Aiden’s heart journey didn’t start in the womb, we didn’t know anything was even wrong with his heart. Everything with the pregnancy was great until my water broke 4 weeks early and on top of that, I wasn’t dilated. After long hours of not getting anywhere with my dilation, we had to do a c-section. After holding my son for what seemed like an hour, I notice that his breathing didn’t seem right. It looked like his heart was beating out of his chest. When I pointed it out to the nurses they immediately called the doctor in and they took him to get checked out.
We prayed for a while waiting for the team to come back and give us news. When they finally came back in they said that Aiden would have to be transferred. My husband and I felt terrified, not knowing what the outcome would be. On top of all of that, we were in the middle of the pandemic so we didn’t know if we would be completely separated from our son. After a few minutes, the doctor came in saying that we would have to be transferred to another hospital and my husband was not allowed to come with us. I was so upset but more so concerned about my son, my pain from surgery didn’t matter all I wanted was to hold him and know that he was ok. Aiden spent 1 week in the hospital before the doctor released him with a clean bill of health.
To be honest, I was happy that he was coming home, but I was still scared and concerned something still didn’t feel right. I was determined to find out what was wrong with Aiden. As we were going to his weekly check up his pediatrician heard how he was breathing and all the noise he was making. She recommended two places for us to go to check his heart and one of the options was Wolfson Children's. When we got to our appointment my husband and I were both nervous. Dr. Neagu broke the news to us and it broke our hearts to hear that Aiden had a heart problem and would need to have heart surgery. I felt like I failed as a mother already. It became even worse knowing that because of COVID only one of us would be able to be there for his surgery and only one of us could stay at a time.
I didn’t learn about The Healing Hearts Project until I was able to go to the room my son would be staying in as he recovered from his surgery. Because of COVID, a lot of restrictions were in place at the hospital. I received a card from our nurse with information about the support on Facebook. I got the chance to meet a family next to my son’s room and talk to them and make friends with them. I got to meet Kobe Chong before he became a heart angel. His mother and his brothers get to meet up with Aiden and me now and then. The tea from the cart and the single mac and cheese from the cart helped me when the cafeteria closed and I'd waited too long to go get food. Having my son wasn’t the only big change in my life. Finding this charity and being a part of The Healing Hearts Project has changed my life as well. Because not only are we a group of parents whose kids battle Congenital Heart Defect (CHD), we are a family. We don’t have to know each other's names by heart or recognize each other on the street. All you have to say is "please pray," or "welcome," or even ask a question that’s been asked a million times already, and say who your doctor is and everyone is there for each other. They will say, "that’s a good doctor and your baby is in good hands." Or, you can simply say that you need help and someone will reach out. That is what a family is and that is what The Healing Hearts Project does.
This heart family we've created is why I am donating from my sales with Scentsy to The Healing Hearts Project. Shop anytime in the month of August and a portion of the proceeds will go directly towards supporting the families, my heart family, who are served by The Healing Hearts Project. -Fayletta, Aiden's mom
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