On Being a "Heart Mom"

I read this the other day and just had to re-post it. Steve (aka The Funky Heart) is a great writer and speaker... stop by his blog sometime and see for yourself!

Heart Moms and Heart Dads are a special breed of people. Things were going wonderfully, then suddenly a doctor took them aside and said “We think there might be a problem with your child’s heart…” and everything changed. The ground began to crumble under their feet, and all their dreams suddenly became a nightmare. Something is wrong with our baby, and for all anyone knows, it just… happened. Nothing we could have done to stop it or prevent it.

Some families crack under the pressure. Now you have a sick child and a broken family; a double tragedy. And in some families…

… in some families, the parents-to-be come closer together. Mom’s maternal instinct kicks into warp drive; she’s going to protect her child with every weapon she has. She’ll ask questions until the doctor screams for mercy and dispute any advice that doesn’t seem right. The quiet, unassuming woman you married will get in the face of anyone who doesn’t seem to be acting in her child’s best interest. Heart Moms develop iron wills – they will go to the ends of the earth for their child, and if that’s not far enough they’ll tie a rope and drag the earth with them.

A dad’s job is to protect and to care for his family. A Heart Dad realizes that through no fault of his own, he has failed that task. He also realizes that he can’t fix this problem – yes, that is part of his job, but for most of us, precision cardiac surgery is not something we know how to do.

So a Heart Dad accepts the fact that he has to find someone else to do his job for him – and men (especially fathers) don’t do that very well. But Heart Dads put their pride on hold and dedicate themselves to one task: getting their child safely to the help that they need. Maybe it’s not such a “manly” thing to do to ask for help, but they do it. And then our couple learns all about how time moves slowly in a waiting room, how the battle is fought day by day (and sometimes hour by hour) and that sometimes the good guys don’t win.

I love people like that, and I love meeting them. Because as hard as they’ve fought, there is still a seed of doubt in their minds: Will my child make it? What kind of life is he going to have? What’s going to happen to them when I am gone? Most of the Heart Parents I have met are young – in their 30’s, at most. They’re still learning, and things may be OK right now, but they’ll be fighting this battle all their lives.

I don’t claim to be an “inspirational speaker” and I am learning right along with everyone else at the CHD conferences I’ve attended. But maybe I can say something – or just introduce myself as a 43-year-old CHD survivor – and it will all fall into place. With good medical care and a little good fortune, your child can grow up and live a normal life.

I was sitting in my pediatric cardiologist’s office – trying to fit into one of those little chairs – when the man sitting next to me said “So… I guess you’re just here to pick up a prescription for your child?” Without really thinking about it I said “No, I’m the patient; just waiting for my appointment.” And I literally saw his face change as all his dreams about his child were reborn.

Moments like that are awesome.