To Starship Hospital Staff

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I am a heart baby and this
is my story.

My name is Sophie

When I was only one day old the midwife
suggested I was taken to the doctor for a
full check up. This is normal for new babies.
He checked my eyes and ears, he listened to
my heart with a stethoscope.
Your heart sounds like this,
ba boom ba boom ba boom.
My heart went,
brr brrr brr.
I have a heart murmur. A hole in my heart.

I was very healthy and there
was no reason for this. But the P.D.A
valve was not closing as it should
after babies are born.
The blood to your heart should flow in one
direction and the valve stops it flowing back
again.
But the open valve in my heart let the
blood flow in and out and slosh all around.
My heart was beating faster and faster
It would need to be fixed so that I could
grow.

Mum and Dad were told I would
need surgery when I was two years
old or when I weighed 10kg. (It is
easier to operate on a heart when it
is bigger).
So I was now three months
old and weighed only 5kg. My mum
fed me lots of food to help me grow,
Cream and butter, ice cream was my
favourite, but I would put on 50gm and
lose 100gm when I was sick. Put on 100gm,
lose 200gm. Up and down, up and down.

Every week I went to hospital
for tests, to check my blood was healthy.
I took Duacal in my food to put on
weight but took Lasix to keep my organs
well. This made me lose weight. I had lovely
doctors looking after me.
The blood tests were taken from a little cut in my
heel. This was squeezed really hard and I cried
because it hurt a lot, but I still smiled and laughed
when they had finished.

Mum and Dad were really scared
I would get sick but I helped by
being super cute and happy.

I was a great baby, I loved singing
and playing.I slept through the
night and played in the day. I loved toys,
our animals and being with everyone.

The doctors wanted to do the
surgery sooner. The dates kept changing
until the 1st of Sept was booked, but Mum
had to phone to say I was too sick that week.
On the 4th of Sept 2005 Mum called to say I was
well and the doctor said to come right away.

We went to Auckland to Starship Children's Hospital.
I was taken for blood tests, there were lots
of forms to fill in, then more tests.
I only weighed 7 kg and was 9 months old,
but I was to have heart surgery tomorrow.

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