My close friend, Anna LaFountain, began Angel Kisses in honor of her daughter Scarlette Rose.  I was blessed to meet and hold Scarlette Rose when Anna gave birth.  I knew then that she was special, but I didn’t realize at that time just how much she would impact my life and the lives of so many people.

In February, 2010, my husband & I attended the 2nd annual Angel Kisses fundraiser.  As I perused the silent auction deciding what to bid on, I came across an item which included a 4D ultrasound.  Although we had just started trying for a baby, I knew I just had to have that ultrasound!   I bid and then was busy and forgot to check back before bid closing.  I was so sad that I had missed out on it.  But we won!  My husband knew how much I wanted it and he had gone up and out-bid at the last minute!  I was excited!  A few days later, I was even more excited when I learned that I was pregnant!!!

At my 20 week ultrasound, we were told that we were having a healthy baby boy!  Such great news!  We decided that at 30 weeks we would schedule our 4D ultrasound so we could have cool pictures of him when he was bigger!

At 30 weeks we went to have the 4D ultrasound.  We were strictly going for pictures & the cool video of course!  We didn’t expect any other information to come our way. Fortunately, the ultrasound tech was doing her job well & paying attention to more than his adorable face!  She told us that she kept going back over & looking at his heart.  Something was catching her eye there. She said it looked like he may have a hole in his heart, or it could have just been a shadow. Apparently it is hard to get good detail when they are that size. She said it might not be a big deal, but if I were her patient, she would send me for further testing.  She contacted our doctor with her findings and they sent us to Beaumont to have a fetal echo performed.

The fetal echo confirmed that our baby boy did indeed have a heart defect.  He had Truncus Arteriosis and a large VSD.  He would need open heart surgery as an infant.  My husband and I immediately decided that we would transfer all of our care from that point on to the University of Michigan Hospital.  They are known to be one of the very best for heart surgeries.  We were so grateful to have found out about his condition and to be able to make arrangements to give him the very best care.

Grayson Jasper Conley was born, full term on November 12, 2010.  He was 7 lbs 5 oz, which according to doctors was big for a “Truncus baby”.  That was good news!

He was whisked away from us when he was born, but they did bring him back so I could take a peek at him.  He was stable!  He still spent the first couple of weeks of life in different ICU’s (NICU, PTCU and PICU).     He had open heart surgery at 4 days old!  When we finally got to see him, he was hooked up to more machines than I could have ever imagined. But he did great!  He is our little fighter!  After 23 days in the hospital, we were finally able to take him home!  He will need many future surgeries and procedures for his heart.  He also has DiGeorge Syndrome which has brought and will continue to bring another slew of challenges our way.  In our eyes though, Grayson is perfect!  And overall, he really is a handsome, happy, smiley boy.

We thank Scarlette Rose for our son.  Had he gone undiagnosed, who knows what would have happened.  I hate to even think about it.

If it weren’t for Scarlette Rose, Angel Kisses would not have been formed, that fundraiser would not have taken place, and I would not have won that 4D ultrasound that saved my son’s life. Scarlette Rose was watching out for Grayson!  She made sure that we knew he had an issue and she gave us the opportunity to make sure that we had time to arrange the proper care for him!

Thank you Scarlette Rose!  Although we wish you could be here with us, we realize that was not the plan for you.  Your purpose was to be an angel, watching out for others.  We thank you for inspiring so many people.  The bereavement room at Beaumont would not have happened without you.  It will bring comfort to so many families.  You have raised so much awareness and touched the lives of many people without ever stepping foot on this earth.  You are a wonderful work of God!

We thank you for watching out for Grayson and reminding us that angel babies are always here with us.  And even though we may not always see it, they are living out their purpose that God planned for them.