Maverick
I am writing this to hopefully shine some light on children with congential heart disease. I never even thought about how children struggle with heart problems, until August 8th 2006. At 25 weeks pregnant I was having my first ultrasound for my unborn baby which I was just so excited to finally be told what I was carrying, but the high of being told I was having a boy (which was exactly what we wanted), all came crashing down when I was told "your baby may not make it something is very wrong with his heart." And the rest of that day was such a blur. Why was this happening? How did this happen? Less then 1% chance of something being wrong and here I am being that percentage. My son was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and after seeing 3 doctors who told me there was nothing they could really do for him and one doctor even looking me straight in my face telling me how selfish I would be if I would allow my son to come into this world and struggle with life, I could just have another baby. My own heart was aching for answers - after days of struggling to comprehend what was going on, I finally decided to hand it all to God and after calling a prayer hotline, the very next day my prayers were answered. I got a phone call from my mother in law who happened to speak to my neices teacher who knew of the Surgeon who dealt with my unborn babies heart disease - God is GREAT. I didn't hesitate to look up the number online to the hospital and I left a message and the same day they called me and told me they would be willing to help. September 14 2006 I met his surgeon for the first time and he gave me hope and told me that my son would be a perfect candidate for the surgery after looking at his ultrasound pictures. I was seeing a doctor every week until I had my son on November 25th, 2006, Maverick was delivered at University of Michigan Motts Childrens Hospital in Ann Arbor. After being told he most likely wouldn't weigh above 6 lbs because heart children are tiny - Maverick beat the odds from the start and weighed 8 lbs 8 ounces, I didn't get to hold him until he was 3 days old the day before his surgery, which I held him all night, just in case it was the only time I ever got to hold him. At 4 days old Maverick had his first open heart surgery called the Norwood, we were in the hospital for almost 6 weeks. After Mavericks first surgery complications occured and he started having seizures and was put on a seizure medicine, before leaving the hospital we had to learn how to insert the NG (tube through the nose and down to the stomach), for 3 months Maverick was fed through his nose due to complications of him breathing too fast, he came home taking medication 19 times a day. Maverick had his 2nd open heart surgery at 5 days shy of 8 months old, which required him a stay of 7 days but then once home he became sick and dehydrated and we returned for 4 more days, now he was down to medicine 15 times a day. In February of 2008 Maverick had gone into a seizure that required him to be life flighted his oxygen saturations were below 50% and the only way to make him snap out of it was by giving him volume. He is now on a higher dosage of seizure medication. Maverick is scheduled for his 3rd open heart surgery July 20th 2009 (which is the date of his 2nd surgery just 2 years later!), Maverick is an amazing child people have no idea that he holds a secret in his heart unless they would see the scar that shows he holds a story. So many children are born every year with heart diseases and are born fighting for their lives, some make it and some parents get their hearts broken and go home with empty hands. Bringing awareness to this deadly disease will help so many people who are affected daily! I thank you for taking the time to read my son Mavericks story, he is my inspiration as are so many other children. God Bless.
Tara Salazar