There are too many people in the world today who forget how lucky they are to have healthy, happy children. When the assumption of a healthy life is taken from you, you realize that every day is a gift from God & you learn to live & be thankful for each day you have with your child. The good times become important & you learn to forget or overcome the days when health is poor. You learn to slow down & love whatever each day brings & are a better person for it. Becky aka BB was born in June 1994, with a lethal heart Condition called Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome & Pulmonary Atressia. **HYPOPLASTIC RIGHT HEART SYNDROME: A condition in which the right side of the heart is poorly developed and unable to pump blood into the pulmonary circulation effectively. **PULMONARY ATRESIA: Complete obstruction to the pulmonary valve or pulmonary artery; so that blood cannot get past this point in the circulation and has to take an alternative route **FONTAN OPERATION: An operation to connect the main veins from the systemic circulation (SVC and IVC) to the lung arteries. Blood then flows directly into the lung circulation, after returning from the body (via gravity), without going through the right ventricle as would happen in a normal heart.
Oct 8/08. I forgot to mention two important facts: 1) that Becky was able to go to all 3 days of her Young Singers retreat in mid Sept. (most years she goes for the day or just one overnite), mind you she slept the better part of next 3 days!! Here is a photo of the teen choir members wearing their tie dye shirts. They will use them in part of their Nov. fund raising concert that has an African theme. Becky is in front row 3rd from R
2) BB got to teach about 15 minutes of her English class last week!!! The teacher likes to play music before & near the end of class & BB had sent in a likeness of one of the songs her choir is doing. It really fit in with teachers talk on slave trade & the Jim Crowe Laws which BB is very familiar with. The teacher gave her voice privilages & she explained about the song as it talks of having "a home on the other side"; which could be either Heaven or the North Star/Underground Railroad to Canada. She went on to explain how even today in some areas those of colour are treated unfairly.
Our kitten Pepper
To all our Canadian friends who will celebrate Oct. 13th we'd like to say
Tues Oct. 7/08 As mentioned in last update it has been determined that Becky's headaches are most likely migraines. The new medication has helped beyond belief :o) each day @ the begining of trial doseages the headaches were less severe and not as long in duration. Now that on full dose three times a day BB has only had one severe headache in past two weeks which lasted only a few hours.
We saw gynecologist yesterday for followup appointment & she wants BB to cont on meds for female issues for @ least another year. HOWEVER Becky will need to suffer with the pain & lethargy which keep her bed ridden for 24 - 36 hrs @ a time as medication for this is contraindicated re heart meds. BB will once again have a cardiac echo @ end of month to determine if can remain off Coumadin plus will have a holter monitor re being tired more often to rule out any issues; but not sure if it will be 24, 48 or 72 hour or longer one.
School is now in full swing ~~ Subjects taken this term are: Gr 10 English, Gr 9 Science, Gr 9/10 Business & Information Technology, and Gr 9/10 Learning Strategies (*needs this as no French). So far Becky has gotten 93 or over in all four subject tests. All four teachers are excellent this term & BB is pleased to have her fave teacher for English & will be doing "Romeo & Juliet" as well as "To Kill A Mocking Bird" and "Chanda's Wars".
We would really like to move to a much smaller home with at least a 1/2 acre of land & have actually found a home & area all 3 of us adore however the cost would be an issue especially if we didn't get near the price we hope to sell our home for. Therefore we are sitting on back burner for now in hopes God will lead us to know the right time & place that is best for all concerned.
Sarah & Joon's baby is due in
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