Kailyn ’s smiles, Kailyn’s strength
Photo credit: Samantha K Photography On April 1, 2012, my husband Kevin and I found out we were expecting our second baby. We were very surprised as our daughter Kendall was just seven months old at the time. At the same time, we were very excited we would have two kids so close in age. At our 20-week ultrasound, we had another surprise — this baby had a cleft lip. We were pretty upset when we left the ultrasound. We couldn’t stop asking, “Why us? What did we do wrong?” We were sent for a 3D ultrasound to confirm what we already knew. From there we were referred to the Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Bos...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 26, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Michelle Riley Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Cleft and Craniofacial Center cleft lip Dr. John Mulliken Source Type: news

The ride of my life
My muscles are weightless, and my mind is empty. Outside the window, a pair of older Japanese women chat quietly. I close my eyes and breathe in the steam that floats up from the geothermal water beneath me.… knowing I won’t ever again waste a single heartbeat fills me with hope that while the sun is setting on this chapter, it will rise again brighter than ever in my future. I’m sitting in a natural hot spring in Japan, a centuries-old tradition that is believed to have healing powers. I slide deeper into the onsen in quiet meditation and hope the mineral-rich water is doing what it’s supposed to. I’m the lu...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 25, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Beth Puliti Tags: Our Patients’ Stories BACH Boston Adult Congenital Heart Program congenital heart disease Dr. Sitaram Emani Heart Center Source Type: news

Gretchen ’s story: A blue baby and living legend
Gretchen with husband Phil and son Josh “I was very lucky to be born when I was,” says Gretchen Hall, talking about her congenital heart disease. Born a “blue baby” in 1960, Gretchen’s parents were told that her chances of living very long were low. Her parents prayed she would be with them for a year. Gretchen was born with cyanotic heart disease, the combined result of a number of different cardiac defects that ultimately cause low-blood oxygen level. (When babies aren’t getting enough oxygen, their skin appears blue, which is why they are called “blue babies”). In the 1960s, only a few hospitals ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 21, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Erin Horan Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Adult Congenital Heart Program at Boston Children’s Dr. Ed Walsh Dr. Keri Shafer Dr. Michael Freed Heart Center Source Type: news

Matt ’s story: No obstacles
When Matt Freitas walked into TA Fitness, a warrior gym in Weymouth, Massachusetts, with his mother and a doctor’s note, co-owner Dave Cavanagh wasn’t sure what to expect. Then he thought, “If he’s coming into the gym with one leg, he must know what he can and can’t do.” It’s seems as if the 15-year-old ninja warrior competitor and lacrosse goalie can do just about anything. He’s a straight-A student, Boy Scout, wrestler and local celebrity. “Everyone knows Matt,” says Jenny Lawler, co-owner of TA Fitness. “I’ve seen younger kids whisper to their parents, ‘Is that Matt Freitas?’” Last year, Ma...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 20, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Lisa Fratt Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Benjamin Shore Dr. Christine Greco Orthopedic Center Orthopedic Trauma Program Pain Treatment Services Source Type: news

Matt’s story: No obstacles
When Matt Freitas walked into TA Fitness, a warrior gym in Weymouth, Massachusetts, with his mother and a doctor’s note, co-owner Dave Cavanagh wasn’t sure what to expect. Then he thought, “If he’s coming into the gym with one leg, he must know what he can and can’t do.” It’s seems as if the 15-year-old ninja warrior competitor and lacrosse goalie can do just about anything. He’s a straight-A student, Boy Scout, wrestler and local celebrity. “Everyone knows Matt,” says Jenny Lawler, co-owner of TA Fitness. “I’ve seen younger kids whisper to their parents, ‘Is that Matt Freitas?’” Last year, Ma...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 20, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Lisa Fratt Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Benjamin Shore Dr. Christine Greco Orthopedic Center Orthopedic Trauma Program Pain Treatment Services Source Type: news