Cora, born 2005

It was in the late summer of 2003 when I became pregnant with my second child.  I was very excited to be pregnant again and was thrilled that my son, Will, would have a sibling.  During the first doctor's appointment after learning that I was expecting, my doctor strongly suggested that I deliver via a scheduled c-section since Will was delivered that way.  After looking into the risks, I asked my doctor if I could have a late sonogram to determine the size of the baby. My thought was that if the baby was smaller than Will was, I would possibly try to deliver naturally.  So, at 37 weeks, I went for the sonogram. It was during this sonogram that the radiologist saw something wrong with the baby's heart. After a number of doctor's appointments in the very short period of time, I learned that my son would be born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. 

The doctors told me that my son would require a series of three open heart surgeries.  After much research and anticipation, Collin was born on April 6, 2004. A few hours after birth, Collin was medivacced to a hospital where he would receive his first of the three open heart surgeries.  His second surgery took place when he was five months old. 

Collin simply brightens me every day.  There was so much that I took for granted prior to Collin's birth.  I am thankful for each and every day that I can hold and kiss him. While Collin will still require one more open heart surgery, we are hopeful that medicine, research, and technology will continue to progress to help him and other HLHS babies born with HLHS in the futre.

Story by Collin's mom, Beckie - Virginia