Hope was born April 24, 2000 at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah at 10:43 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. Her length was 17½ inches. A small baby, but very healthy looking considering the circumstances. We were told at the 20 week ultrasound that she would be born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Unbalanced A-V Canal Defect, and Dextrocardia. It wasn’t until after she arrived and further tests were performed that she was also diagnosed with Pulmonary Stenosis, Double Outlet Right Ventricle, Total Anomalous Venus Return, Bilateral Superior Vena Cava, Transposition of the Great Arteries, and to top if off she was also born without a spleen. Since her passing we have learned that it's a syndrome called Ivemark's. It was hard to understand that she could look so good and yet have all these problems.

She underwent her first open-heart surgery to repair the connection between her heart and lungs the day after she was born which was performed by Dr. Gregory DiRusso at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. At that time he had given her a one in five chance (20%) of even making it through the surgery. I remember Dr. DiRusso calling my hospital room to get my consent and telling me about all the risks associated with this surgery, especially with her being so small and her heart being on the other side of her chest, which meant he had to do everything backwards. At that time I told him all I could do was pray that God's hands would envelope his while performing the surgery and God's Will would be done. Hope's surgery was a success and she did great!!! Within four days she was off the vent. A couple of days later she was back in surgery to tighten the pulmonary band that they had placed in the first surgery. Two weeks later, May 17th, 2000 she was strong enough to be able to finally come home, something we had only dreamed about.

Being our only child, we were able to devote all of our time to Hope's welfare. Hope was a very happy baby. She was so good about taking her heart medications, almost like it was candy to her. She was a very cuddly baby and a joy to everyone that she came in contact with. Even her doctors thought she was extraordinary. To her mom and dad she was the miracle that we had waited so long for and we were so proud to show her off to everyone we came in contact with.

On August 10th, 2000 she was put on oxygen because her saturation levels had gone from the normal 72-75% range to the low 60's (normal is really 98-100%). The last week of August and first week of September she spent in the PICU and Infant Unit due to an upper respiratory infection, ulcer, and urinary tract infection. She was released on September 5th and for the next week she struggled, crying constantly because of the pain she was in. We were told it was better to have her at home to get better than to have her in the hospital with all the other sick kids, since she was scheduled for her bi-directional Glenn surgery on October 3, 2000. However, she was never meant to endure another surgery. On Monday, September 11, 2000 we ended up taking her back to the ER at Primary’s and later that evening she passed away due to respiratory distress and congestive heart failure. This was not only a shock to the staff in the ER but also to her parents and loved ones. She had fought such a valiant battle, but the time had finally come for her to receive the peace she so deserved.

The time that we were able to spend with her will always to embedded in our hearts. It’s amazing how much she taught everyone around her in her short 4 months, 17 days here upon the earth. Her smile was very contagious. Some of Hope’s favorite things were, her big bluish-green binky, watching her teddy bear mobile, stroller walks, her baby symphony CD, and being held and sung to. We look forward with great joy to the day when we will be re-united with her. We realize that everything that happened with Hope was a miracle and there are some things in life that are out of our hands, but in the hands of God, such was the case with Hope.

Since her passing we have had a son named Nathan who is heart healthy and very active. We feel so blessed to have them both in our lives.