We've been incredibly lucky that Natalie has been so healthy until now...some of the other families have had very sick children, and we've met some people who's post-op course hasn't been as smooth.
One of the hardest things has been that for all intents and purposes, Natalie has been a healthy, normal baby. Only if you looked closely could you see her discoloration, or listened to her heart would have heard her murmur, or hooked her up to monitors seen her low oxygen.
So we entered the hospital with an essentially normal, energetic, happy baby...put her through a major surgery, and have spent the last week watching her recover from that, so that she...continues to be normal!
Very different from a sick baby who goes in the hospital and comes out new and improved.
Those who know her and haven't seen her in the hospital will likely be unable to tell any difference...while those who were here during the ICU stay were shaken by the clear discomfort and physical stress she was under.
All I know is that she would have very soon developed exercise intolerance and would clearly have shown signs of her heart dysfunction.
And thanks to the amazing surgery and postoperative care here in Boston, not only won't that happen, but she's done amazingly well, and she's rapidly getting back to normal :-)
(this interruption approved by Natalie herself)
Natalie - can I just say that you completely won the parent lottery? How I wish you will remember this when you're 13 and they become, "like totally stupid!"
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