Restoring Abigail's Heart
Donation protected
Everyday we are asked "what do you need?" "How can we help?". It's these questions that cause us to face the giant of pride and choose. Will we choose humility or will we choose ego? We are learning that our children reap the benefit of our humility or the consequence of our pride.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for most people across all ethnicities in the US & at three months of age Abigail Grace is too young to have faced this devestating disease. The funds from this campaign will help offset the unexpected medical costs not covered by Insurance.
We were told of her heart condition at 14 weeks of life. Only two weeks after we learned that our unborn daughter would have a chromosome enhancement or as the medical community has labeled it "down syndrome" but we prefer "chromosomal cutie" (insert smiles and giggles).
We knew we had been entrusted with a precious gift, so in humility and awe we began the year long journey of preparing for birth and heart surgery. With each cardiac appointment we watched as Abigail's heart made no changes and we knew surgery would be eminent. Abigail has been in heart failure from day one of life.
She suffered from extreme weight loss along with a list of other issues but she NEVER QUIT FIGHTING so neither did we! We did everything we could to get her body strong enough for open heart surgery. The surgery came sooner than we expected. With a small army of angels praying, loving and caring for us, we submitted our 3 month old daughter into the hands of a stranger and trusted a power we could not see to carry her through!
The same surgeon that took our baby 8 hours earlier with confidence and ease was now downcast. He began to tell us that Abigails heart surgery had been completed for 3 hours, but that our Abigail was not stable and he said, "If you had waited 3 more months I cannot say the outcome would be favorable." He tells us that complications, out of their control, are a threat to her and they were medically inducing a coma and leaving her tiny chest open in case of emergency surgery.
Panic. Fear. Loss. Peace. Rushed over us. We waited and watched and slowly our baby stabilized and 24 hours later she was stitched closed and the road to recovery began. Her heart has been fixed, however, she has developed pulmonary hypertension. A heart disease uncommon in babies her size. With treatments we are believing it will correct itself.
Abigail is still in the hospital and re-learning how to eat. She will need a second surgery while she is here. A surgery to put in a feeding tube that will give her the time she needs to learn how to eat independently.
So today we choose to humble ourselves and ask for help. Many might say, "you have known for a year". Yes, we had a year to prepare and we did. However, it's the unforeseen costs associated with a complication, longer stay and on-going therapies that we are asking for help with.
From the deepest part of our beings we thank you! Thank you for sharing, Thank you for caring and Thank you for helping!
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for most people across all ethnicities in the US & at three months of age Abigail Grace is too young to have faced this devestating disease. The funds from this campaign will help offset the unexpected medical costs not covered by Insurance. We were told of her heart condition at 14 weeks of life. Only two weeks after we learned that our unborn daughter would have a chromosome enhancement or as the medical community has labeled it "down syndrome" but we prefer "chromosomal cutie" (insert smiles and giggles). We knew we had been entrusted with a precious gift, so in humility and awe we began the year long journey of preparing for birth and heart surgery. With each cardiac appointment we watched as Abigail's heart made no changes and we knew surgery would be eminent. Abigail has been in heart failure from day one of life.
She suffered from extreme weight loss along with a list of other issues but she NEVER QUIT FIGHTING so neither did we! We did everything we could to get her body strong enough for open heart surgery. The surgery came sooner than we expected. With a small army of angels praying, loving and caring for us, we submitted our 3 month old daughter into the hands of a stranger and trusted a power we could not see to carry her through! The same surgeon that took our baby 8 hours earlier with confidence and ease was now downcast. He began to tell us that Abigails heart surgery had been completed for 3 hours, but that our Abigail was not stable and he said, "If you had waited 3 more months I cannot say the outcome would be favorable." He tells us that complications, out of their control, are a threat to her and they were medically inducing a coma and leaving her tiny chest open in case of emergency surgery. Panic. Fear. Loss. Peace. Rushed over us. We waited and watched and slowly our baby stabilized and 24 hours later she was stitched closed and the road to recovery began. Her heart has been fixed, however, she has developed pulmonary hypertension. A heart disease uncommon in babies her size. With treatments we are believing it will correct itself.
Abigail is still in the hospital and re-learning how to eat. She will need a second surgery while she is here. A surgery to put in a feeding tube that will give her the time she needs to learn how to eat independently.
So today we choose to humble ourselves and ask for help. Many might say, "you have known for a year". Yes, we had a year to prepare and we did. However, it's the unforeseen costs associated with a complication, longer stay and on-going therapies that we are asking for help with. From the deepest part of our beings we thank you! Thank you for sharing, Thank you for caring and Thank you for helping!
Organizer
Amy Elizabeth Harrill
Organizer
Mooresville, NC
