My name is Renee Ridley, I gave birth to my wonderful baby girl Mika on Oct 17. Mika was diagnosed with a congenial heart defect halfway through my pregnancy, in which we were told she would require heart surgery at an est. 4-6 months of age. Due to complications of my own with high blood pressure, Mika was born premature at 35 weeks. She had to spend her first two months in the NICU on breathing support because of her heart defect, which pushes fluid into her lungs, causing breathing complications. We were finally able to bring her home before Christmas when she was able to maintain her oxygen and heart rate at sufficient levels without support. On the day to day because of this condition she isn't breastfeeding or bottle feeding either. Mika has to be on nasogastric feeding tube to eat. She does go to speech therapy appointments in which the initial goal was helping her bottle feed but unfortunately until her surgery she is stuck with the feeding tube due to the breathing complications. Her heart surgery is not yet schedule but one of her Doctor's suggested she may need a gastric tube instead to help her through her growth. I'm so happy to be given this wonderful baby, she is my absolute everything, and all I want is for her to be able to grow up healthy, happy, and be able to enjoy life like any normal kid would get to.

We just want to thank everyone for their kindness in all its forms. We shall keep praying that everything goes well, and Mika shall keep fighting and we shall keep updates as they come in. Again thank you so much.