condition: Ventricular Septal Defect

Braydon’s Fight

Braydon was born at 28 weeks and 1 day at 690 grams (1 pound 7 oz) because of absent blood flow to his umbilical cord. Mom and dad were told that he may not make it throughout the night. To the doctors surprise he made it. Little did we know how sick Braydon was. Braydon […]

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A Scary Time

Stella was born, full-term, on New Year’s Day in 2010. She was a strong, 8lb. 9oz, baby girl with a head full of hair. She seemed healthy and was sent home with us after the standard couple of days in the hospital. Once home, though, we started noticing that she had an unusual way of […]

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My Story

Hello, I’m Stephanie and I had open heart surgery at age 2 to repair a TGV, PDA and VSD. I am now 46-years-old, married with a grown son. I have not had any other surgeries concerning my heart and no Pacemaker. I lived a normal childhood and graduated high school. I have always worked outside […]

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Ledarius’ Story

LeDarius was born in Marion, Ohio, and transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital at just 24 hours old. At birth, his physicians suspected he may have Down syndrome. Two days later, test confirmed he not only had Down syndrome but congenital heart defects as well. In his 37 days spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, […]

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My Journey with Congenital Heart Defects

I was born June 17, 1980. I wasn’t diagnosed with my heart defects until I was 3 days old. Dr. Josepha Craenen was my first cardiologist that started my treatment at Children’s. I had to wait until I was 8 years old to have my first Open Heart Surgery performed by Dr. James Kilman. I […]

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Samantha’s Journey through CHD

Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect and a lifelong condition with no cure. My name is Samantha I am from Huntington, WV and I was born with Congenital Heart Disease, I was diagnosed with Coarctation of the Aorta, Ventricular Septal Defect, Pulmonary Stenosis and Transposition of the Great Vessels. I have had […]

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Macey’s Mixed Up Heart

Macey Jessa was born at 7:31am on May 6th, 2015. We thought we had another healthy baby, as she has three older siblings. Around 5pm our nurse said she looked “dusky”. She was taken to the NICU for an x-ray. The nurse came back and told me she was going to stay in the NICU […]

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Heart Strong

Through out my life my heart condition has taught me to be strong. When I was born the doctor and nurses discovered I had a murmur due to being born with a hole in my heart. I was diagnosed with a Ventricular Septal Defect and Tetralogy of Fallot. They gave the hole in my heart […]

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Ava’s Adventure to a Mended Heart

Ava was born, prematurely, at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV. She was born with Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia, MAPCAS and VSD. After battling low oxygen numbers and “tet spells” Ava went into a code situation on Easter Sunday. Ruby said that there was nothing more they could do and sent her to […]

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