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Words of Wisdom
Broken hearts of a different kind Many things have changed with time since my heart operation. There are many wonderful programs and support groups to help children and their families prepare for their hospital stay and surgery. It is important to remember that a child’s heart problems affect the whole family. So when a child’s heart needs to be fixed, Mom and Dad have broken hearts too. They have broken hearts of a different kind. What parents want most is to see their child happy and well. When their child’s heart is mended, their hearts feel better too. Although my scar on my chest has faded over the years, people still ask about it. When I tell them that I had open-heart surgery when I was little, they looked shocked and even scared……………but that’s all right. My mom once told me that most people have to wait a lifetime to do something really remarkable………something that important, it would change their life or the lives of those near to them. I only had to wait four and a half years. Strength in heart is better than strength in movement. The doctor says its weak, but I say its strong. Why? Because I can love. I can care. I can feel. That's not a sign of weakness, its a sign of life. A sign that my disadvantage is a blessing, only to make me see that everything can not go my way. To make me more aware of this hard but beautiful world I live in.The thing that I often think about I really don't know why it was so hard for my parents to tell me. I wish my mother had told me things earlier. I know if I known more about my heart problem, it would have helped me keep right up with others. It was like I knew I had this thing called a heart condition, but I didn't know what it was, and then I'd worry. That's all I knew. I'd worry a lot not knowing what was wrong. I only knew something was different and freaky. I'm 16 years old and I have a real bad heart problem and I'm getting ready to have a heart transplant really soon. But the hardest thing is my mother just had 2 strokes and a seizure and I have a little brother. It's so hard to leave them alone, but I just stay strong and do what I have to do. If you ever have this kind of problem, just stay strong for your family and think of me. When I went back to school it was very hard because I sometimes I got teased about being fat and puffy from the steroids but it wore off and I looked normal. If that ever happens just pay no attention. If anybody teases you about anything having to do with your operation or anything else and if it is hard for you, you can talk about it with your parents when you get home, if you would like. Or a doctor that you may see. And if you are worried about getting sick from your heart or anything else it always helps to talk about it with someone and you get better and you don't have anything to worry about, don't worry at all, just concentrate on other things like sports, having fun and stuff like that. I have found the best way to deal with everything is have a positive attitude no matter what happens or what has happened. Also having a great family. In my family, I have a wonderful mom who was always there. I can't tell you how many days and nights she spent by my bedside in and out of the hospital. My father was and still is really great also. In fact now that I'm older, I can say that in his own loving way he spoiled me -- maybe not always at my bedside, but he was there when I needed him, sick or not. All I had to do was say one word -- DAD -- and he was there, no matter what time or how the weather was. Also I have two really great older brothers. When I was a baby, they too were kind of young, but they tried to help out in my care, with as much as they were able to handle. The older they got the more they wanted to help.
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