February is here!

And with February comes CHD awareness month!

I am going to try to post facts on Facebook about CHD awareness all month long. I usually fail at this. Badly. :) I forget. Life happens. Especially with 3 kids, one of which has medical needs due to his heart transplant. But, here is your fact for the day about Dilated Cardiomyopathy:
A diagnosis at a young age usually, but not always, signifies a serious heart condition that requires aggressive treatment. The concern lies in the uncertainty of how the heart muscle will respond with each additional growth spurt. With some older children, the condition may stabilize over time with the aid of certain medications or surgery. In severe cases, small children may experience progressive symptoms quickly leading to heart failure. This presentation contrasts with most diagnosed adults who may only have minor symptoms without serious limitations or major problems for years. Information taken from here http://www.childrenscardiomyopathy.org/site/overview.php
This is what happened to Ben. He required aggressive treatment, eventually leading to heart transplant. He quickly went in to heart failure in the space of about 12 hours. Now, thanks to his donor, he is thriving! He does have what seems to be a cold, but that is not even stopping him. He was out sledding this morning in our blizzard :)