My son Anthony was born on July 29, 2008. He was a healthy 9 pounds 21 inches. He was diagnosed with a Congenital Heart Defect of Tetralogy of Fallot when he was 4 days old. When he was born the Dr's heard a "loud" heart murmur and told my husband and I to have a Echocardiograhm done. They discharged us from the hospital with our baby that looked so normal and perfect. The next day we came back to the hospital to have the Echo and went home to await the results. Then the phone rang about an hour later and it was our cardiologist. She informed us over the phone that our son had a heart defect called Tetrology of Fallot and that this is serious and he will need to be seen the next day first thing. She also then informed us that he will need to have open heart surgery by the time he was 6 months old to correct the condition. We had to look out for any "blue spells", over time she said he would get bluer until his heart gets fixed.

My whole world had seemed to come to a stop. Our daughter was born with a slight heart murmur that went away! Could they be mistaken about Anthony's diagnoses?? All I could think of is what did I do wrong? How could this have happened? I did EVERYTHING right during my pregnancy! I just couldn't understand WHY this was happening to our family? I was so confused and didn't understand ANYTHING about CHD's. I had never even heard of Heart defects!! He looked so perfect yet he had such a problem. For weeks I struggled with so many emotions that I hope to never have to think of again. I cried and then I cried some more.

After meeting with our Cardiologist and going over all the details behind his Heart Defect I started to calm down and realize this was all happening. We found out that he would have to have his open heart surgery when he would be around 5-6 months old.

Then in September 2008 I noticed that he seemed a little bluer to me. I called his cardiologist and she got us in for another Echo. His muscle that was enlarged in his heart was getting bigger so his heart was working a little harder and causing him to show signs of "blueness". They decided to keep him for a few days and to put him on some medication to help his heart not work as hard. The surgeons decided to schedule his open heart surgery for October 15, 2008 because he was showing signs that he might start having "blue spells".

On October 15th he was only 2 1/2 months old. I will never forget that day! I handed my little boy over and kissed him goodbye and he had no idea what was happening. The surgery was a success and he didn't have any complications during the surgery. The night and day after his surgery he was a very sick little boy. His heart rate was really high and he was running fevers and none of the doctors could figure out why! So they did another Echo and did some more tests. They discovered that he had some fluid leaking behind his heart causing all the major symptoms. Right then and there they decided that he needed a drain to be placed behind his heart to drain that fluid out. I was so scared for him!! Immediately after the drain was placed his levels all went back to normal and he started to heal!! Thank GOD!!!

Anthony was in the hospital for a total of eight days. Eight days that he will never remember but he will know about those days for the rest of his life! He is 5 1/2 months old now and doing fantastic! He still has some narrowing in his main artery but the Dr said that it hasn't changed since surgery and that artery will be monitored for growth over the next couple of years.

When you look at him you would NEVER know he had open heart surgery! It is amazing to me how such a precious baby can go through so much and heal so quickly!! He is a gift from god!! I hope in the future there can be more research and awareness of Congenital Heart Defects. 

 

               

 

Graceful Heron    Tristan Steffler   Brynlee Hogan   Ethan Pennington

July 5, 2006         July 7, 2004      July 11, 2007     July 17, 2008

 

 

                      

 

Jack Robinson    Delaney Woodworth  Fred Swick           Broghan Hill

July 24, 2002-     July 25, 2006            July 27, 2008 -      July 7, 2002

   Feb 14, 2007                                     August 23, 2008

 

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