To be honest, I was saving this idea for March. But as I was thinking about other ideas to write about, I think it's good to talk about this a little earlier than I intended.

So what the title says is true. I did have heart surgery. I was two years old and my family found out that I had a thing called a pulmonary artery sling. To make this short, a pulmonary artery sling is where my left artery goes around my esophagus. My parents knew I had heart problems already as I had to have sonograms for heart murmurs. But then our regular doctor left and we were suggested to a new one. This one was able to notice something was wrong with me even more, thus sending me for more tests.

This was where the pulmonary artery sling was spotted.

Here I am, only a two-year-old little girl who has yet to experience the world and I need surgery. A surgery to save my life.

March 22, 2001 is a day that will always be remembered by my family: the day of my surgery.

A few years back, my mom told me the story of how after I was rolled in to begin the procedure, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day was playing. Now every time I hear that song, I have to resist the urge to cry because that song was playing during one of the hardest days of my family's life. (I'm getting teary-eyed right now just thinking about it.)

To make things simpler, the surgery was a complete success. Why? I'm here today, sharing my story. If it wasn't for the surgery, my breathing pathway would be obstructed and I could've potentially died.

Every March 22 is a special day for my mom. She reminisces about the many years since my surgery and how much I have grown. I don't think I will be ready for this year's Facebook post because she will talk about all my accomplishments since graduating high school and I'm pretty sure I will cry. I cried last year on the to Washington, D.C. for our senior trip.

So, in ending, I would like to add in the song my mom sang to me before I was given anesthesia:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

You make me happy when skies are grey.

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away."

I'm honestly so blessed to be alive right now.