I am a SAHM, to twin boys and a Little Missy who rules the roost!
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I am currently treasurer for Heart Children Taranaki after 3 years as chairman and then 2 years as secretary.
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I’ve studied .. worked .. got pg by IVF .. rested .. worked .. got pg naturally .. rested .. worked .. and are now on a longish break .. heh heh …
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I was on the committee in the Multiple Birth Club and wrote the newsletter but resigned a couple of years ago .. I have managed to become the conveynor for the local playgroup after being asked to help out as secretary.. and I’m still unsure how this happened .. lol .. I daren’t go to a PTA meeting at the boys school or I may end up with a job on that committee also ..
Next year our Miss is starting school .. and it'll be a whole new ball-game .. not sure what will happen from there on .. work .. helping more on the farm ... mmmm .. just not sure ..
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My loves: my husband, my children, reading (obsessed), digital scrapbooking, walking and reading blogs or whatever on the Internet.
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Where I live: on a hill with a view of more hills, and a slight peek of the mountain, in the back of beyond .. on a drystock property ..
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Our children ..
We have had the 'pleasure' of our 3 children having a range of low risk to high risk congenital heart conditions ..
C .. has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome .. which in plain language means he essentially has half of his heart functioning .. due to his condition being a syndrome he has a number of heart anomolies ..which adds to the complexity of his heart structure (and surgeries) .. so far this brave guy has come through 9 heart surgeries .. with not not one having been without it's complications and effects .. but on the outside he is a 'normal' everyday kid .. with the staying power (currently) of an energiser bunny ..lol ..
His brave story is 'somewhat' told here : Camerons' Heart Story
M .. had Pulmonary Stenosis up until the age of 3 .. which self corrected without surgery thank goodness .. but he was monitored 6 monthly to ensure nothing untoward happened ..
Miss .. has Aortic Stenosis .. which was picked up at 4 months .. she is currently monitored 6 monthly by the Paed .. and due to the 'slight' further deterioration of the valve -which has now been 'diagnosed' as being 'bi-cuspid' - is now going 'under the wing' of the Starship Paediatric Cardiology team..
What is Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)?Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a Congenital Heart Defect where the left side of the heart has failed to develop properly. There are varying degrees of malformation in the Hypoplastic Left Heart. The left ventricle is usually very small or non-existent. The aortic valve may be narrowed or closed and the aorta itself may also be very small. The left atrium is sometimes small and the mitral valve between the left atrium and left ventricle can also be narrowed or closed. These defects put extra work on the right side of the heart, so chambers and blood vessels on this side may be enlarged or stretched larger than normal.
What is Pulmonary Stenosis?
This is where the Pulmonary Valve is thickened and narrowed leading to the development of abnormally high pressure in the right ventricle. The right ventricular wall becomes thickened ("Hypertrophied"). Stenosis (narrowing) of the pulmonary valve restricts flow into the pulmonary arteries. This leads to the presence of a heart "murmur". Often the narrowing is mild and does not put significant strain on the heart
What is Aortic Stenosis?
The Aortic Valve is thickened and narrowed leading to the development of abnormally high pressure in the left ventricle. The left ventricular wall becomes thickened ("Hypertrophied").
Stenosis (narrowing) of the aortic valve restricts flow into the aorta. This leads to the presence of a heart "murmur". Often the narrowing is mild and does not put significant strain on the heart.
However the narrowing frequently worsens with growth. If the obstruction is severe, symptoms may develop, or the heart may show evidence of "strain". The valve may require treatment to open it up. This may be surgical or with the use of a "balloon catheter" procedure.
