I decided from the beginning to document Hallie's journey... for her, for me, for our family & friends, to showcase God's will and power of payer, and to hopefully give others a success story to follow, so that they know there is most definitely hope with this disease, and you can not give up on your child... you have to be strong for them from the very start. When they are confined to their hospital bed, you have to touch them and talk to them and sing to them and pray over them, don't be scared of them, let them feel your presence anyway you can...even if all you get to do is change dieapers...even when you feel terrible and helpless, you have to be there for your child - they feel even worse than you do and it helps so so so much to project positivity and prayer on them. Give yourself moments of grief, because of course everyone needs that release, but then go right back in there headstrong and hopeful...and know in your heart that God heals all.
Sisters by Heart is a fabulous organization that provides information and care packages to families of newly diagnosed babies with HLHS. They recently asked for stories of hope, 250 word or less, to be included in their new care packages. We submitted Hallie's jouney and I am SO excited to announce that ours was selected to be included in the book!!! The book will be published in the coming months. SO many families will be reached and we are honored to be a part of it.
Here is our submission:
Hope for Hallie’s Heart
Half way through my 2nd pregnancy, the day before Christmas Eve, at a routine sonogram, our unborn baby girl was diagnosed with HLHS. We were stunned, devastated, and heartbroken. News like that is life changing. You wonder how you will ever get through it, how your family will get through it, most of all how your new baby will get through it… For almost 5 months we feared the unknown… we worried… we submitted ourselves to God and held onto our faith. We educated ourselves on what to expect, knowing all the time that there were so many different possibilities and outcomes – negative and positive, we chose to focus on the positive. We prayed and prayed, along with family and friends, that our story would be one of triumph and success. We prayed through the unknown, through the anxiety and worry, through 2 surgeries, and extensive hospital stays…and we never lost hope. We felt overwhelming gratitude and joy in every outcome, more love than we have ever known, and saw proof that this journey is not hopeless by any means! One year after being diagnosed with HLHS we are loving on, a beautiful, bouncing, baby girl! Hallie Grace is 8 months old now and by looking at her, you would never know what she has been through. She has defied the odds and amazed us all, including her doctors, over and over again. Hallie is our miracle, our constant reminder that we have been abundantly blessed!
For more information on our story please visit http://heartsforhallie.blogspot.com
Or Hallie's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearts-for-Hallie/644557605623619
Or Hallie's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearts-for-Hallie/644557605623619
Christi Garcia - mom to Hallie Grace Garcia born May 8, 2014. She is almost 3 months post-Glenn and doing fantastic!
