Dear Barbara Anne (Not to be opened until your high school prom night),

You look gorgeous tonight, and we are so proud of you.  I’ll tell you you’ve always been beautiful, and we’ve been proud of you for a long time.  I know you don’t remember, but your scariest days came when you were just a couple of days old.

On Monday, March 1st 2010, you went in for open heart surgery to replace a valve in your heart.  It was literally quite heartbreaking for you, your parents, all of your extended family, and friends.  The esteemed Dr. Vaughn Starnes of Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, actually went in, and with an open heart bypass surgery, rebuilt your heart.

We were scared.  You were scared.  All of our amazing friends and family sent us emails/texts/calls saying how much they love you.  Everybody wanted to see you, but you were only allowed two visitors at a time, so Mom and I spent every possible minute with you.  At Children’s Hospital, they gave us a room with two beds, so we were right around the corner at all times.

I’ll write about the rest of the surgery in the second part of this letter….

We’re thinking of you, and are so proud of you always.

Have fun tonight, and remember to be strong if you get in another fight with your boyfriend.  You were strong when you were three days old, and you’ll be strong now.  You know what, I think I might pick you up at 9PM from your prom, just so you get home safe.  I don’t like your boyfriend too much anyway.  Sound good?

Love,

Dad