I Can SO Relate

I've mentioned my friend, Krista, previously and how she is blogging about the 20 things she is working on for 2010. You can read more about her here: http://20littlethings.blogspot.com. (I swear, if I ever figure out how to hot link, look our your windows, because I am SURE pigs will be flying) What I have not mentioned is that she is a fellow heart mom.

I met Krista when IMH-MD was participating in the Big House, Big Heart Race last October. In early September, she contacted me about raising funds for our organization...and raise funds she did! She blew the rest of us away in fundraising!! She quickly became more and more involved with IMH and the more I got to know her, the more I respected and liked her. I just plain like her. It's as simple as that. And I can so relate to her as well.

She blogged this week about having a "cause," about being "that person" who will ask you for donations, tell you statistics, be "obnoxious" simply because it is important to her to be so. Well, I can so relate because it's important to me too.

She also blogged about how she feels that she and her son, Luke, have the "lamest" story to tell. I can so relate because, often, I feel like who am I to be pushing this cause so much when my son came through surgery like a champ, doesn't have to have any repeat surgeries (more than likely) and is supposed to lead an otherwise *normal*, long, healthy and active life? Well, she also stated that she doesn't so much do this because of Luke, but because of the other parents she's met along the way whose story doesn't have such a happy ending.

For all the Drews and Lukes out there, there are twice as many Aidens, Coras, Hazels, Sams and Mavericks. (and the list goes on and on, but I have to stop here) Sweet little cherubs who are loved just as much by their parents as Luke and Drew are by myself and Krista. Amazing little Warriors turned Angels who never got the chance to come home, who lived lives on machines in hospitals, or who came home undiagnosed to pass away suddenly in their mothers' arms.

So, like Krista (because I can SO relate), I am fighting for those babies every bit as much as I am fighting for my son, my future children and my future grandchildren. I am fighting for these Angels' parents because I get to hold my son, and play with him, and watch him learn and grow every day. I get to be woken up every morning by his sweet little voice calling out to me. I get to laugh at his funny quirky habits. I get to feel his arms around me and his sweet kisses on my face. I get to hold his hand and teach him new things. And you know what, as much as I cherish those moments with him (and believe me, I do), I can't say it's exactly fair. How is it fair that one parent gets to have these moments and another doesn't?

And thus, I fight on. I get in your face (literally and figuratively) about statistics, I tell you stories about our Warriors and Angels. Why? It's not because I want to scare you. It's because I am compelled to do so. I am compelled to help find better treatment, possibly cures, for CHD. I am compelled to help create a world where less babies and kiddos die from CHD in the future. Where more parents have little league games or dance recitals to go to, instead of lonely gravesites. Where more parents can sit down and watch their kiddos playing, instead of sitting down to watch videos of them.

I can SO relate Krista.