“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I am a very special boy with a very special heart. I was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The entire left side of my heart is underdeveloped.   I had my first open-heart surgery at one week old.  At one month old, I had an operation on my stomach called a fundoplication due to severe acid reflux, and a G-Tube inserted into my stomach to eat out of.  Also, I've had an operation to remove my gallbladder, and a balloon angioplasty on my aorta.  I had my second open-heart surgery at 7 months old.  At 22 months I had a surgery on both eyes to correct esotropia and had tubes put in my ears due to chronic ear infections.  At 3 1/2 years old, I had my tonsils and adnoids removed, and my ear tubes replaced.  I will have to have one more open-heart surgery on May 18, 2010.