HOPE on Heart Day

Happy (belated) Valentines Day!  Heart Day certainly takes on a whole new meaning for those touched by heart disease.  Many lives have been lost, many children have suffered, and many families have faced tremendous challenges due to this most common type of birth defect.  Yet now more than ever, there is GREAT HOPE for CHD victims.  Twenty years ago, Zachary's prognosis would have been very grim.  Today, the tables have turned and many children born with this awful diagnosis have a very good chance at a normal life.  And each one of us can take steps to ensure that Zachary and his CHD friends will continue to enjoy a good quality of life well into adulthood.
  • Educate yourself and others on the signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease.  Some infants will display symptoms before they leave the hospital, but other defects can go undetected for months or even years.  Read up on the warning signs (visit here, here, and here) and pass the word along, especially to expectant parents.
  • A quick, painless, and inexpensive test that may detect many heart problems is a pulse oximetry test.  Push for legislation to make this a mandatory newborn screening test in your state.  Encourage new parents to request this test before they bring their baby home... we will certainly have our new baby screened!
  • Help fund research for congenital heart defects and pediatric heart disease.  Visit one of the heart-related links on the left sidebar of our blog, or support Team Zachary in our walk for the American Heart Association!
  • Support your local Ronald McDonald House.  Though not only for parents of "heart children," the RMHs help families of sick children at a most difficult time in their lives.  We are forever grateful for the wonderful volunteers and supporters of the RMH in Ann Arbor.  Visit their websites for more information about how you can volunteer.  An easy way to help is by collecting pull tabs, which they recycle to pay the utilities.
  • If you are a CHD family, join a network such as the Congenital Heart Defects Families Association to spread awareness and support other families facing similar issues.
  • Finally, treat yourself to some Valentine's chocolate!  Don't they say a little chocolate is good for the heart?
From our family to yours, HAPPY HEART DAY!

Here's a glimpse of our Valentine's celebrations... the boys were just too cool at school to strike a decent camera pose (or maybe too hyped up on sugar...)
Alex (right) couldn't stop stuffing his mouth with sweets, not even for a smile
All that sugar made David's eyes roll back in his head!
Joseph, you'll never grow that tooth if you keep eating sugar!
Samuel finally got the hang of Valentine-sharing
Zachary is beat after four parties, and crashing from his sugar high

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