A Dutch Mother’s Experience with Congenital Heart Defects

Philippina Wijtmans, Pien for short, is the mother of 3 children – Rinske, Sven, and Kyle. Pien grew up in the Netherlands but moved to the USA due to her husband's job. Today on "Heart to Heart with Anna" Pien shares with Anna what it was like for her to be a Dutch mother in the United States when her son, Kyle, was born with a congenital heart defect. This is the first "Heart to Heart with Anna" to be presented in both English and Dutch. Cora DenHarder will be the Guest Host for the Dutch version of the program.

Transcript

spk_1:   0:00
thing

spk_2:   0:05
to season 11.5 of heart to heart with Anna our theme during this spotlight. Siri's is heart defects around the globe, and we have a great show for you today. Today's program is a title that Dutch mother's experience with congenital heart defects and our guest is peen fight months. Filipina vitamins. Peen, for Short, is the mother of three Children. Rimsky Spin and Kyle Peen grew up in the Netherlands, where she went to college to study creative art therapy. She worked in group homes with emotionally troubled teenagers and then moved to the U. S. When her husband got a job in a U. S hospital. Kyle was born with a congenital heart defect. A year later, Peen divorced and raised the Children on her own. Peen worked teaching kids music classes and worked in a Children's Montessori school. She ran a home based childcare center and volunteers in libraries conducting story times. Peen will be sharing with us in the first segment about how she grew up in the Netherlands and how she came to the United States incitement to of the program. He will tell us about her sent Kyle and in the final segment peen will give us advice for other people moving to the United States if they have a child with a congenital heart defect. Welcome to heart to heart. With Anna Peen.

spk_3:   1:22
No, thank you. And Blake could be here. I hope it can be felt.

spk_2:   1:25
Oh, well, I'm just so excited to talk to you about your experience with the Netherlands. So why don't you tell us what it was like growing up in the Netherlands?

spk_3:   1:35
I think lots of things were kind of similar to here. It's a modern country just like here. I grew up in small towns around the city of eight over where my dad always said he didn't go to work. He went to go play for work, but that wasn't called working. He was playing in center for a large electronics company.

spk_2:   1:56
Ah,

spk_3:   1:57
and my mom of the kindergarten teacher. We have tried to

spk_0:   2:00
creative home. Um, my dad was very involved,

spk_3:   2:05
which you see in the Netherlands

spk_0:   2:06
way more that that's our dream or involved in raising the family, being there with the kids during the things with the kids thing you see here in the United States years many times that that don't take off for school plays or they think it's normal to have a late meeting and not come home for dinner in an Alan. That's not the case.

spk_2:   2:26
Really. Well, it's what different there, isn't it? Is it true that in the Netherlands, also, the mother's air paid a stipend for the first year after they have a baby so they can stay home with their babies?

spk_3:   2:40
No, that's more in Scandinavia, in the Netherlands. Well, when I grew up,

spk_0:   2:45
it was father to Saturday's. But now it's like Mother, some deads both have. I think the moms, three months and then the dead have, like 48 days in total over the first year that they could take off to take care of a newborn baby.

spk_2:   3:01
But that's wonderful.

spk_3:   3:03
Yeah, yeah, said when I had my baby here United States. I missed heavy family

spk_0:   3:09
and dad home to take care of the kids with me.

spk_2:   3:12
You're

spk_0:   3:13
all by yourself.

spk_2:   3:15
Yes, it can be very isolating.

spk_3:   3:18
Yes,

spk_2:   3:19
well, And then, in another months, of course, you had your mother and your father and they must have been tickled pink to have grandchildren to help take care of

spk_3:   3:27
Yes, but my kids,

spk_0:   3:29
my mom and dad's kids, they were born in the United States. So they came over for a couple of weeks at a time where we went there for a couple of weeks at a time, but not the daily involvement.

spk_2:   3:40
Right? So all of your change, your world Warner here a My goodness. Okay, so, yes, it was very different for you. Well, with your mother being a teacher, a kindergarten teacher, that explains why you are interested into Kinder's music and in a Montessori program as well. Did you grow up just hearing about that and learning about that from your mother?

spk_3:   4:03
No, that was actually for my ex husband's grandma and Grandpa. They were both in Amsterdam,

spk_0:   4:08
involved in Montessori. They were both Montessori teachers and then my oldest daughter. As a little kid, she had a DHD and dyslexia, and we found out that Montessori just worked wonders for that. And when my college degree was not recognized here, I decided just to do things I could do and getting a Montessori degree for kids through six years. I could do without having my college degree are doing the high school equivalent for here again because I didn't feel like doing that.

spk_2:   4:39
Well, that's understandable.

spk_0:   4:40
So I did the Montessori and the Kingdom. You've taken all the certificates that you can do without, and he got the official American degrees.

spk_2:   4:48
Okay? And they're not just led naturally into you doing creative art therapy. It sounds like

spk_3:   4:56
I was very much into ah oh, kinds of crafting, meeting, push a spinning Markham, a pottery, all that kind of stuff. I was reading a moon. I like to work with the boots I made, like the doll houses for my sisters. I like working with my hands. So from there it was kind

spk_0:   5:15
of logical that I went to creative therapy because I was not much of a talker. And I realized I am just a normal, intelligent and I have problems with talking, even though I don't have any problems in my brain or

spk_3:   5:29
anywhere. Then he there must be people

spk_0:   5:32
having problems talking to a therapist. And maybe it's way easier to do that in creative way.

spk_2:   5:37
Well, I love it. So you have the music therapy

spk_0:   5:40
through the

spk_2:   5:40
argument and yeah, right with

spk_0:   5:43
music and art. Yeah,

spk_2:   5:45
I love that. And Unfortunately, that's an area that in a lot of the modern schools here in the United States, those air, the programs that get cut and I don't know why, because that those tend to be more holistic activities that use the whole brain and that will appeal to Children of all ability levels. So I imagine that was very helpful for you to have that kind of experience. And you probably did a lot of fun activities with your Children.

spk_3:   6:15
I did. I did, I did. But then my voice, they were not much into crafting. Neither of, um, they like music. They did a lot of music, but just arson craft. That was just with my daughter. My boys were not interested. So yeah,

spk_2:   6:30
it is said it is so different with Boise. Yes, it's everyone tell us about your transition to the United States from the Netherlands because my friend Cora, who you will be talking to later, is also from the Netherlands, and I know that there was quite a transition for her to come to hear some curious to hear about your transition from the Netherlands to the United States.

spk_3:   6:57
Yes, I came here for my husband's job. Really, I actually didn't know anybody. I did not have a job that could not have a job. I didn't have a work permit in beginning that took a year to, So I was kind of alone at home. We finally small house. But I noticed

spk_0:   7:16
over there everybody, all my husband's colleagues were extremely helpful. If settling us in, Julia's around, helping us with setting up everything, that was really amazing. How helpful this work. What I also noticed is, if your home without a car, because this is starting a family in the United States, we had a one card, not to Kurt. Public transportation was a miss or non existing.

spk_2:   7:41
Yep, yep. But I don't agree. I agree with that 100%.

spk_3:   7:46
One of the first things I bought Waas American Slang Dictionary because that Oxford English didn't bring any connection My high school. So that was kind of different too. I noticed also that creative therapy was totally unknown. At that time here in the United States, he did not know what it was. It was my juice. I know. The last 5 to 10 years, this government really popular here.

spk_0:   8:11
But what is it? 31 years ago, nobody knew what it was. If I was talking about what I did and my former jobs, they were all looking at me from what she talking

spk_2:   8:23
about Ur Trailblazer he owned in the United

spk_5:   8:27
States. How do you like that tonight Forever by the Baby Blue Sound Collective. I think what I love so much about this CD is that some of the songs were inspired by the patient's

spk_4:   8:48
many listeners will understand many of the different songs and what they've been inspired. Our new album will be available on iTunes. Amazon dot com. Spotify.

spk_5:   8:58
I love the fact that the proceeds from this CD are actually going to help those with heart defects

spk_4:   9:05
join Music

spk_5:   9:06
Home Tonight Forever

spk_4:   9:13
Energy. Dworsky has written several books to empower the Congenital Heart Defect or C H D community. These books can be found at amazon dot com or at our website www dot baby hearts press dot com. Her best seller is The Heart of a Mother, an anthology of stories written by women for women in the CHD community and his other books. My brother needs an operation the Heart of a Father and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. A handbook for parents will help you understand that you are not alone. Visit baby hearts press dot com to find out more.

spk_1:   9:52
You are listening to heart to heart with Anna. If you have a question or comment that you would like to address the show, please send an email to Anna Dworsky at Anna at heart to heart with anna dot com. That's Anna at heart to heart with anna dot com now back to heart to heart with Emma

spk_5:   10:10
Before the break, we

spk_2:   10:11
were talking about what it was like for you to grow up and live in the Netherlands a little bit. I bet we could do a whole show just on that. But it was fun to find out a little bit about some of the differences between the Netherlands and the United States. But now I want to talk about your son. Kyle and I specifically would like you to start by telling us about your pregnancy with Kyle and his birth.

spk_3:   10:33
Oh yeah, Kyle's my start, baby, and the pregnancy was extremely normal, so there were no weird things with my daughter had all kinds of weird things, but very close to normal technology. He was full term. Um, he was doing May tents on board May 11th. So regretfully was missed on the

spk_0:   10:55
ultrasound that there was a heart problem. So they never weighed him when he was born, because they took him away, and they didn't take the time for that, but they estimated was about £8 baby.

spk_2:   11:06
Wow, That's a big boy.

spk_3:   11:07
Yeah. Numbers. He used my system. There was nothing wrong

spk_0:   11:11
with them. Not until he was born. He turned blue. He was born after a very short labor. The water broke in the elevator of the hospital and I was buried in the bed when he was born different. My daughter took

spk_2:   11:24
Wow. Yes,

spk_0:   11:25
my oldest one took like, almost 24 hours with six hours of pushing and yeah, I will share it fast and

spk_2:   11:32
wow.

spk_3:   11:32
And everything looked healthy. But

spk_0:   11:34
within a minute, he was turning blue.

spk_2:   11:36
Wow, That must have been terrifying.

spk_3:   11:39
Itwas especially saying stake, I think. Oh, it's

spk_0:   11:41
this mucus. Oh, it's just that let's see. And then they went away and didn't say anything to me. My husband and the baby went to another area, and I was just waiting there from what's going on? What's going on then? It turned out this oxygen saturation was about 70% of what it should be. Put it quite low.

spk_2:   12:02
Yes, yes. So how old was he when he had his first surgery?

spk_3:   12:08
Hey, watch 10 days old. Yeah, the General Hospital where he was born. They could not figure out what was wrong. We

spk_0:   12:15
discharged podium in oxygen and cleaned out in his airways. Didn't do anything else. And then my ex husband, husband. At that time, he kind of told him from Okay, I'm gonna show you if you don't call transport teeth with the local Children's hospital. So that's what was done. The transport team was called and they knew right away it was wrong. And when he was five hours old, he was brought to the Children's Hospital. And that's when she got there. He went through the surgery room and they opened up the hole. They made a hole in between his heart chambers.

spk_2:   12:47
Did they do that in a cath lab, or did they have to do that? Open heart?

spk_3:   12:51
No data that in the Catholic.

spk_2:   12:53
Okay.

spk_0:   12:53
And they made a hole in between a heart chambers.

spk_2:   12:56
Now, Did he suffer because of the cyanosis for five hours to his brain? Have any problems?

spk_3:   13:03
Well, at first they thought not at first. They thought it was okay. He was going to be okay, because over signs after we're coming back to normal. Away drum. He

spk_0:   13:14
has neurological problems, which did not start showing up until he was in second grade. So they blame those more now on being on the heart lung machine for so long. While there was this young and the

spk_3:   13:26
lightest latest couple of years

spk_0:   13:28
have been a lot of research coming out about kids that have bean on the heart lung machine as a baby had open heart surgery and having neurological problems. Similar, like Kyle's

spk_2:   13:39
right now. How long was he on the heart lung machine? Do you know

spk_3:   13:43
that was about eight hours? Yeah, that's quite a

spk_2:   13:47
Yeah. That's a long surgery.

spk_0:   13:50
Yeah, it's a long surgery. Did the arterial street surgery? Then there's old, but it was amazing how fast after surgery he turned pink and no blue anymore. And

spk_3:   14:01
how fast he recovered a week after a 30 he could go home.

spk_2:   14:06
That's fabulous. It probably helped that he was an £8 baby, so he was a big, healthy size when to start with, which is really, really helpful. And it's amazing to me that your husband was such a strong advocate from the very beginning and said, Look, I mean, wow, he knew this baby is not in the right hospital. We have to get him out of here.

spk_0:   14:31
Yeah, it's because he was a physical therapist and had work in hospitals before and he had had heart cases, grownup adults. But he had worked with heart patients

spk_2:   14:40
as a

spk_0:   14:40
physical therapist. So that that helped. Yes, because the local hospital is kind of like we've given him up.

spk_2:   14:47
So they transported the baby. But you had just given birth. Were you in this that really hospital from your son for that first day?

spk_3:   14:56
Couples Berman evening. And it was past midnight by the time he was transported and I was put in a room and nobody ever came to be in that room. I think all those new nurses, young nurses didn't know what to do from going would be telling Mom whose baby is critical and you don't know what to say so they didn't come. So nine the next morning, when my own nobody came by here,

spk_0:   15:22
he just checked out and went to Kyle and bushy Kyle.

spk_2:   15:25
Oh, my gosh. You had to spend the entire night not knowing what was going on with your baby.

spk_3:   15:31
Yeah, I wish I had felt from that at that time,

spk_2:   15:34
But so long ago,

spk_0:   15:35
we didn't have cell phones.

spk_2:   15:36
That's treating mean, you poor thing. Oh, my goodness. Oh,

spk_3:   15:42
yeah, I know. Nobody checked on me for I know from my over to the checked out of placenta clothes and all that kind of thing's likely I knew I was fine. If he would have been the 1st 1 I

spk_0:   15:51
wouldn't not have known what to do

spk_2:   15:53
right now. Really? He was

spk_0:   15:54
my 3rd 1 I had two pregnancies and deliveries before, and I knew from things were

spk_3:   15:59
OK, but yeah, I

spk_0:   16:02
just checked out the next morning my mother will become and no nurse. I protect on me,

spk_2:   16:06
You poor thing. That is just so wrong. So anybody who's listening today do not let this happen to anyone else in your family. No. Isolated. You must have felt.

spk_3:   16:17
Yeah, I think the human nurses are labor delivery are not taught from how to deal with the mom. Which kid is critical? And I think they just try to avoid that. And everybody thought the other nurse will do it. That's my theory.

spk_2:   16:30
Wow. And I guess your husband did not room in with you, because back then, that just wasn't done either.

spk_3:   16:36
You know, even couldn't pull it off with the baby.

spk_2:   16:40
Sure. And he didn't come back and say, Hey, sweetheart, I have to go with the baby. The baby's not well, he just left. He probably had to just leave because he was probably signing all the paperwork, getting everything set up in. And they said, We're ready to go. And I bet he didn't even have a minute to come back and say anything to you.

spk_3:   16:59
No, he stayed there. He stayed there with the baby.

spk_2:   17:02
Well, yeah, well, that was quite a while ago. Tell us to get in. How old your son is,

spk_3:   17:09
the strength free? You'll be time before next week. So yes, Chief. Tweeted forever. We're just the most important thing.

spk_2:   17:16
Yes. Now tell us about what other conditions he's had to deal with since he had his arterial switch operation.

spk_3:   17:25
Well, as far as the heart problems caused, pulmonary artery is not growing

spk_0:   17:30
in lighting FSC gross because they switched it around and it's like like a two bit pull it. It kind of frightened. So it's first as a little kid. He had endured plastic in the cath lab quite often. Then they ballooned up the arteries and then money had 70 had three stents put in those arteries. S Carl grew door stents were stretched out and there were no down in the cath. Lab stations don't like four or five times when he was 19 1 understands collapsed, and we caught that quite quickly. That's one thing. He was pale, and I remembered, while it's about the same time in his yearly checkups coming up, let's just go now and not wait another two or three weeks. And then

spk_3:   18:11
in the gas lap, they managed to put new stance over

spk_0:   18:15
the old stance because they cannot take the stand out

spk_2:   18:18
right

spk_0:   18:19
without opening him up and putting new stance in that can be done in the cath lab. So they placed new stands over the old stents and yeah, since then he's been doing

spk_3:   18:30
fine. I mean, hey, where tires out

spk_0:   18:33
a little faster and gets a little paler than most kids. But that's about it Hard way.

spk_2:   18:39
Isn't it amazing how they can put new stints over the old stents and you don't have to open him up? They're able to do all of this in the cath lab.

spk_0:   18:47
They did? Yes, yes,

spk_2:   18:49
I just think that's a

spk_0:   18:50
little They told us they cannot. They just told that they could not take the old ones out without

spk_1:   18:56
opening him up, so that for ages and those

spk_5:   19:00
old songs with amazing

spk_4:   19:04
hot industry, we're offering a mechanical hot. And he said, Now that I've had enough to give it to someone my father promised me, a golden dressed twirling held

spk_0:   19:14
my hand and asked me where I wanted

spk_4:   19:15
to go. Whatever strive for conflict that we experienced in our long career together was always healed by humor. Heart to heart With Michael, please join us every Thursday at noon, Eastern as we talked with people from around the world who have experienced those most difficult moments.

spk_5:   19:33
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spk_1:   20:03
I

spk_2:   20:07
was just telling us about Kyle's congenital heart. Defended his amazing surgeries that he's been ableto have doing what's known as a process called interventional cardiology, where, instead of having to open the chest actually do open heart surgery, surgeons are able to take care of so many conditions in the catheterization lab. She has also been telling us about some of the other things that Kyle has had to endure, such as some neurological problems. In this segment, we're going to talk to her about what advice she has for other people moving to the United States who have Children with medical needs. So I know that the Netherlands has socialized medicine peeing. How is the approach to medical care in the Netherlands different from the care that is provided here in the United States

spk_3:   20:53
in the memory at about everybody,

spk_0:   20:56
they'll be able to acquire some kind of health insurance. It's

spk_3:   20:59
not 100% socialized, but everybody has

spk_0:   21:02
a way to afford and can get health insurance here. I worry about Kyle's insurance all the time because my income slow. I don't qualify for Obamacare. I would not have a problem in the Netherlands,

spk_3:   21:14
the level of caring of analysis, very similar to hear. The main difference is that here many times the insurance company decides what the treatment can be and what you can afford

spk_0:   21:25
and what you're allowed to do while in the landless. That's clearly doing your doctor who decide what needs to be done. But that's quite a big difference, I think.

spk_2:   21:34
Oh, I think so, too.

spk_3:   21:36
Here there's a lot of procedures you need

spk_0:   21:39
to get permission from your insurance company to have it done to get it. Pay for in the nail is if you and your doctor decide that this is needed, then that is gonna happen and the insurance will pay for it. And that's not always here in the United States,

spk_2:   21:54
right, right in

spk_0:   21:56
the United States is many times that the insurance company says no, we cannot do that, but it's not allowed to be. Won't pay for this. That doesn't happen in them.

spk_2:   22:06
But have you had any problems with Kyle getting the care that he needed? It sounds like he's had multiple stents procedures and catherization ZX. It doesn't sound like he's been denied anything.

spk_3:   22:20
He hasn't been the night anything? No, luckily I know from other people would have Bean, but a cow has been

spk_0:   22:25
fine as far with that so far. But I know what Carlos, 26. He will not have any more health. And George

spk_2:   22:32
well,

spk_0:   22:33
so in Virginia

spk_2:   22:35
he won't have health insurance with you, but if he has a job, he will be able to get health insurance right.

spk_0:   22:42
He doesn't have a job because of anxiety problems. I wish he had a doubt, but it's really hard to find a job where you have a really big anxiety issues, and so she'll problems.

spk_3:   22:56
His I Q is

spk_0:   22:57
normal, but he has neurological problems. And when used 26 because Virginia's a gap state, we have to move for out of state, which I'm considering because I have my daughter in Massachusetts where he will be able to get insurance

spk_2:   23:10
well, he should qualify for Social Security. Is he on Social Security right now?

spk_3:   23:15
You know he could. I'm nothing right now because they're all saying from No, it's not. It's burgers. No, it's not a t. D it. No, it's not that.

spk_0:   23:23
So you don't qualify for any after it normal things.

spk_3:   23:27
We're still working on that, and I know in analysis, which will not happen,

spk_2:   23:33
right? Right. It sounds like it's very different. It seems to me you may need to take him to a facility like Boston Children's Hospital, which happens to be in Massachusetts, where they have programs specifically for adults with congenital heart disease where they might be able to give a better diagnosis. And he made then qualify for Social Security because they'll be used to seeing people his age who had possibly neurological problems that were never diagnosed. Therefore, they were never treated, and I would like to suggest the to consider contacting somebody there, especially her moving to Massachusetts. That might take care of some of these concerns that you have. But it's interesting that in the Netherlands that wouldn't even be an issue for you.

spk_3:   24:19
No, it wouldn't be, but things

spk_0:   24:21
are going okay for the rest here. It's just a routine as a gap stage, which is annoying. And Massachusetts. It's not on my daughter's there, but

spk_3:   24:29
Count has been

spk_0:   24:29
diagnosed, but he has misdiagnosed with his burgers with a d. D with other conditions that were not right. He did not have those conditions, but it looked like it. It seemed like it because nobody really no word out didn't neurological problems from cardio causes. We have been coming out the last couple years a lot. The research

spk_2:   24:51
right, New research absolutely absent. It's

spk_0:   24:56
been great. I mean,

spk_2:   24:57
yeah, rights Right now, Do you have friends in the Netherlands who have Children with heart defects?

spk_3:   25:04
No. My mom knew

spk_0:   25:06
somebody Granddaughter had similar problems. I've never met them, but they did similar things as they did with Nice on. Let's see, I had a cousin who was 10 years older than me, and I know she lost a baby. Do tow a heart defect right soon after birth. And but I was in 1975 so that's a long time ago. But that was also a similar heart

spk_2:   25:29
condition style

spk_0:   25:30
head, and I know she never had a support group besides friends or family or because, yeah, it is so rare

spk_2:   25:39
meat, right? Especially in the seventies, there just wasn't very much. Do you belong to support groups here in the United States

spk_3:   25:46
right now? I only belong

spk_0:   25:48
to that. The hot Moms group on Facebook, mainly because I thought my experience might help moms who are going through the same problem right now. I can help them to come with a question, and I have been through the same Aiken. Encourage and tell me my son's 23 got through it. It works when Couples born. I did not really have any support programs. There was nothing really out there. You're in the area. I know right now. The film's hospital has a program is called here in the local area that's called CH Kittens to Phil Jones Australian area in Norfolk. They have a program called Hugs, which is a support program for parents with. Kids have heart problems, so now they have better. They're going to open my charter,

spk_2:   26:32
right? Right, I agree. My son is also 23. My son with the congenital heart defect is also 23 I agree there was nothing. They didn't do any narrow testing. I knew he had a stroke after his second open heart surgery, but nothing was done about that. And when I talked to the doctors, they said, You're so lucky that he's alive. They didn't want me to complain about anything else that was going on. And I ended up homeschooling my son and doing intensive therapy, although I just called it play. Then I had Thio do what I could to help him because the hospitals were not equipped 23 years ago to deal with babies like that. No, I think that Kyle is very lucky with all of your art therapy and music. There be a Montessori training that you were in a unique position to help him, even though the hospitals at that time weren't ready to help him.

spk_3:   27:26
Uh huh, Yeah, it really

spk_0:   27:28
helped. Having worked with kids that had emotional problems before, I worked with schizophrenic patients before it really helped in the way you can confront cause problems. It's not right away in anxiety. Or that I worry from why worry? Of course you worry, but I don't think that I get upset because I don't know what to do are no. You have ideas from the eye. Contrite is I can go this. I can do this way and really help.

spk_2:   27:55
Absolutely. Yeah. Tell me what advice you have for families in the Netherlands who might be moving to the United States and have Children with congenital heart defects.

spk_3:   28:05
I would strongly advise them to a go live near

spk_0:   28:08
a Children's hospital that has a good pediatric cardiology department because, oh, I have been so happy that I had a Children's hospital as about like, 1/2 an hour drive from here. I live here from other pairs who have to move with the other kids home. Fine. Grandma and grandpa still baby sit. It is really hard if you live part away from a Children's hospital.

spk_2:   28:31
Yeah, and

spk_0:   28:32
you have to organize all that and split up the family. And so that would be really research where the good Pediatric Hospital's cardiology hospitals are and go live near that

spk_2:   28:44
excellent advice,

spk_0:   28:46
yeah, also is possible. Check if you can keep your Dutch health insurance. They're usually really more flexible, and I also we tell them that most Children's hospitals here has someone available who can guide you through the insurance and payment messes. There is somebody there, but they many times they forget to tell you better. It's summer. There is specifically there to help you through that mess and tell you how to do the insurance. Where to file it. What help is there,

spk_2:   29:16
right? Usually a social worker will help you with that.

spk_3:   29:19
They never told me.

spk_0:   29:20
Luckily, at that time my husband had a good insurance, but nothing was told me. Other parents told me from They never told

spk_3:   29:26
me There's somebody there who can help you with that.

spk_2:   29:28
Wow.

spk_0:   29:29
So just let him know that there is somebody who's there to help. In every hospital, there is somebody who can help you. And they can also help you with support groups, the same person. So I just wanted to let them know that they

spk_3:   29:42
know that

spk_2:   29:43
That's great. That's great advice. That's absolutely great advice that you don't have to be all alone as you're going through this, because I'm sure it's scary going to another country and having to deal with this.

spk_0:   29:56
Definitely. Yeah, and I think I have Bean so glad that we lived close to a great Children's Hospital. It's been a blessing. It is so helpful issues compared to other people who were further away.

spk_2:   30:10
Absolutely well. It's been a blessing to me to have you on the show today peeing. Thank you so much for coming on the program.

spk_3:   30:18
Thank you. It was my pleasure. Would somebody will be hoped? But

spk_2:   30:22
me too. I'm sure somebody will Then that concludes this episode of heart to heart with Anna. Thanks for listening today. Friends, Please come back next week on Tuesday at noon Eastern time. And until then, please follow our show Heart to heart with Anna on iTunes. And remember, my friends, you are not this'll

spk_6:   30:40
Program is a presentation of hearts unite the globe and is part of the Hug Podcast Network bar Tonight The Globe is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing resource is to the congenital heart defect community to uplift on power and enrich the lives of our community members if you would like access to free resource is pretending to the CHD community. Please visit our website at www dot hug dash podcast network dot com For information about CHD the hospitals that treat Children with CHD summer camps for CHD survivors and much, much more.

spk_1:   31:15
Yeah, thank you again for joining us this week Way Hope you have been inspired on Empowered to become an advocate for the congenital heart defects community. Heart to heart with Anna With your hose down, Jaworski can be heard every Tuesday at 12 noon eastern time.