Heart To Heart With Anna

Season Five of "Heart to Heart with Anna" has focused on miracles that happen in the congenital heart defect community. The first 4 shows were all about miracles that took place in the United States of America. Today's show will feature a very special dad in Pakistan who has not only witnessed miracles, but who has been partially responsible for these miracles occurring. What happens when you live in a country that doesn't have a hospital to treat children with heart defects -- especially when you have a daughter born with a heart defect? How can one man make a difference? What advice does this father have for his countrymen and all parents of children with congenital heart defects? Tune in to find out!Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWeb

Sometimes a person is with us for only a short period of time and yet that person leaves a legacy that touches others forever. That is the case with little Mary Beth Miller. Tune in to her her mother and father talk about her life, the miracles they witnessed and how one little girl influenced others to pass a law to save countless other babies born with the number one birth defect -- which often goes undetected until it's too late. What makes a parent decide to talk to lawmakers with the hope that a child's life would not be in vain?Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

What happens when you are a nurse and the father of a child who is perfectly healthy when all of a sudden you are the father of a baby with a chronic illness but nobody believes you when you say something is wrong? What lessons can be learned from a situation like that? What events transpired? How is it that the baby's survival could be viewed as a miracle? What conditions existed to allow the "miracle" to occur? Frank Jaworski is a certified registered nurse anesthetist who experienced this situation. In this show he'll reflect on what happened when his second son was born with a critical congenital heart defect which went undiagnosed until the baby was in congestive heart failure. He'll also share, as a medical professional, what he learned as a nurse and how others can benefit from his experience.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affilia

There are hundreds of thousands of children awaiting adoption around the world. In the United States alone, according to the Adopt America Network, there are 130,000 children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. Children are awaiting adoption for many reasons.Children with medical issues can be more difficult to place with adoptive families. While adopting a child with special medical needs can be frightening, it can also be the answer to prayer. Adoptive parents have a chance to make a miracle happen, but one of the most amazing things to witness is how much joy the adopted child can bring to a special family.Today's show will feature an adoptive mother who, along with her supportive husband, decided to adopt a child with a congenital heart defect. Tune in to hear about the miracles that have happened since Becky and Joe adopted little Tess. You'll also learn about what adoptive parents need to be aware of once they've made the decision to adopt a child with special medical ne

Having twins seems like a miracle all by itself, but our Guest, Kathy Kolodzinski has a remarkable story to share. Listen to her as she shares the miracle of birth, how her son's undiagnosed congenital heart defect could have taken his life shortly after birth and how one decision, different than she made with the birth of her other children, just might have contributed to the miracle in her son's life. To read about the story of Kathy's birth experience, check out her blog: http://lovinlifewithkids.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-twins-birth-story-part-1.htmlJust a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Cardiac athletes are all around us. There are athletes who develop heart problems or who discover, after they have been athletes for a while, that there heart has some imperfections that may require surgery and there are people who were born with heart defects who have a great desire to become an athlete and to enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. Lars Andrews, a cardiac physiologist, has created a website and an organization to eradicate heart disease. His organization serves thousands of athletes around the world. Cardiac Athletes is the world's largest online community for sporting heart patients, offering an unprecedented breadth and depth of help, support, advice and fulfilling our Mission of alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life. Listen to today's show to learn more about Lars, why he created this program, how athletes can help themselves, even if they have had open-heart surgery and learn about the book that Lars has put together, "Cardiac Athletes: Real Superheroes B

Child Protective Services is supposed to help children who may be neglected or abused but what kind of damage can they exact when they interfere with a family who has a child with a complicated medical history -- including a congenital heart defect?How could this organization pull a family apart? Did the child’s congenital heart defect play a pivotal role in CPS’ decision to remove that child from the family? How can other families safeguard their own families from a similar event occurring?We’ll discover the answers to those questions and more in today’s show which is entitled “How Child Protective Services Almost Destroyed One Heart Family.”Special thanks to jesadaphorn of www.freedigitalphotos.net for the use of the image in on this page.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMe

Now, more than ever before, parents are finding out in utero if their baby will be born with some kind of congenital birth defect. One potentially fatal congenital heart defect is hypoplastic left heart syndrome (or HLHS). According to Texas Children's Hospital, this occurs in about 1 in 6,000 live births when the fetus's left side of the heart does not develop normally. Boston Children's Hospital led the way for babies diagnosed in utero with HLHS by creating an in utero procedure to reduce the severity of HLHS or, in some cases, to prevent the critical congenital heart defect from actually occurring -- allowing the baby's heart to eventually work with four pumping chambers (instead of the 2 chambers so many HLHS babies have). Today's show will feature a couple who traveled to Boston when they discovered their unborn child would have HLHS. How dangerous was the surgery? How many surgeries did their son need? What is their son's prognosis? Listen to this show for answers to these

Having twins is a very special occurrence since it doesn't happen all that often. What happens when you have twins but one, or both of them, have a congenital heart defect? How does that affect other children in the same family? Will you be able to breastfeed your twins? Today's guests can answer those questions since both are moms of heart-healthy children and children born with critical congenital heart defects. Tune in to hear Kathy Kolodzinski and Roxanne Montalvo-Tsai tell their stories about having twins in the congenital heart defect community. (Thanks to David Castillo Dominici with http://www.freedigitalphotos.com for the image!)Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Dr. Woody Benson has been practicing in the field of pediatric cardiology for 43 years. He is a pioneer in the field of pediatric electrocardiology and for the last 20 years he has been training or researching the molecular genetics of pediatric heart disease. Clearly few pediatric cardiologists have experienced or even been partially responsible for some of the amazing changes we have seen in pediatric cardiolgy like Dr. Benson has. Tune in to hear Dr. Benson talk about the changes he has seen in the advancement of genetics to understand congenital heart defects.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Ted and Mary Kay Klein will talk about how their daughter, Karen Klein McNulty, inspired them to become involved in the CHD community and how Karen had the insight to develop an organization specifically for adults with congenital heart defects. Tune in as Ted and Mary Kay discuss their upcoming conference, who the guest speakers will be and what topics will be covered. Don't forget to check out the Heart to Heart with Anna website for a direct link to register for the "Adults with CHD: Body, Mind and Spirit Conference," a link to the Adults with Congenital Heart Defects Association and more!Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Being born with the most common birth defect still means you're not like everyone else. Going through the teen and young adult years is difficult for everyone, but it's even more difficult for survivors of congenital heart defects. Unlike their peers, Survivors frequently have to take medication, have to see their cardiologist regularly and sometimes even have to have additional surgery. What happens when a teen or young adult has had enough!? How do teens with congenital heart heart defects rebel? Today's show will feature a man and a woman who both rebelled as teens. They will share their experiences with us, and more importantly, the lessons they learned. (Thanks to photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net for the image.)Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitt

Sometimes our littlest heart heroes need extraordinary help in order to survive. One of the most extraordinary machines used to save our babies born with congenital heart defects is known as ECMO which stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This is a special machine that takes blood from the body, oxygenates it using an artificial lung, and pumps it back into the body using an artificial heart. ECMO is similar to a heart/lung bypass machine used in open heart surgery, but can be used for a longer time.Twenty years ago, when my son was just a baby, all of the babies I knew who were put on ECMO passed away. But like with so many types of new technology, things have changes and improved over the year. Now being put on ECMO doesn't have to be a death sentence. Today's show will feature three mothers whose children have been put on ECMO and survived. Hear about their experiences and what they feel other parents need to know on today's show. (Thanks to Dell Children's for the image used

It is not uncommon for children who have undergone open-heart surgery to have some developmental delays. Are these delays severe enough for them to qualify for special services? What happens when our children with congenital heart defects have developmental issues, but they aren't delayed enough to qualify for Early Childhood or Special Education programs? What recourse do parents have? Will insurance cover the cost if the school district will not? Listen to today's show for answers to these questions and more.(Thanks to potowizard of FreeDigitalPhotos.net for the image!)Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

What happens when you are pregnant and go in for a routine ultrasound only to discover your baby has a heart defect? How do you handle the news? What options are you given? Even though congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect, there aren't many people who talk about it and it's not a widely known fact. Today we'll talk with three mothers who have been there -- who found out in utero, not only that their babies would be born with a heart defect, but that they would be born with critical congenital heart defects requiring surgery in their first year of life. (Thanks to David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net for the beautiful photo.)Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Congenital heart defects (or CHDs) are the number one birth defect and yet, this is one of the best-kept secrets! How do members of the CHD community change all of that? Our Guests today include a young woman born with a critical congenital heart defect and her mother. For over 30 years this dynamic duo have been dealing with congenital heart defects -- beating the odds and surviving at a time when most babies didn't make it. Listen today as my Guests tell us what they are doing to raise awareness of CHDs in 2015 and how you can help, too.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect yet there are few movies depicting members of the congenital heart defect (CHD) community or CHD themes. "Silent Cries" is a movie written by the father of a child with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. What makes "Silent Cries" so touching is how it has brought the CHD community together in ways unforeseen when it was first conceptualized. One of the ways it has brought people together is by turning its key handlers from being a philanthropist in the CHD and nonprofit communities into an executive producer for this show. A new team brought with it new collaboration and a new title. Find out who this producer is, how she became involved with the movie and why "Silent Cries" need to be silenced no longer.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSoci

What happens when you're born with a congenital heart defect but have the opportunity to lead a normal, healthy life until you reach adulthood but then your whole world gets upended when your heart becomes the focus of your existence? How can a person go from feeling just like everyone else to realizing her heart is special and unique and that it also needs tender, loving care? What's a person in a high-stress, corporate world position to do? If you're Christine Courtelis, it just might be to leave all of that behind and to analyze what's really important in life. It just might be the right time to take a chance and do something even more meaningful with her life. Join us today as we uncover Christine's heart defect, how and when it started to dominate her life and what she chose to do in order to make lemonade from lemons.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna&a

When a person is born with a broken heart, parents must face a multitude of decisions -- many life-threatening and terrifying. As children age, they themselves become aware of their heart problems and face their own mortality. Many of us in the heart defect community (CHD) have faced the death of loved ones or friends. How does being a member of the CHD community take a toll on its members? What are some ways we can deal with the trauma that we must face? One way is through art therapy or music therapy. Today's show will deal with this topic and will feature Angela Loehr, the founder of HeartWire, International (http://heartwiremyheart.org) and Megan Tones.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

What kills 1000 people a day or one person every two minutes? What kills more people annually than breast cancer, lung cancer and HIV/AIDs combined? What is one event that kills most of the people who suffer from it, but who could possibly be saved? The answer is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).Today's show will be about the survivor of, not one but over 140 sudden cardiac arrests, and his wife. We'll learn why he has suffered so many SCAs, even though he is a relatively young, otherwise healthy man. Lastly, we'll find out what his experience has taught him and his family and what he and his wife have established so others, like he, will be survivors.Just a quick shout-out to all of the amazing supporters who like, share, and comment on our program via Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all!Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite