Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/634422
www.FredParent.NET • 15 According to the Children's Heart Foundation, approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States each year with a congenital heart defect. Family health history is important. We have a long, complicated heart history in my family. Both maternal and paternal grandfathers passed at early ages from heart problems, and my maternal and paternal grand- mothers and cousins had significant heart issues. Mitchell and I both share the same body type, unfortunately for him. Somehow, his sister and brother escaped these issues. Stacey was told that Mitchell probably would not be able to attend school regularly. He was diagnosed with an aortic defect, enlarged aortic root, mitral valve prolapse and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). Despite the odds, Mitchell is now in fifth grade at Ferry Farm Elementary. 1 2 Having a supportive school system is crucial. All of his teachers and the administrators have always gone out of their way to help him. They create class lesson plans that would interest him, encourage a positive attitude, and continually praise him for all of his efforts. They are our eyes while he is at school. 3 Accept support when needed. We have had so much support from so many people. Our family would drop everything they were doing to help us. I have great friends who would travel with me because I was always afraid something would go wrong, and we have friends who would watch the other two kids while we went through appointment after appointment...oh and they made cookies! Our church was also behind us all the way. When we have temporarily gotten back on our feet, we continue as if life is normal. All those same helper folks step up and play along like nothing has ever happened. I love them for that. 4 You must become an "expert" or hire an expert. With this type of issue (and I'm sure along with all medi- cal issues), you have to suddenly become an expert in that field, so you understand what you are reading in the records. You either need to hire a third party advocate or advocate for yourself. It's a full-time job. I have three giant binders of all three of my children's records. I always have a third party at every appointment. When you are receiving information that stuns you, you need a gentle person that you trust to take the notes and ask the questions. 5 My child is absolutely amazing. When you meet him (we call him Buddy after his great grandfather Buddy Mitchell) you would never know he has all of these issues. He is all boy...an adventurous child, sweet, happy, outgoing. He loves animals — we have a reptile room. He plays soccer and swims. He works harder than anyone I know. He›s educated about his health history but has never let that affect his attitude. The one thing we have learned about heart issues is that it is a game of patience. You never know when things are going to change.