The First Post, EVER! :)

Okay, so being new to this whole blog thing, I think that maybe I'll just tell you all about me and Samantha (and Frank, too) and what we've all been up to for the past several years!!! ~ How long and boring could this be?!?!?~

Not long after Easter of 2009 (maybe about a week) I found out I was pregnant with our first child. We were ecstatic because we'd been trying to conceive. At 18 weeks pregnant we went for what was suppose to be a routine Level II sonogram. Here was when we found out about Samantha's condition. Needless to say we were in complete shock and the following 48 hours are mostly a blur... But that very same day we were sent to Children's National Medical Center where they set forth her treatment plan (including three open heart surgeries) and to date she has had two of the three.

I never thought that I would ever be going through something like this... It never occurred to me that this was even a possibility! I thought - how could this be happening to me, to ME? Frank and I decided that very same day, through the shock and blur of the situation and information, that as long as they can operate and she'd have a mostly normal life, then we'd make it through and it would all be okay. And so far we have and it has been.

Between all the doctor's appointments I had while pregnant, and all the ones for Samantha since birth, I'd like to think that I've become extremely apt at getting answers and information out of these seemingly squirrely doctors! AND Frank and I both should totally have honorary Ph.D.'s in cardiology (or at least it feels that way)!

I am a Graphic Designer and have been very lucky to have a job through all of this that sympathizes with my daughter's situation and understands when I have to be late, leave early, or take the day off for doctor appointments! My boss (the owner of the company) spent some time in nursing school and has raised three boys of her own!  I couldn't have hoped or wished for a better work situation!

Samantha is one of the most laid back 18 month olds I know (for the most part - because she does seem to be developing a bit of a temper). She is a happy, fairly well adjusted, and typical toddler! We are starting to "rev-up" towards her last OHS (open heart surgery) where they will complete whats called a Fontan (more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontan_procedure). We are hopeful that this surgery will be able to take place around her 2nd birthday - so in about 6 months.

So, now that we are all caught up, stay tuned for more posts! :)