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Our story begins back in July of 1994. I was 16. I had met Darrell. We met through a friend of ours. We started dating not to long after that. Darrell moved into my house in about the begining of August. I became pregnent right before then. Our daughter Alexis was born April 29, 1995. Darrell then went into the Navy. While Darrell was in boot camp and then went on to school, Alexis and I moved to Virginia. We lived with my grandmother. When Darrell finished boot camp and school Alexis and I moved back to California. Darrell and I were married on November 11, 1995. Darrell then had to report to his base. Which was in San Diego about 300 miles from where I was. I saw him as much as I could but with our busy schdules it was hard. So Alexis and I moved to Los Angeles. I had a roommate. Her husband was also in the Navy and worked with Darrell. I was working as a manager at Mcdonalds. I became pregnent with Nathan. Darrell's boat was due to go out to sea for 6 months. While he was out to sea I went back to be with my parents. They live in Tennessee. When I came to Tennessee I was a manager at McDonalds. I worked up until about a week before Nathan was born. I was induced 2 weeks early due to a complication I was having with my platlet counts. Nathan was born on November 5, 1997. He had some comlications at birth. His color was bad. His oxygen was at about 30%. So my OB/GYN called in the Pediatrican. While the Ped was on his way he had called in a Pediatric Cardiologst. When they arrived they both evaluated Nathan. They found that Nathan had a serious heart defect called Transpostion of the Great Arteries. Which means the main heart valves were coming out of the wrong ventricals. They started Nathan on some medicine to keep a hole in his heart open so his body could get more oxygen. Nathan was born at 11:18 pm. By 2am they had to transfer him to a bigger hospital that had a NICU. While Nathan was there they stablized him for his journy on to DUKE medical center. When he got there they went in and did a heart cath to confirm the diagnois, and to also create a hole to allow more oxygen to circulate in his blood. He went in to surgery about 7am on November 11, 1997 (my 2 year anniversry) Surgery went well. He did have some problems with his heart when they were trying to close his chest. The surgen had to massage his heart for about 20 minutes. But once his heart got used to the surgery it was good. I was shocked to see what he looked like after surgery. He had tubes coming out from almost everywhere. Nathan was in the hosptial about 6 more days and then was released. We saw the cardiologist twice and then we were off to go back to Califorina. We left on December 4, 1997. It took us 5 days to drive. Darrell and I moved into Navy housing. We saw the Cardiologist there. They were not to bad. Things were great with Nathan he begain crawilng at 5 months. Sat up around 7 months. Darrell got out of the Navy September 23, 1998. We moved to Tennesse.(which is where we are now.) We saw the Cardiologist in November 1998. He gave us some great news. Said Nathans surgery was a complete success. And that we didnt have to go back for a year. So that is where we are at now. I am working agian. I am a manager at Mcdonalds. Darrell is working for Circuit City doing deliveries. We both enjoy our jobs. Alexis is now going to preschool. Nathan is going to a in home Day Care which he truly enjoys. If you are reading this and have a questions regarding support about heart defects you can email me I will be more than willing to give you any support that I can or give you any of the resorces that I know of. my email address
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