A Special Heart...CHD Awareness Week

Because today is the start of CHD Awareness Week, I wanted to tell you about someone very special to us: 

Princess B.

I guess I'd better start from the beginning...

Holly was my roommate in college and one of my dearest friends.  I was with her the day she found out that she was pregnant and we were so excited!  We couldn't have been more excited to find out a few months later, that it was a baby girl!  Everywhere we went, we were picking out dresses and accessories and cute baby shoes.  Holly even flew out to California for my wedding when she was 6 months pregnant.  We found the tiniest little pair of baby jelly shoes at a store in CA...so cute!

On the day that Princess B was born, we rushed down to the hospital to see Holly.  We couldn't see Baby B yet because they hadn't brought her back from the nursery, so we stood by the window admiring her.  So pretty!  I talked with Holly for a while and then told her to call me the next day because I wanted to come back and hold the baby.

The next day I got a text from Holly that Baby B was being transferred to Primary Childrens' Medical Center.  Something was wrong, but they weren't exactly sure what it was.  Holly checked herself out of the hospital and headed to Salt Lake to be with her baby.  

Weeks went by and test after test.  They finally determined that Baby B had a broken heart.  After a month in the NICU, Princess B was allowed to come home with lots of machines and lots of instructions.  Holly and Cory were warned that she would probably need open heart surgery before she was 3.

The time came sooner than expected, and when Princess B was 10 months old, the open heart surgery was scheduled to repair her broken heart.  We all got together the night before the surgery to be with B and we all prayed.  I remember sitting by Holly and her saying to me "I'm video taping her and taking a ton of pictures because I am so afraid I might lose her."

I took this part from Holly's blog because she explains it best:

"Brynley's open heart surgery in May 2006 repaired two large Atrial Spetal Defects (ASD) and repaired a cleft in her mitral valve. It was a miracle that they found the defects in her tiny little heart and it was by Divine guidance that her surgeon was able to repair them. Now 6 years old, we give thanks that our sweet baby girl was given the opportunity to grow and thrive.

  Here’s to the opportunities that the future holds; to the passion and knowledge of medical professionals, to more advanced technology and care, and to those of us that can spread the message about heart defects, bring more funding, more research and better outcomes for kids born with CHD.

And to our Family and friends that carried us through the roughest parts of this journey....

THANK YOU!"

 Me and Baby B at Primary Children's in 2006
(I was 6 months pregnant with Saxon)

After her surgery, we headed up to Primary's to see Holly, Cory, and B.  The Princess is a fighter and recovered from her heart surgery and came home a few days later!  

Now Miss B is 6 1/2 and is healthy and happy and even plays soccer!  She is one of Saxon's best friends and she is the one who nicknamed him "Saxy."  If you didn't see her scar, her "special heart", you would never know that anything had happened.

CHD Awareness Week is February 7-14...perfect timing to wear RED with Valentine's Day coming up :)

Wear RED this week in honor of CHD Awareness Week and support all of the kids like Princess B and their families!

We love you Bryn!!!