Chad at 6 months

Chad was born on August 9, 2002 (right on his due date) at 7lbs and 13oz. He looked to be a perfectly healthy child. My pregnancy was problem-free.

We were told that he had a heart murmur at birth and that like most murmurs it should go away. We went home 2 days after he was born. Something didn't seem quite right but the doctors assured me that all was well. At day nine, Chad began to scream, breath erratically and turned white then blue. He was taken to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia. Thank goodness it wasn't far.

 Chad was admitted into the PICU with a Coarctation of his Aorta that would require surgery to repair. At 13 days, Chad had his surgery and came through with flying colors. He remained at CHKD for another week and on September 1, 2002 we were able to bring him home. On December 12, 2002 we returned to CHKD for a balloon catheterization to repair another coarctation caused by the scar tissue from surgery. We had been told that this would probably happen but not so soon. We were able to go home the next day.

Chad has been home since then and has been doing very well. Now, at 7 months he is 21 pounds and 28 inches long. I joke saying we have gotten an instant toddler, so it seems anyway.

Chad is the light of our lives. He is our first and only child. I believe that God spared him for something special and one day we will know what that is. I thank God everyday for the little boy he sent us, the wonderful medical team that helped save him and the support that we have received from our family, friends, church and support groups.