Heart Disease. This phrase is thrown around so frequently
that it has become pretty commonplace in our medical vocabulary. So many
Americans are frequently diagnosed with some form of it, but I often feel as
though it is downplayed due to advances in modern medicine that make this
disease livable, to some extent. I’ll admit, as an almost twenty-one-year-old,
it isn't always something that I (or most people my age) think about on a
regular basis, as we still have the tendency to feel invincible and feel like
something like that could never have an impact on our lives. I sometimes catch
myself falling into the mindset that because I am healthy and able-bodied now,
that I’ll always be that way, just like everyone else in my life.
Just about the time when I start sliding down that slippery
slope, I realize that a long, healthy life isn’t promised to anyone, and I feel
guilty when I remember a story that is directly connected to my own life. As I
have shared previously, I have an older sister named Michelle who passed away not long
after her second birthday, due to complications from a surgery due to a
congenital heart defect. (Here is the link to the full story in case you're interested..)
The cold, hard fact is that heart disease is not something
that only occurs in adults. It cannot always be attributed to the typical
causes. More often than we realize, many of those diagnosed with heart problems
are some of our youngest people. Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect about 1% (approximately 40,000) of all children born in the US. Furthermore, there are still about one million US adults who still suffer from the effects of CHDs.1 In fact, congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect among children and most go undetected for quite some time. Hearing these figures might not sound that earth-shattering, but when your family is affected by that 1%, it is just that. It is tough to consider that there are no real risk factors or ways to completely prevent this from happening. So often, mothers just like my mom did everything right, and they still had a child diagnosed with a CHD, which could be the harshest part of this reality.
I've thought about it for quite some time, and I've always
ended up with more theological questions than scientific questions. I often
wondered why it is that these children and their families are given such a big
cross to bear. I wondered what the purpose of this suffering is, and, most of
all, I wondered why God called some of those with CHDs to come home to Him so
soon, especially Michelle. I’m not sure if or when I’ll figure out the answers
to these questions.
Perhaps this happens to show us that we aren't really in
control, even when we think we are, or to strengthen our faith in God’s plan.
Perhaps it is to remind us of the fragility of our own lives and to remind us
not to fall into the mindset of invincibility. Maybe, just maybe, it happens to
remind us that our lives are too short to live without purpose. There is a
reason God put us on this earth, and it is our duty to discern just what it is
that He wants us to accomplish while we’re here.
While I can’t say with complete certainty what my overall
purpose is, I do believe that part of my purpose is to live out the life
Michelle couldn't and raise awareness for her cause.
Sometimes, it seems a bit daunting to say something as
definitive as that, but I know that we are often called to do what we think we
are incapable of doing. Since I’m not sure where to start, how to go about
doing anything bigger, and am not quite capable of making something big happen
just yet, this is my first step. I encourage everyone to wear red on February 14th for this cause, and tell at least one person why. If I can raise awareness of congenital heart
defects in at least one person, then I have accomplished this part of my goal. It's not much, but it's a start!
If you would like more information, or know someone who has
been affected by this and could use another resource, here are a couple of links to organizations that are dedicated to helping children and families of CHD
patients.
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| Image used from this Website |
Thanks for this Amanda. I too was that mother who did everything right and had a baby born with a congenital heart defect. The experienced changed me and how I mother, I think for the good. Each day Zane is alive and able to run around like a crazy person is a gift and a miracle that not all families are afforded. I know if he had been born somewhere else he might not be alive now. So thanks for raising awareness for the little people with CHDs, they are a special group!!!
ReplyDeleteAudra,
ReplyDeleteZane is so special to me, just to see his vibrant smile and read about all his antics makes my heart smile. I am glad that he was born where and when he was, at least he can be the positive side of what can happen when all works out. It proves that children with CHD are not always a negative statistic. There are many with quite positive outcomes.
Mary