Baby Chase Needs You
Dear Family and Friends,
Joseph Chase Coughlin was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) at our 16 week ultrasound appointment. Through a tremendous amount of research and soul searching, we made a decision to bring him into this world.
HLHS is a condition in which the left side of the heart is under developed. Usually, the left ventricle, the left atrium, the mitral valve and the aorta are affected. It is called a syndrome because it can encompass several different variations and varying degrees of development of these parts of the heart.
To understand HLHS it is helpful to understand how a normal baby's heart works. The heart is comprised of four chambers: the upper chambers are called the left and right atria , and the lower chambers are called the left and right ventricles.
Very simply, in a healthy heart blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle where it is then pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs to be oxygenated. Blood then flows back to the heart via the left atrium to the left ventricle, which pumps the oxygenated blood through the aorta out to the body. This is how the body's organs and tissues recieve oxygen, which is vital. When a baby has HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped so it cannot sufficiently pump the oxygenated blood out to the body.
Babies with HLHS do not have problems while in the womb - it is only after birth that their heart fails to work properly. This is because all babies recieve oxygen from the placenta while in the womb, so blood does not need to go to the lungs. In addition, there is an opening between th pulmonary artery and the aorta, called the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that is present in all babies. It allows the blood to go from the right ventricle out to the body, bypassing the left side of the heart.
The PDA usually closes a few days after birth, seperating the left and right sides of the heart. It is at this time that babies with HLHS will exhibit problems as they experience a lack of blood flow to the body. They may look blue, have trouble eating, and breathe rapidly. If left untreated, this heart defect is fatal - usually within the first few days or weeks of life.
Once HLHS has been diagnosed, a drug called prostaglandin is given to keep the PDA open until surgery is preformed. There are three options for an HLHS diagnosis compassionate care, or two surgical interventions: a Heart Transplant or the 3-Stage-Surgical Procedure.
We have choosen the 3-Stage- Surgical procedure, the first stage of which is called the Norwood procedure.
We do feel that we are in incredibly good hands with the medical team we have choosen to treat our boy. The expected due date is March 6th 2004. We will be delivering at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital which is part of Stanford. And from that point Chase will be admitted to their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to await his surgery. Surgery takes place usually between 24 to 96 hours after delivery. Approximately his first month of life will be in the NICU.
Patients from all over the country travel to Lucielle Packard to have their newborns treated with HLHS. We are 15 miles from the medical facility and feel very fortunate for that.
At 6 weeks until D-Day Chase is being monitored weekly. He is apparently thriving in the womb. His heart is strong and he is very active. John and I lay in bed at night and watch him move from side to side and press his limbs against my belly.
We are both anxious and excited as we near meeting our little boy. Your positive thoughts and prayers for Chase as he appproaches birth are deeply appreciated.
Love,
John and Tara
Joseph Chase Coughlin was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) at our 16 week ultrasound appointment. Through a tremendous amount of research and soul searching, we made a decision to bring him into this world.
HLHS is a condition in which the left side of the heart is under developed. Usually, the left ventricle, the left atrium, the mitral valve and the aorta are affected. It is called a syndrome because it can encompass several different variations and varying degrees of development of these parts of the heart.
To understand HLHS it is helpful to understand how a normal baby's heart works. The heart is comprised of four chambers: the upper chambers are called the left and right atria , and the lower chambers are called the left and right ventricles.
Very simply, in a healthy heart blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle where it is then pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs to be oxygenated. Blood then flows back to the heart via the left atrium to the left ventricle, which pumps the oxygenated blood through the aorta out to the body. This is how the body's organs and tissues recieve oxygen, which is vital. When a baby has HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped so it cannot sufficiently pump the oxygenated blood out to the body.
Babies with HLHS do not have problems while in the womb - it is only after birth that their heart fails to work properly. This is because all babies recieve oxygen from the placenta while in the womb, so blood does not need to go to the lungs. In addition, there is an opening between th pulmonary artery and the aorta, called the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that is present in all babies. It allows the blood to go from the right ventricle out to the body, bypassing the left side of the heart.
The PDA usually closes a few days after birth, seperating the left and right sides of the heart. It is at this time that babies with HLHS will exhibit problems as they experience a lack of blood flow to the body. They may look blue, have trouble eating, and breathe rapidly. If left untreated, this heart defect is fatal - usually within the first few days or weeks of life.
Once HLHS has been diagnosed, a drug called prostaglandin is given to keep the PDA open until surgery is preformed. There are three options for an HLHS diagnosis compassionate care, or two surgical interventions: a Heart Transplant or the 3-Stage-Surgical Procedure.
We have choosen the 3-Stage- Surgical procedure, the first stage of which is called the Norwood procedure.
We do feel that we are in incredibly good hands with the medical team we have choosen to treat our boy. The expected due date is March 6th 2004. We will be delivering at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital which is part of Stanford. And from that point Chase will be admitted to their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to await his surgery. Surgery takes place usually between 24 to 96 hours after delivery. Approximately his first month of life will be in the NICU.
Patients from all over the country travel to Lucielle Packard to have their newborns treated with HLHS. We are 15 miles from the medical facility and feel very fortunate for that.
At 6 weeks until D-Day Chase is being monitored weekly. He is apparently thriving in the womb. His heart is strong and he is very active. John and I lay in bed at night and watch him move from side to side and press his limbs against my belly.
We are both anxious and excited as we near meeting our little boy. Your positive thoughts and prayers for Chase as he appproaches birth are deeply appreciated.
Love,
John and Tara
posted by The Coughlins at 4:55 PM
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