Emma's open heart surgery.

Emma has been dancing since she before she started walking. She has always skipped, hopped and twirled her way through life. She began dancing competitively four years ago and this year had achieved her goal of earning a place on her studios highest dance team. With this though came a consistent increase in chest pain with activity that she has had for six years. After her chest pain becoming "the worst it's been so far" and making her skin and lips change colors I knew it was time to make some answers happen. It was a long, unnecessarily stressful journey to get there but finally we got answers, not the ones we hoped for, but at least we have answers. On August 16, 2022, Emma was diagnosed with a right coronary artery anomaly. Her right coronary artery originates from her left side, is 'slit-like' where it attaches and then travels under/between her pulmonary trunk and aorta. She had to stop dancing, and all activity, immediately. She is to stay "cool, calm and chill." She has big goals of being on Broadway one day, we just need to fix her heart first.

Emma is needing to go to Lucille Packards Children's Hospital (Stanford Children's) for open heart surgery on December 1. They'll do full heart-lung bypass, stop her heart () and do a right coronary artery reimplantation. We need to be there the night of 11/28 for testing the morning of 11/29. She will be sedated and have a special CT of her heart done to ensure she does not have a myocardial bridge on her left side. She also will have another ECHO. She will be in the hospital anywhere from 5-10 days. We won't know until recovery if we have to stay in the area after or not.

Funds raised will be used towards flights to and from (we don't have a return date so we aren't able to purchase our return flights until short notice/after surgery), the hotel before surgery as well as any hotel needed to possibly stay local after, meals and other travel expenses. If funds allow I would like to do a day of "fun" for Emma on 11/30, the day before surgery. With her dreams of being on Broadway someday, I would love to surprise her with seeing Frozen on Broadway which just so happens to be playing in San Francisco that day. She is also really hoping for a trip to a "fancy restaurant but one that makes fancy cheeseburgers and fries because I really want a fancy cheeseburger while also dressed fancy." Anything left will then be used towards Christmas for Emma and her siblings.

I hate asking for help, but this is about Emma. I couldn't get through this as her mom without my village loving me through this. I so appreciate each and every one of you and all the check ins on she and I. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart in helping fix Emma's heart, and hopefully giving her some amazing happy memories along the way.