2. August 22, 2005
I was having contractions, they couldn’t
find Codi’s heart beat.
3. When we got to the hospital, still NO heart beat.
Once they found her heart, they watched the
clock, counted her heartbeats, and it was all
down hill after that.
4. I was scared and didn’t know what was going on.
Next thing I know, I am in the operating room.
The last thing I remember is them putting me to
sleep.
5. Codi was born August 23, 2005. I didn’t get to see
her until 9 hours later. Then we were told there
were more complex problems with her heart and
Codi was being transported.
6. Our Cardiologist, Dr. Hashmi, came to my room and
explained to us about Codi’s heart problems and that all
of her organs were on the opposite side of where they
should be. They could do surgery on her heart or a heart
transplant, but they wanted to attempt to fix what was
wrong.
7. Codi had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. They would
be performing the Norwood Procedure, which requires
three surgeries. Codi had her first surgery in September
2005 just a few weeks after being born.
8. After her first surgery, we could only see Codi for five minutes per hour
because her chest was still open due to her heart being swollen. Finally
we were able to take her home, but complications started again and they
found that one of her lower intestines was kinked. In October 2005, Codi
underwent the Ladd’s Procedure to un-kink her intestines. She had her
appendix removed at the same time. A few days later, we were released.
9. Then in March 2006, Codi had her second surgery, and it
came at the right time. As we were headed to the
hospital, we noticed her nail beds were blue. She was not
getting the oxygen she needed.
10. After all that, we would visit the doctor’s office every 6
months. In August 2007, two days after her second
birthday, she had another heart surgery. It was a
successful surgery and she came home a week later.
11. Shortly after the second surgery, Codi wouldn’t stop crying and it
seemed like she was in pain. I took her to the ER and it turned out
that she had an infection in her blood. We ended up staying in the
hospital for four weeks. We still go for check-ups every six months
and they keep a halter monitor on her because she has a very low
heart rate.
12. Just when we thought it was all over, in March of this
year, Codi had a heart catherization performed. They
discovered some complications and a stent had to be
put in. Codi was back to her loving self the next day.
13. Despite her major heart defects, Codi is a normal
kid. You would have no idea she has heart
problems and has had three open heart surgeries.
She started school in August 2010.
14. Codi is now 5 years old, and without the research she would not be here
today. We do not know what else Codi will need in her lifetime, nor do we
know if the research will be there. That is why it is so important to give and
Open Your Heart for research so future children will have a chance like Codi.
We are thankful for the doctors, surgeons, our family, you, and our
community support.
