Heart Mom Luncheon

I have always been glad that I joined the local CHD support group, IHH (Intermountain Healing Hearts). Today has been no exception to that. I am not the most social person in the world, but despite that I attended a luncheon they had for heart moms. I know that any description I give won't really do the event justice, but that won't stop me from trying.

In addition to lunch, Margaret Cardall, mother of award winning-composer Paul Cardall (if you remember I've mentioned him before and had a link to a video on youtube that he did where he included a couple of pictures of Dylan) spoke to us about some of her experiences with raising a child with a CHD. She said many things that were touching and many that were humorous. She talked about how there were times where she thought she needed to sleep for just two hours and have some time and she would be fine. She spoke of losing a son this past summer and how his death made Paul's heart transplant and recovery that much more of a miracle. She talked about how it's okay to live now even when we worry about our children and do the things we would like to do.

After she spoke Paul played a few songs. For one he asked for a volunteer to come up and pick three notes on the piano and said from those notes he would compose a song. The song he played from those three notes was very beautiful. Amazing to me that people have the talent to do that. He mentioned being an adult and being a patient in a children's hospital. Said it was humbling to be around all the children who had so many problems but were so strong. Said he thinks of Primary Children's as being a sacred place.

I actually thought the brief words of the emcee for the event, Rebecca Cressman, a dj for a local radio station were as good as the rest of the day. She mentioned having a son who had chronic illness as a child and as a senior in high school and in track trying to make it to an event and just missing his event. Said he told her he knew she missed it (and was glad) because out of all of the voices in the stands, the only one he can ever hear is hers and how he would know that if he failed, she would feel worse than he did. She mentioned then the power a mother has. That out of all the voices in the world, our children hear ours louder than the others.

All in all it was a very nice event. One that has left me feeling grateful and blessed for having been able to be there.