Anna-Gray

My name is Melissa and my youngest daughter has congenital heart disease. I have been a Pediatric ICU RN for almost 13 years and seven years ago I found out my own child was going to be having heart surgery in the ICU that I worked in.

Anna-Gray was born without a septum between her ventricles. They could not do a VSD repair because there was no septum at all to attach it to, so she had a PA Band at 2months, a Glenn Shunt at 16 months and a Fontan at 3 years old. I had taken care of many children after their heart surgeries but now when I looked down at the tiny child lying in the post op bed with tubes coming out of everywhere and machines surrounding her I had to process that this child was my own. All of the staff in a PICU wonder how parents get through the worry and pain of having their child so sick and I used to wonder too. Well now I knew first hand and it was extremely difficult but I also realized that we humans can take a lot of heart break and we get through it stronger than before.

Anna-Gray did so well with all of her surgeries and I absolutely love the people I work with! I talk with families of children who are going to have heart surgery before, during and after the surgery and they are happy to hear from a PICU RN who has gone through the same thing they have.

Anna-Gray is now almost 8 years old and she is such a blessing. I learn so much from her and how she is leading her life as a survivor. She is on a gymnastics team and just got 5th place in her first meet. She also makes straight A's in school and loves playing with all of her friends. Sometimes she asks why her heart has to be different, why she has to take medicine every day and why she always has to go to the doctor but mostly she takes it in stride. I am thankful that God has given us this special life and hope we can help others with what we continue to learn.