Happy Heartiversary

Today, we celebrate Ripley's first heartiversary (the anniversary of when he received open heart surgery).

One year ago, my 30 day old son was wheeled away to have his chest cut open, his heart stopped and skillfully operated on by a world-class surgeon named Dr. Mohan Reddy. Even though he was in literally the best of hands, having an anesthesiologist tell you to kiss your baby and say, "goodbye," is no easy feat.

The following ten days in the hospital were excruciating, seeing my son's vitals fluctuate wildly at first, medications adjusted to manage his pain, breathing by way of a ventilator, his body covered with wires, and his chest bearing its new mark.

Today, however, is a day to be joyful. We are so thankful for the medical professionals who treated our son with so much love and care, the friends who checked in on us and offered us support, and the non-profit groups like Ronald McDonald House and volunteers that offered services in our time of need with no expectation of reward. We are grateful to live in a time of advanced medical technology, to have medical insurance, and to be within driving distance of fantastic hospitals.

Our son's scar will always be a reminder of what he has gone through and he will continue to endure, through lifelong cardiac follow-ups and potentially future intervention through surgery or catheterization. His heart will never be "normal," but we hope he can lead a normal life, full of play, joy, and advocacy. His scar looks fainter now and our memories of this season of life will similarly fade, but these experiences and this cause will always be with us.

It's not normal for a two year old daughter to tell others that her brother was born in a children's hospital and that he has had surgery. This is our reality. We all have had to grow up a lot through this heart journey and hope to be supports to others along this same path.

Thank you to those who have supported us and continue to be there for us. Though this road is fraught with frustrations, discouragement, and stresses, we remember the beacons of light.

Happy heartiversary to my sweet Ripley, the baby who has brought immense joy, renewal, and perspective to me.