Another year older...

...another year to be thankful to be alive.

A lot of people don't like to make a big deal of their birthday... I'm not one of them.  I'll make sure that everyone I speak to that day knows it's my birthday.  Why?  Well, I'm 26 years old now, and without modern medicine and some people with the patience to go to medical school, I wouldn't be here right now.

I completely and totally understand that I'm one of the lucky ones.  REALLY LUCKY.  I've had the chance to live for 26 years overall fairly healthy, when really I could have easily died the day I was born.  My greatest wish would be to NOT have parents with children with congenital heart conditions (mostly moms, known in the CHD circles as Heart Moms) say to me, "You're the first person I've met over the age of 7 that has a congenital heart disease."  I'll be honest, I don't remember who said that to me, but it was back in December, and I'll never forget it.

I also understand where this woman is coming from.  Honest - until 1999 and in the hospital recovering from the latest surgery, it was the first time I remember meeting ANYONE with CHD.  And I was 13.  Since then, with the help of a little thing known as the internet, families can meet other families close to them who have kids with CHD.  Those kids from there on out - almost automatically have someone who can relate to exactly what they've been through.  I wish I had someone like that.

Interestingly enough - often I'm closer in age to mom and dad, but I can relate better to their 5 year old who's had 6 surgeries.  I do know what they've been through, and I do understand the emotional toll that it takes on that small child and (in some ways) their parents.  I only pray and hope that these kids are as lucky as I am, and 20 years from now they can look back and be thankful to be alive.