I found out I was pregnant when I was seventeen. I was terrified at the thought of being a mother, when I was still a child myself. Then when I was four months pregnant I found out something that would change my life forever. During a routine ultrasound, I learned that my daughter, Kaylee, would be born with a congenital heart defect, called a Complete Atrioventricular Canal defect. At the time, I didn't even know what a congenital heart defect was. I was so scared and worried for my daughter’s health.
Kaylee was born June 11, 2010. She was as perfect as can be; ten fingers, ten toes, cutest little chunky cheeks. By looking at her, you would have never guessed that she had a serious life threatening defect. As soon as she was born I gave her my kisses and loves, and then she was whisked away to the NICU, where she would stay for four days. It was a horrible feeling to have someone, who was a part of me for nine months, kept away from me.
I was so happy when Kaylee came home but the thought of surgery in the future haunted me. Once a month, Kaylee visited her cardiologist, each time adding more medicines as Kaylee's heart function decreased. On October 26, 2010, at four months old, Kaylee received her open heart surgery. She spent one week in the hospital and it was the longest and hardest week of my life! Not only hard for me but, of course, hard for Kaylee. Seeing your baby girl like that is not something that any parent should have to endure. And it is definitely not something that any child should endure.
Since Kaylee's surgery, things have really been looking up for her. She is gaining weight wonderfully and she is eating well. Her heart function has improved immensely. She has a little leakage in her mitral valve but, as of now, she should be fine. I am so lucky and grateful to have Kaylee in my life. Kaylee went through more in her first four months of life then I have gone through in my entire life. People tell me, all the time, that, how strong I am and how they don't know how I did it, but it was Kaylee that kept me going. October 26, 2010, Kaylee fought for her life and she has the battle scar displayed proudly on her chest. She is my hero and I know that my daughter and I can get through anything as long as we have each other!
