CHD Awareness Week

Today Adelaide met the Governor of our state along with other families who children were born with Congenital Heart Disease.  It broke my heart to see a pregnant mother there because her unborn child has been given the diagnosis of CHD.  Another mother held a photo of her son who passed away at age 2.  One moment he was fine the next minute they were calling 911 because he was blue.  His condition was undiagnosed prior to his death.  This week kicks off the beginning of Congenital Heart Disease Awareness week.  We started the week off with a party at the Tellus Science Museum.  The boys had a blast.  Did you know that 1 in 100 children are born with Congenital Heart Disease?  That more children die from CHD than all childhood cancers.  That many parents don't get the diagnosis until their child is born or even until after the parents take the child home from the hospital.  CHD research in completely underfunded.  I was telling someone the other day that while I wish my son did not has CHD, I am so grateful that he was diagnosed in utero because I have fantastic insurance. I am so grateful that I didn't listen to the perinatologist who said I could abort my child.  He is such a joyful child.  I am grateful that because of Roman's condition Addy was saved.  Without his diagnosis, my pregnancy would not have been given so much attention.  I am grateful to the Dr. who was willing to put his career on the line by listening to an Africa American man who worked for him in his laboratory in an era where African Americans sat at the back of the bus.  I am grateful he was willing to try something that no one was willing to touch.  Up until the end of War World II, the heart was thought to be sacred and should not be touched. When Dr. Blalock performed the first surgery for Tetrology of Fallot no one wanted to help him. They thought it would destroy their careers.  Can you imagine operating on something so small as a grape (newborn size heart) or a Strawberry (three-month-old heart)?  The surgery was successful and has changed many lives today.