Baby Hope was born October 27, 2010 to proud parents Russell and Kim Martin and big brother Gage. For her story please visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hopemartin. I did want to share some information that Russell and Kim posted on their website:
"Three weeks ago I went to my monthly checkup at my doctor to check on the progress of my pregnancy. They had scheduled an ultrasound because in the previous month's appointment they were unable to see all 4 chambers of our baby's heart. During the ultrasound there were concerns because they were still unable to get a good view of the baby's heart. They referred me to a specialist , Dr. Rowe, in Clear Lake, whom we saw the following week. We both went with the expectations that they would be able to get a better ultrasound of the heart and everything would be great. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Dr. Rowe informed us that it appeared that our baby girl has a heart defect call Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). Needless to say, we were taken back by the news. Dr. Rowe then informed us that he would be referring us to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. We scheduled an appointment for the following week to meet with the doctor at Texas Children's Hospital. Our appointment was last Friday, August 13th. During our appointment at Texas Children's they did a thorough ultrasound to get a better reading of the heart. Then, we met with Dr. Altmann. Dr. Altmann did a wonderful job explaining what we were in for. Below is a brief article I found that does a good job of explaining what HLHS is:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a condition in which the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. Usually, the left ventricle, the left atrium, the mitral valve and the aorta are affected. It is called a syndrome because it can encompass several different variations and varying degrees of development of these parts of the heart.
To understand HLHS, it is helpful to understand how a normal baby's heart works. The heart is comprised of four chambers: the upper chambers are called the left and right atria, and the lower chambers are called the left and right ventricles.
Very simply, in a healthy heart blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle where it is then pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs to be oxygenated. Blood then flows back to the heart via the left atrium to the left ventricle, which pumps this oxygenated blood through the aorta out to the body. This is how the body's organs and tissue receive oxygen, which is vital. When a baby has HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped so it cannot sufficiently pump the oxygenated blood out to the body.
Babies with HLHS do not have problems while in the womb - it is only after birth that the heart fails to work properly. This is because all babies receive oxygen from the placenta while in the womb, so blood does not need to go to the lungs. In addition, there is an opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta, called the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that is present in all babies. It allows the blood to go from the right ventricle out to the body, bypassing the left side of the heart.
The PDA usually closes a few days after birth, separating the left and right sides of the heart. It is at this time that babies with undetected HLHS will exhibit problems as they experience a lack of blood flow to the body. They may look blue, have trouble eating, and breathe rapidly. If left untreated, this heart defect is fatal - usually within the first few days or weeks of life."
To understand HLHS, it is helpful to understand how a normal baby's heart works. The heart is comprised of four chambers: the upper chambers are called the left and right atria, and the lower chambers are called the left and right ventricles.
Very simply, in a healthy heart blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle where it is then pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs to be oxygenated. Blood then flows back to the heart via the left atrium to the left ventricle, which pumps this oxygenated blood through the aorta out to the body. This is how the body's organs and tissue receive oxygen, which is vital. When a baby has HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped so it cannot sufficiently pump the oxygenated blood out to the body.
Babies with HLHS do not have problems while in the womb - it is only after birth that the heart fails to work properly. This is because all babies receive oxygen from the placenta while in the womb, so blood does not need to go to the lungs. In addition, there is an opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta, called the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that is present in all babies. It allows the blood to go from the right ventricle out to the body, bypassing the left side of the heart.
The PDA usually closes a few days after birth, separating the left and right sides of the heart. It is at this time that babies with undetected HLHS will exhibit problems as they experience a lack of blood flow to the body. They may look blue, have trouble eating, and breathe rapidly. If left untreated, this heart defect is fatal - usually within the first few days or weeks of life."
I have wanted to post this for so long, but I did not want to over step their privacy. The Martin's were our neighbors in Houston and we moved right before we found out they were expecting their sweet baby girl. Hope is still in the hospital and has had a rough road thus far but is staying strong. My wish for Hope is to receive prayers from each and everyone who reads this, that they may pass her precious name to Prayer Warriors, Pray Lists, and friends and family who will lift her and her family up. I pray for her health and healing. Thank you Kim for letting me share your story. We miss you guys!
Baby Hope looking oh so cute!
Mommy and Hope
Side note: I lost everything I typed and this is my second attempt........frustrating. 
