Connect.
Educate.
Advocate.

I'm the mother of three amazing souls, Shea, Lee and Rosemary. I have always loved sharing the joys of my life. But when I found myself guiding my family's ship through the troubled waters of Rosemary's 5 open heart surgeries, and over 15 months of living in hospitals, I felt compelled to share our roller coaster of trials and triumphs. Rosemary's journey ultimately led me back to nursing. I became an adult cardiac RN in 2014 and a lifelong CHD advocate. I now work at one of the nation's top pediatric hospitals, the one that saved her life. 

Serendipitous? I think so.

When I found out that I was having a baby with a critical congenital heart defect, I didn't know what it was, how to process it or where to turn for support. I felt scared, isolated, unsure of what this would mean for my family's future. Educating myself was key in becoming a good advocate for my child. Dr. Google was no help at the time...hence my desire to build a collaborative website and blog to connect, support and empower families. I wanted a one stop shop of CHD  information, resources, connection to other heart families, and online support. That's how this site was born. 

Education. Pure and simple. I believe that educating yourself is one of the single most empowering things you can do to navigate through the necessary waters of open heart surgeries, hospital stays, and the sheer strength it takes to be the parent of a child with a CHD. You will find a variety of resources and information on the Education and Advocacy pages. Also...Constant denial until the hard parts are over...it works for me, always has. 

All my best to you.

View more of Rosie's story below: