HAPPY 20th OHS ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!

Well yesterday was the day I had open heart surgery for the first time in my life. I was only 6 years old and I didnt know to many detail of what was happing. I know my favorite cardio dr came in and told me we were going to play ghost busters and momma had to stay here it was a game just for me. I actually walked into what I now know was the OR room and it was cold and white and my dr said I had to lay on the table and put a mask on to play ghost busters. That is all I can remember, I woke up in my momma's arms and I can remember saying I didnt play ghost busters I just put a mask on. I was just a kid then and thinking back was so funny to me now.

I do not remember to much about my hospital stay that trip I was always in the hospital when I was little but I do know that when I went home I could not attend school for at least a month or so I was home schooled. My class made all kinds of nice pictures for me. My teacher made me a really big poster with all my classmates handprints and their names, I still have all the things that was given to me durning my surgery recovery time. I have the teddy bears and a flower pot cat the old deflated balloons and cards my mickey mouse books.

It was hard growing up with CHD when I was little I did not know it was CHD i just knew I felt and looked different and kids were always so cruel to me calling me names. The only friends I had was teachers until High School I started meeting a few friends thanks to Band and ROTC.

I graduated High School when no one said I would I did it to prove doctor's wrong, I then went to college and graduated college when they said I would even be able to go to college.

I am proud of my CHD it has made me who I am today and I here to tell my story and help anyone else with CHD the best I can.

In honor of my CHD I am getting a CHD tattoo this week I am so excited to be honest not a tattoo person but I want something on me that represents who I am and what I stand for, and so people will say hey whats that and I can say CHD and tell them all about it.

I was about 7mths or so 

This was right before my OHS (you can see how pale I looked even with the make up dress up)

This was taken this year when the local newspaper ran my CHD story in the paper