Thomas

Our son Thomas was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome when I was 16 weeks pregnant. He was born at the University of Michigan on September 22, 1999 and had his first surgery, the Norwood, five days later. He returned for the Hemi-Fontan on Valentine's Day of 2000 and his Fontan in July of 2001. There were bumps along the road, including SVT, NEC, nine months of NG tube feedings and a staph infection, but thankfully he came through it all.

Today, he is a healthy, normal kid full of energy and mischief. Although we will never be glad he has HLHS, we are grateful for the lessons the experience has taught us about living in the moment and putting family first.