Karen on May 26th, 2009

This is one of the best illustrations I have found for explaining PAPVR.
Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (PAPVR) is a rare congenital heart defect in which blood flow from one or more of the pulmonary veins return to the right atrium instead of to the left atrium.  This is a problem because the right atrium [...]

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Karen on May 25th, 2009

The weather has been messy in South Mississippi this past week.  I can’t complain–we needed the rain.  Whenever I’m safely sheltered indoors as the rain pours down outdoors, I’m reminded of the weirdest weather phenomenon I’ve ever experienced.
It was 1987, and I was a new mother spending a typical, albeit stormy, day playing on the [...]

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I’m sure you’ve heard of wedding crashers before, but have you ever heard of a J.O.Y.* Group crasher?  When I heard that Kandi Anderson would be speaking to the J.O.Y. Group at Grace Memorial Baptist Church this past Tuesday, I decided to see if I could slip in unnoticed.
The J.O.Y. Group was created for the [...]

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Karen on May 20th, 2009

An interesting offer arrived in the mail today.  I was intrigued by the envelope, stunningly black with gold lettering that proclaimed, “INVITATION ENCLOSED.”
It was addressed to Dr. Bryan B. Blakeney which, first of all, is not his correct name (it’s C. Bryan Blakeney), and although, it was not my mail, I open all of his [...]

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Oftentimes, parents of children with congenital heart defects spend a great deal of energy preparing for the big surgical event.  We have carefully selected doctors, surgeons, and hospitals.  We have dealt with (or fought with) insurance companies, and we have taken our children to numerous appointments for checkups and testing.  These are all essential parts [...]

Continue reading about Franklin Goes to the Hospital by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark