NATCHEZ &045;It seems impossible that the grinning, high-energy 5-year-old who meets you at the door, raggedy doll in tow, was born with six holes in her heart.

As Sheila and Ingraham Thompson introduce their bouncing daughter as the poster child for the American Heart Walk it still sort of seems like there must be some mistake.

It’s not until Bailey takes over the meet and greet for herself and introduces her 3-year-old sister Gillian as &uot;the one without the surgery,&uot; that it becomes apparent the child is a walking miracle.

Her parents attribute her birthday, 9-9-99, as the first sign that Bailey would be extraordinary, but it wasn’t until 11 months later that the child’s strength was ultimately tested.

At birth the Thompson’s were told that their first child appeared to have a small murmur in her heart, something not that uncommon.

Four months later a local doctor diagnosed a ventricular septal defect or a hole in the heart.

Without a pediatric cardiologist in Natchez, the Thompsons made the decision to go to Texas, where they had family.

A San Antonio doctor re-diagnosed Bailey with four holes in her heart. The family moved on to Baylor Texas Children’s hospital where four became six and the case became worthy of study by 36 pediatric cardiologists. Doctors also said Bailey had patent ductus arteriousis and an additional muscular defect.

The cardiologists told the Thompson’s that 7-month-old Bailey should be in full congestive heart failure.

At 11 months old Bailey underwent surgery to close the holes. Though the surgery went well, she stopped breathing in ICU and had to be resuscitated.

Only six days later Bailey was released from the hospital.

Since then she has had no major problems. She may face one more surgery as her heart and body grow to repair a small leak in a flap of her heart, but the Thompson’s feel the worst is behind them.

For now though, Bailey has too many other things to worry about. She is enrolled in Pre-K at Trinity Episcopal School, takes gymnastics, ballet, music and plays soccer.

&uot;When they fixed her heart they turbo charged it,&uot; Shelia said. &uot;She’s very affectionate and she goes up to total strangers and hugs them.&uot;

Bailey has seen numerous pictures of her in the hospital as a baby and does know about the surgery, Sheila said.

&uot;She’s aware of the fact that when she was little she had it,&uot; she said. &uot;She has a battle scar.&uot;

Sheila at first tried to decline the invitation to have Bailey be the poster child for the heart walk, but quickly realized that Bailey deserved it, she said.

&uot;My first response was no, there’s plenty of other children,&uot; she said. &uot;But now I take it as an honor.&uot;

The Thompsons held a fundraiser for the American Heart Association last month and will participate in the other walk events.

Friday is Bank Day at AmSouth from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Miss-Lou walk starts at 10 a.m. Saturday on at the gazebo. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. and warm-ups at 9:45 a.m.

The walker goal this year is $94,100.

Bailey understands her role from participating in previous walks.

&uot;I’m going to run as fast as I can,&uot; Bailey said. &uot;They won’t beat me. I’m a super hero.&uot;