and my world to be rocked 3 years ago. I was forced to give every fear, hurt, question, doubt, and worry to the Lord. I needed to lay my sweet Paislyn into God's hands and let him have the control. There are so many things I have learned from having a child with a CHD.... I have learned that each and every child is a miracle from God. Having a healthy child is such a gift that some people take for granted. No matter how big or how small all of us have went through a "mountain" in our lives that has caused us worry, hurt, and questions. We need to have compassion to everyone in all of their situations. I learned that the hard way.... There were many days that I was sitting in the hospital watching my little lady fight for her life, having her hooked up to tubes, iv's, machines, oxygen, her teeny tiny chest cut open, and hearing others complain about their child having to get shots at their doctors appointment that day... I felt angry...Like how can you complain about that when I am sitting here watching my daughter go through all this. It wasn't until months to follow that I understood.... Shots are a big deal!!! If I had a perfectly healthy baby I would be a mess to watch them have to have shots too... During Paislyn's last surgery at Michigan I was pushing her down to the cafeteria to get some food.... She had her cute little robe on, her adorable piggy tails, she still had an iv and tubes in her chest but was talking my ear off and feeling well... we came out of the elevator and there in front of us was a mom pushing her little girl in a wheelchair who seemed to be right around Paislyn's age, this little girl had no hair and a mask on her sweet little face and her head was drooped down. I immediately got tears in my eyes and thanked God in that moment for Paislyn's CHD... I thanked him for guiding the Doctors to be able to "fix" my baby girl...... because this mommy couldn't do what that mommy was going through. It was at that moment that I realized no matter what we are going through or have went through someone is going through something harder.... but no matter if its something little like shots or something Big like a child with a CHD or cancer....God hears our hurts and they hurt all the same. We need to give people grace and compassion in every situation.
So this month is Congenital Heart Disease awareness month and this has become very near and dear to my heart. As Paislyn has gotten older she has asked more questions about her "pretty" ( her scar) and looks at her surgery pictures a lot. We have read books about her scar and I have told her how beautiful it is. I continue to remind her how special she is and how God made her heart special. There are so many amazing people I have met over the years who have been on the same journey we have. God has made each and everyone of these kids so strong and special. I want to thank everyone who has loved Paislyn and I through this journey its been a tad crazy and overwhelming at times, but I look at my spunky, sweet, smart, beautiful and loving Paislyn and I wouldn't change a thing! She's been such a gift in my life and through her trials she has touched so many hearts!
