Half Hearted Miracle: Cassandra Grace

My name is Samantha and I am the mother of a beautiful little miracle named Cassandra Grace. She was born at 37 weeks with a rare congenital heart condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This condition, without surgical intervention, is 100% fatal. Cassandra was able to receive her first surgery within days of her birth, and after 76 days in the PICU, we went home.

With HLHS, the condition is terminal, but with the help of 3 palliative surgeries, the child has a chance to live. Cassandra is currently admitted after having her 2nd open-heart surgery. It is unclear how long her recovery could be as she needed additional work done outside of the standard Glenn.

We have been unable to secure close lodging at Ronald McDonald House like we did for her first surgery, and we cannot afford the nightly premium for Renucci Hospitality House. Not to mention the cost of food and travel to be able to stay and support our daughter.

On top of this, I have been unable to work due to a shoulder injury, and I have the only income. My husband is disabled, and we have been unable to collect benefits for him even though we have tried for 2 years. We have a heavy financial burden that we carry along with the care of our sick child.

During Cassandra's first hospital stay, I was on maternity leave and I was able to spend a lot of time with her during recovery. My absolute desire is to do that again. I want to be able to be with my daughter around the clock when she needs me. I want to be able to feed her, snuggle her, and care for her. She is my joy and I love her to no end.