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Five months pregnant, Amanda Adams and her husband were given two abysmal choices regarding her pregnancy: force her baby to fight for his life through countless invasive and dangerous surgeries, or perform a late term abortion. Despite the fact that Liam was missing half his heart, Amanda chose life.
Amanda's emotional plate was full as she found herself redefining the usual expectations a mother has for her child. Instead of wondering where he'd go to college, she wondered if he would survive his first birthday. The eventual acceptance of Amanda's grief helped her accept her new role as a powerful advocate. Over the course of seven years, together, as a family, Amanda and her husband helped Liam endure twelve heart surgeries, each time taking him to the brink of death.
Heart Warriors is Amanda's personal and emotional story that initiates a powerful dialogue about infant mortality and hope. Includes a Parent's/Family Field Guide.
Amanda Adams is a "Heart Mom" and a powerful voice within the congenital heart disease (CHD) community by working closely with cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and nurses from Harvard University, Baylor University, University of Southern California, University of Illinois, and CU Boulder Medical. She founded two CHD organizations, organizes medical conferences for Hypoplastic Right Hearts, attends medical advisory board meetings and national chapter presidents meetings for the Children's Heart Foundation, and chaired the Congenital Heart Walk in Colorado. As a pioneer of CHD advocacy, she is also firmly rooted in the social network of CHD parents and
TABLE OF CONTENTS HEART WARRIORS
1 In the Thick of It
2 Blissful Ignorance
3 My Death and Resurrection
4 -Areas of Specialization
5 A Baby’s Story
6 Three Choices
7 To Live or Die in LA
8 What I Never Expected When I Was Expecting
9 A Simple Plan
10 Dear Random Stranger, Please Don’t Diagnose My Child
11 Catalyst
12 Back So Soon?
13 One Angry Mother
14 Picking Up a Fourth Passenger in the Game of Life
15 What are You Waiting For? . . . Living with Anticipatory Grief
16 Informed Consent
17 A Change of Plans
18 Visiting Hours
19 The House that Love Built
20 Promises, Promises
21 Gallows Humor at the Tower of Bablefish
22 The Heartland
23 Little Losses
24 Never Better, or It’s Complicated
25 Apples to Oranges, Cuts to Bruises
26 A Mortal Coil
27 Jenny McCarthy is Not the Anti-Christ and Oprah is not Our Fairy Godmother
28 How to Change the World in Six Excruciatingly Difficult Steps
29 Death in the Family
30 Not My Life to Take
31 William (Liam) James Adams, You’ve Got A Lot of Names
32 We’re All In This Together
33 Fighting An Invisible Disease
34 All the World is a Stage, but Grief Has Five
35 We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know
36 Me and the Virgin Mary on a Tightrope
37 Psychiatry, 5 Cents
38 A Man on a Mission
39 Paling around with Pandora
40 And the Beat Goes On . . . For Now
41 The Last Word, an Epilogue for my Ladies, or What to Expect when You’re Expecting the Worst
Heart Warrior’s Field Manual-TOC:
History Lay of the Land Glossary of Native Terms (or words Microsoft refuses to acknowledge)
Supplies for the Battlefield Safe Harbors Friends of the Mission Nationally How to Find Local Resources:
Words of Warning about the Internet Tactical Guide for Civilians on the Home front The Last Resort (Heart Transplant)
The Final Word About Raising a Heart Warrior
Acknowledgments
Anonymous
Posted April 13, 2013
Omg made me want to cry
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 13, 2012
I read this book while in the comfort of our local hospital as our oldest daughter was recovering from complications after her 2nd open heart surgery. In hindsight, I believe it was the only thing keeping me sane and holding me together. I have wonderful 'heart mom' connections locally, but it isn't always easy to express OUT LOUD what we are thinking, feeling, or fearing. Amanda gives the gift of relatability in a time where it is needed it most. I highly encourage ANYONE to read Heart Warriors - whether you know a family or child dealing with CHD, other illness, or not - because the best lesson Amanda gives through her book is HOPE. Hope in any shape, in any form, and I don't believe there's a person out there that couldn't benefit from that gift. Thank you Amanda for giving a voice to our 'heart mom fears', laying them out for all to see, and in the end for putting hope in their place... heart hugs!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 20, 2012
This book describes exactly what it is like to have a child with congenital heart disease. Our experience was over 25 years ago, but very little has changed. I strongly recommend the book to anyone who has a seriously ill child. It is good to know that you are not alone.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 29, 2012
This book was so good!! I have a heart warrior of my own and really wish this book had been out when I was pregnant with her and going through all her surgeries. Would of helped me out quite a bit. I recommend this book to everyone not just heart damiles. I think everyone should be more aware of CHD's. It affects so many!!!
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Overview
Five months pregnant, Amanda Adams and her husband were given two abysmal choices regarding her pregnancy: force her baby to fight for his life through countless invasive and dangerous surgeries, or perform a late term abortion. Despite the fact that Liam was missing half his heart, Amanda chose life.
Amanda's emotional plate was full as she found herself redefining the usual expectations a mother has for her child. Instead of wondering where he'd go to college, she wondered if ...