Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for the Congenital Heart Walk. Raising funds for CHD research is critically important to all Heart Warriors and Heart Angels, and personally very meaningful to my Heart Family as both Caleb and Lucas were born with a CHD.

Caleb was born with Aortic Stenosis.  Aortic stenosis is one of the most common and most serious valve problems. Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening. Aortic stenosis restricts the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta and may also affect the pressure in the left atrium.  We learned that Caleb had this in the first few days of his life.  Hearing that there is something wrong with your childs heart and that they are waiting for the specialist to come is never something any parent wants to hear. Caleb will have to be monitored his whole life by a cardiologist with possible corrective action needed when he is older. 

We learned of Lucas' heart condition while he was still growing.  The last trimester of pregnancy was spent determining the sevarity of the condition and how to best care for him after birth.  Time that should be spent nesting and preparing was spent in doctor offices and worrying. Lucas was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four congenital abnormalities. The four defects include a ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary valve stenosis, a misplaced aorta and a thickened right ventricular wall (right ventricular hypertrophy).  

Lucas was well enough to wait a few months for open heart surgery, the only way to correct ToF. He got sick at 2 months and was life flighted to Hershey, another thing a parent never wants to do.  He was hospitalized with pneumonia for 11 days.  A simple runny nose turned into pneumonia because of the ToF.  At four months old Lucas underwent open heart surgery.  His recovery was quick and we were home within a week. Lucas will also need to be monitored his whole life by a cardiologist with additional treatment likely. 

There is no cure for Congenital Heart Defects, just life-long monitoring and treatment.  Please help with the research for CHD's so future parents never have to hear "There's something worng with your baby"