Hi! As some of you know or may not know Andrew was born with a congenital heart defect or CHD. He was born with AVSD/AV canal. 50% of Down syndrome babies are born with some kind of CHD and around 25% need to have heart surgery to correct this defect. Andrew will need to have open heart surgery to correct his CHD for him to continue living. Without the surgery, Andrew would probably not make it past a year or two.

The great news is the surgery is usually successful at 97%. So we are hoping for a full recovery and a good outcome. Surgery is scheduled for April 26th as long as he continues to stay healthy and there are no delays.

Many people have asked how they can help Carlton and me through this time and I was not sure how to go about this process. I have been out of work since having Andrew back in October as we decided for me to stay home with Andrew to not chance him getting sick. Doctors advised us to keep him out of daycare until his heart was repaired and probably by the fall we can put him in daycare.

With me taking a leave of absence from work, it has caused us to dive deep into savings to keep paying bills etc. We have already been blessed by so many friends and family giving in many different ways. It has still been tough going without over half our normal income. I am hoping to return to work mid May and that will allow us to receive our normal family income starting in June.

So, with the encouragement of some friends and family, we decided to start this fund to pay for Andrew's heart surgery. We are looking to raise 8,500 to help cover the cost that insurance will not cover and around 1,500 for gas, food and other expenses. We will be traveling to Austin to have the surgery and will likely be there for 2 weeks. We are on the list for a room at the Ronald Mcdonald house and that is where we will stay when Andrew gets released.

Prayers are also definitely appreciated as well! I will be doing my best to keep you all updated as we get through surgery. Andrew is a huge joy to Carlton and me. We cannot wait to get past heart surgery and truly see him thrive and exert all the energy I know he has! I made a video a few weeks ago and sent out it to some close friends for prayers. Please feel free to watch it so you might have an understanding of Andrew's issue. It is a little lengthy but it explains more. Thank you all for your love and support!