Family visit continued

We are still in Vancouver BC but heading home to Seattle today. Its a brilliant blue day with the flowers hiding their blossoms in the shade even though its only 7am. Wren went to sleep very early (at his own request) and slept from 6.30pm - 5.30am so he obviously needed the rest. We are staying in East Vancouver with my father's in-laws (he remarried a luverly lady who has family here as well as in South Africa where Dad lives) and enjoyed another early morning walk to JJ Bean and had a huge muffin and latte.

Now, the heart stuff. Recently, I have had two reminders about how common heart defects are and also how they can be invisible in families unless you really ask. Derek (in-law) has been telling me about his uncle Rob who was born with a number of heart defects (unspecified). Apparently the family was told he would not survive. At one illness he was cyanotic and they were told he "would not pull through this one". He did and lived until old age. His only surgery was at age 88 when he had surgery for something routine.

Another family connection came from my mother - I haven't written about it because it is very sad. One of my mother's cousins was expecting a grandchild but they found out at the 6 month ultrasound that the baby had HLHS with failing valves which would make a repair unlikely. They live on a farm in Africa and there was no chance at medical support in their region so they decided to have a termination. Being surrounded by famlies who have children receiving treatment for heart defects its easy to forget the many 'invisible' babies who do not make it both in the US and beyond. I am glad there are some charities like this one who try and provide medical treatment to children in areas which are not served by cardiology and surgeons.