Kiran got a wonderful early birthday present at his cardiology appointment yesterday afternoon.  Dr. M. said everything looks great.  He is like a totally different kid.  When I asked if he has any restrictions at this point or if there is anything we should be concerned about, he said we can treat him like a normal, healthy child.  He encouraged us to “Live your life.”

Talk about a perspective shift.

Life is such a precious gift, and Kiran has been blessed with an amazing journey.  Tomorrow, he will be one.  We cherish every day, and our emotions have been running particularly high as we approach his birthday.

We are so thrilled we have come this far with our family still intact.  We couldn’t be more lucky, waking up to his smiles and roars.

But we know this isn’t the end of our journey.  And we know for many families, the journey looks a lot different.  CHD research needs more funding.  We need to continue to move forward and provide awareness and focus on more effective treatments – maybe even someday a cure.

Part of living our life with Kiran is being a voice for congenital heart defects.  We will be celebrating our son’s life, his strength, his resilience, all weekend long.  On Sunday, we will be walking in the Superhero Heart Run, for him.  His lion and his monkey will ride along in the wagon with him, both symbolizing journeys that are close to our hearts right now.

I will make one more plea.  Come join Team Keen On Kiran and walk with us on Sunday.  You can register day of – contact me for the information or look up Superhero Heart Run Des Moines.  Or, if you are able, consider a donation to help further this important work.

Without all of the advocating voices before us, Kiran would have never had the chance to be told to simply “Live your life.”