Kindred Hearts

I cherish all of the heart families we've met on this journey and have loved keeping in touch with quite a few heart mamas. Our "Kindred Hearts" has grown over the past 3 years (sad that there are this many heart babies) and I find quite the attachment to these sweet ones. I've also met some amazing adult CHD survivors who bring so much hope. I've read too many heart blogs and carepages to count (I don't even want to admit this, I'm a bit of a "blog addict/stalker" in my downtime.) But what I've learned through all of my reading is that we are not alone. We share so many of the same fears, frustrations, worries, hopes and dreams for our little ones with special hearts. It's good therapy and cheap too. God has put some pretty amazing people in our life and we've met them through our hospital stays at Children's and through the "blog world" and email. Our paths have crossed because someone has reached out who's been there, it's a great feeling.

Here's a few thoughts that give us a "common bond":
1) we keep a huge stock pile of Purell
2) we have a keen sense to spotting the sick & germy
3) we can rattle off our child's weight, sats, heart rate as well as how many milliliters they've eaten in a day
4) we have watched our child turn too many shades of purple
5) we have had to hold our child down for countless procedures while trying to comfort them at the same time
6) we have learned to "let go" of the small stuff
7) we have had to kiss our little one goodbye then watch them be wheeled into the OR to have their chest cut open
8) we have had to ask for and accept help more than ever before in our lives
9) we have learned to be patient and take it a day at a time
10) we want to give back and help others who are behind us in this journey!

Here's a few of our dearest heart friends that we've had the pleasure of spending some time with...

2009 Heart to Heart Picnic     Katie & Maddie, Jesse & Luke, Susie & Teagan and Mimi & Mia

Teagan & Maddie, Heart Sisters posing for Seattle Children's calendar

Natalie & Maddie...first hospital roommate and heart buddy from Alaska

California Beach 2010   Maddie & Carlie, HRHS hearts

Somewhere...someplace... today...
A family is waiting to hear...
Is something wrong with their baby?
The answers aren't quite clear...
This family has entered an unwanted world...
And they just don't know what to expect...
Somewhere...someplace... today...
They first heard the words: heart defect.
And how they hoped this was not true...
And thought... this cannot be...
I too... know just how this feels...
For one day...this was me.
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A man and a woman embrace...
Their baby is in surgery...
They long to see her face...
They haven't got to hold her yet...
Without...a cord or line...
They pace the room awaiting news...
And hope she'll be just fine.
Prayers fill this busy waiting room...
And mom and dad are scared...
Somewhere...someplace..today...
The tiniest hearts are repaired.
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A child's growing fast...
Smiling, laughing, thriving...
His mom thinks...can this last?
It's almost easy...to forget...
That anything is wrong...
Somewhere...someplace...today...
Her child seems so strong.
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A little boy fights...just to live...
A father holds his tiny hand...
His love...all he can give...
The doctor's are all baffled...
They fear that he might die...
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A family says goodbye...
Somewhere...someplace...each year...
More than 40,000 families will see...
What it means...when something's wrong...
They'll face a CHD.
Today...for just a moment...
Stop...remember...reflect...
Make time to tell someone you know...
"I've been changed by a heart defect".

~Stephanie Husted, Braeden's mommy (Feb. 6 2007)