Supporting Baby Reagan & Family
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Jaclyn and I went to high school with Kaitlyn Wipf (Wray) and lived with her for our first year of college/university. Like many of her friends and family I was excited to hear that Kaitlyn and her Husband,Travis, were expecting. During regular check ups with their doctor they soon learned that their baby would be born with a heart defect.
Blockages developed and caused the baby’s heart to simply not develop. Because of this Kaitlyn had to move to the Edmonton Ronald McDonald house several weeks before her baby was due for several tests and doctor visits a week.
Reagan Carmel Wipf showed up at 10:37pm on December 27th weighing 7lbs and 13 ounces. I woke in the middle of the night to a picture of my best friend and a beautiful baby. Half asleep it took me a good 10 minutes to figure out that this baby was Kaitlyn and Travis’. She appeared so healthy, and perfect.
Reagan’s official diagnosis is Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome. Very early in Reagan’s life she had to have her first heart surgery. After a-few complications the hybrid procedure was done. Bands were put around Reagan’s arteries to limit and regulate blood to both her lungs and body. After this surgery Reagan became stronger and was doing pretty good. She was able to be put on the heart transplant list. She was slowly weaned her off of everything they could and for the most part was switched to oral medication. Only one picc line in her arm was left for Milrinone.
At 19 days of age, Kaitlyn and Travis were able to change Reagan’s diaper for the first time! A huge step in Reagan’s care.
Reagan got moved out of the NICU and into a specialized ward for kids with heart issues. Here, a cardiologist is seen daily and there is always one on call. At 7 weeks Reagan has gained some weight, spends lots of time awake, getting read to, playing and trying to get a hold of her NG (feeding) tube. Kaitlyn and Travis were now able to hold Reagan and get her out of her bed without assistance. The cardiologist goal is for Reagan to grow and gain weight so the bands that were put on her arteries fit better and she is as healthy as possible when a heart comes available.
At 2 months Reagan was holding her own, weighs 9.5 lbs, knows what she wants and when she wants it (not afraid to make sure she gets her way) and getting cuter day by day.
On Saturday March 17th, things took a major turn. Reagan was fussy all day and at 7:45pm her heart started to go into really funny rhythms. She ended up going into “pulseless rhythm” and her breathing slowed right down. They had to bag her, do CPR and rush her to the PCICU. Reagan was intubated, and she took it like a champ but when the doctor went to find a pulse to put an arterial line in, she went into the pulseless rhythm again. The doctors decided the best course of action was to put her on ecmo. Kaitlyn and Travis had to watch nurses do CPR on their baby girl for 45 mins before going to the waiting room. 20 minutes later the doctors came to tell them the very brutal truth:
Baby Reagan will either make it or not and according to statistics she has a 50/50 shot at survival and if Kaitlyn and Travis hadn’t called the rapid response team when they did they would not have a daughter. If they called sooner they would still be in the same situation. Reagan was in surgery again and when the surgeons finally came out, Kaitlyn and Travis were told it was the perfect storm. Reagan’s vaccinations, having a fever and high heart rate all day... but the exact reason this happened may never be known.
For now Reagan is hooked up to a wonderful machine that is keeping her alive.
If you can help, please do so. If you share this page, please do so with compassion. This is not an easy time for The Wipf’s, Wray’s and all their family. They are not looking for a handout and did not ask for this page to be made. Kaitlyn is one of the strongest women that I know, but even the strongest people need a little help sometimes, and while money can't cure Reagan it can ease her parents thoughts and allow them to focus on their little girl.
Please Pray for Baby Reagan. ❤️
I will post updates here whenever I can.
Blockages developed and caused the baby’s heart to simply not develop. Because of this Kaitlyn had to move to the Edmonton Ronald McDonald house several weeks before her baby was due for several tests and doctor visits a week.
Reagan Carmel Wipf showed up at 10:37pm on December 27th weighing 7lbs and 13 ounces. I woke in the middle of the night to a picture of my best friend and a beautiful baby. Half asleep it took me a good 10 minutes to figure out that this baby was Kaitlyn and Travis’. She appeared so healthy, and perfect.
Reagan’s official diagnosis is Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome. Very early in Reagan’s life she had to have her first heart surgery. After a-few complications the hybrid procedure was done. Bands were put around Reagan’s arteries to limit and regulate blood to both her lungs and body. After this surgery Reagan became stronger and was doing pretty good. She was able to be put on the heart transplant list. She was slowly weaned her off of everything they could and for the most part was switched to oral medication. Only one picc line in her arm was left for Milrinone.
At 19 days of age, Kaitlyn and Travis were able to change Reagan’s diaper for the first time! A huge step in Reagan’s care.
Reagan got moved out of the NICU and into a specialized ward for kids with heart issues. Here, a cardiologist is seen daily and there is always one on call. At 7 weeks Reagan has gained some weight, spends lots of time awake, getting read to, playing and trying to get a hold of her NG (feeding) tube. Kaitlyn and Travis were now able to hold Reagan and get her out of her bed without assistance. The cardiologist goal is for Reagan to grow and gain weight so the bands that were put on her arteries fit better and she is as healthy as possible when a heart comes available.
At 2 months Reagan was holding her own, weighs 9.5 lbs, knows what she wants and when she wants it (not afraid to make sure she gets her way) and getting cuter day by day.
On Saturday March 17th, things took a major turn. Reagan was fussy all day and at 7:45pm her heart started to go into really funny rhythms. She ended up going into “pulseless rhythm” and her breathing slowed right down. They had to bag her, do CPR and rush her to the PCICU. Reagan was intubated, and she took it like a champ but when the doctor went to find a pulse to put an arterial line in, she went into the pulseless rhythm again. The doctors decided the best course of action was to put her on ecmo. Kaitlyn and Travis had to watch nurses do CPR on their baby girl for 45 mins before going to the waiting room. 20 minutes later the doctors came to tell them the very brutal truth:
Baby Reagan will either make it or not and according to statistics she has a 50/50 shot at survival and if Kaitlyn and Travis hadn’t called the rapid response team when they did they would not have a daughter. If they called sooner they would still be in the same situation. Reagan was in surgery again and when the surgeons finally came out, Kaitlyn and Travis were told it was the perfect storm. Reagan’s vaccinations, having a fever and high heart rate all day... but the exact reason this happened may never be known.
For now Reagan is hooked up to a wonderful machine that is keeping her alive.
If you can help, please do so. If you share this page, please do so with compassion. This is not an easy time for The Wipf’s, Wray’s and all their family. They are not looking for a handout and did not ask for this page to be made. Kaitlyn is one of the strongest women that I know, but even the strongest people need a little help sometimes, and while money can't cure Reagan it can ease her parents thoughts and allow them to focus on their little girl.
Please Pray for Baby Reagan. ❤️
I will post updates here whenever I can.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jaclyn Desaulniers
Organizer
Russell, MB
Kaitlyn Wipf
Beneficiary
