A Normal CHDer

The other day I was having a conversation via text messages with another Adult CHDer who was nervous about me meeting her because she did not live like a normal CHDer. I told her that it didn't matter and that I was not a judgemental person.

Then I got to thinking.Is there such a thing as a "normal" CHDer. We all have different complications and restrictions.We don't all have the exact same diagnosis and we don't all have the same cardiologist who imposes the exact same limits on us. Some of us have pulmonary issues in conjunction with our cardiac issues.Some of us have skeletal-musuclar issues as well.Some CHDers have strokes and some don't. And some of us use a wheelchair to get around.Not because of our cardiac issues . but because of other secondary issues. Every single CHDer that I know is different in diagnosis or restrictions or in complications.

Some of us adult CHDers aren't as careful with our bodies as we should be.Some of us take unecessary risks in order to feel "normal" We know we should be more careful but some of us honestly don't talk about our cardiac issues outside of the online communities that we are a part of.

CHD kids learn at a very young age that they are different than other kids their age. These kids see more doctors,endure more pokes and procedures than healthy kids do.They often don't like talking about it to their "healthy" friends because they don't want to seem different.

So not only are us CHDers not "normal" because of everything we have had to go through. Each of us CHDers has had a unique journey whether it's because of the diagnoses or the complications we have endured or even the restrictions that have been placed upon us.