LMP Mar 18 - my half birthday

It was today in the year 1980 when I turned blue. Dad was at work and mom was home with me. I was 6 months old. Mom rushed me to strong Memorial in rochester, NY and was told I was going in for open-heart surgery. (Dad made it to the hospistal before they took me back, so I have been told) At that time, open heart surgery was rare, not to mention on a 6 month old. Both my cardiologists told my parents I had about a 5% chance of surving the surgery and growing up.  (Back track to September of 1979, I was born with CHD - congential heart disease, my heart is basically backwards in my chest. My aorta and pulminary vein are reversed and I only have 3 chambers verses a 'normal heart' with 4 thanks to the mustard procedure i had at 6 hours old) Fast forward to now. I have defied the odds of survival. I have played any and all sports that I have wanted to growing up, including martial arts which I began in fall of 2002.  My lips still turn purple, I don't have the endurance that 'normal' kids / adults have, I need to take breaks because my heart rate sky rockets to over 130+, and at some point, yes, i will need a heart transplant.  I'm a child of the late 70's early 80's that has been living with CHD her entire life.  I'm part of the 'zipper club' because of my open heart surgery scar, and i'm proud of it. 

I'm going to kick bottom and take name Friday night, however, please understand if I need to take a minute to breathe.