President's Day Weekend

For all of the happiness a 3 day weekend brings, President's Day weekend is always a bittersweet time for me.  Seven years ago, I sat in Rush Medical Center listening to a Pediatric Cardiologist explain the heart defect in my son.   One thing that I truly do love is data...  percentages and statistics usually impress me, but not that weekend.  We started the weekend with just the initial "it could be" diagnosis... with a "but try not to worry about it"  thrown in at the end.  How sad is it to leave a doctor's office with a note that had couple really long words on it and not to know if you should even be crying or not?  But I could tell I should from the look on the nurses' faces. 
So we went to Minnesota on our planned trip for my niece and goddaughter's baptism.    My sister-in-law, who conveniently works in a hospital nursery found out some data from her hospital...  60% chance of survival... ok...  60% was better than nothing...  Monday came...  their success rate was 90%   in dealing with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Better.  We made it through, and most days I forget about that awful weekend. But the worry and anxiousness always comes back- usually on these milestone type of occasions.  So while many celebrate President's Day with lessons of good old George and Abe, I celebrate something entirely different...  a 100% success rate in beating Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a 100% success rate in 3 open heart surgeries, and 100% success rate in getting a great kid!  So Happy Birthday, dear Presidents and Thank you God for keeping us in your care!

Julie 

My baby at 3 weeks old...

Beautiful and healthy today!!!

Can't help but celebrate!