Ariana Lane Eaton “Ari”, the daughter of Bailey & Brandi Eaton was born by emergency c-section on March 14, 2022 and has been diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. She is currently at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. She has a brother and a sister who are twins, Jaxon & Mia Eaton. They are 2 1/2 years old. Bailey is the son of Gerald & Debra Eaton of Vance. Brandi is the daughter of Tommy & Julie Kizziah of Fosters.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart. As the baby develops during pregnancy, the left side of the heart does not form correctly. HLHS is one type of congenital heart defect. Because a baby with this defect needs surgery or other procedures soon after birth, HLHS is considered a critical congenital heart defect (CCHD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year about 1,025 babies in the United States are born with HLHS. That’s about 1 out of every 3,841 babies. Nearly 1 in 100 babies is born with a heart defect in the United States each year
Soon after a baby with HLHS is born, multiple surgeries done in a particular order are needed to increase blood flow to the body and bypass the poorly functioning left side of the heart. The right ventricle becomes the main pumping chamber to the body. These surgeries do not cure hypoplastic left heart syndrome, but help restore heart function. Surgery for HLHS usually is done in three separate stages:
1. Norwood Procedure
This surgery usually is done within the first 2 weeks of a baby’s life. Surgeons create a “new” aorta and connect it to the right ventricle. They also place a tube from either the aorta or the right ventricle to the vessels supplying the lungs (pulmonary arteries). Thus, the right ventricle can pump blood to both the lungs and the rest of the body. This can be a very challenging surgery. After this procedure, an infant’s skin still might look bluish because oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood still mix in the heart.
2. Bi-directional Glenn Shunt Procedure
This usually is performed when an infant is 4 to 6 months of age. This procedure creates a direct connection between the pulmonary artery and the vessel (the superior vena cava) returning oxygen-poor blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. This reduces the work the right ventricle has to do by allowing blood returning from the body to flow directly to the lungs.
3. Fontan Procedure
This procedure usually is done sometime during the period when an infant is 18 months to 3 years of age. Doctors connect the pulmonary artery and the vessel (the inferior vena cava) returning oxygen-poor blood from the lower part of the body to the heart, allowing the rest of the blood coming back from the body to go to the lungs. Once this procedure is complete, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood no longer mix in the heart and an infant’s skin will no longer look bluish.
Ari is scheduled for her first of three heart surgeries on Wednesday March 23, 2022. Bailey is employed by BLG Logistics in Vance. Brandi is a stay home Mom so Bailey is currently their only source of income. He is currently off on unpaid FMLA. He will return to work as soon as possible after Ari’s first surgery is complete and she is stable. They are on several waiting lists for housing close to Children’s. Jax & Mia are being cared for, at their home, by family members. Brandi is still currently being treated at UAB because she developed Postpartum Preeclampsia. They are having problems getting her blood pressure stable enough to discharge her. Once she’s discharged, they will constantly travel between their home in Fosters and Children’s to care for the twins and also be with Ari. Brandi and Ari are both insured and hopefully, most of their hospital expenses will be covered. They will still have deductibles and co-pays. In addition to maintaining household expenses, they will have the costs of gas and meals while away from home.
If you feel led to contribute to their journey, Brandi & Bailey are so humbled and grateful. If you can offer prayer, that’s what’s needed most right now.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about sweet Ari. We are taking one day at a time and fully relying on God!
CashApp- $BrandiEaton19
Venmo- @BrandiEaton5 (Phone number 2182) PayPal- @BrandiKizziah
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart. As the baby develops during pregnancy, the left side of the heart does not form correctly. HLHS is one type of congenital heart defect. Because a baby with this defect needs surgery or other procedures soon after birth, HLHS is considered a critical congenital heart defect (CCHD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year about 1,025 babies in the United States are born with HLHS. That’s about 1 out of every 3,841 babies. Nearly 1 in 100 babies is born with a heart defect in the United States each year
Soon after a baby with HLHS is born, multiple surgeries done in a particular order are needed to increase blood flow to the body and bypass the poorly functioning left side of the heart. The right ventricle becomes the main pumping chamber to the body. These surgeries do not cure hypoplastic left heart syndrome, but help restore heart function. Surgery for HLHS usually is done in three separate stages:
1. Norwood Procedure
This surgery usually is done within the first 2 weeks of a baby’s life. Surgeons create a “new” aorta and connect it to the right ventricle. They also place a tube from either the aorta or the right ventricle to the vessels supplying the lungs (pulmonary arteries). Thus, the right ventricle can pump blood to both the lungs and the rest of the body. This can be a very challenging surgery. After this procedure, an infant’s skin still might look bluish because oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood still mix in the heart.
2. Bi-directional Glenn Shunt Procedure
This usually is performed when an infant is 4 to 6 months of age. This procedure creates a direct connection between the pulmonary artery and the vessel (the superior vena cava) returning oxygen-poor blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. This reduces the work the right ventricle has to do by allowing blood returning from the body to flow directly to the lungs.
3. Fontan Procedure
This procedure usually is done sometime during the period when an infant is 18 months to 3 years of age. Doctors connect the pulmonary artery and the vessel (the inferior vena cava) returning oxygen-poor blood from the lower part of the body to the heart, allowing the rest of the blood coming back from the body to go to the lungs. Once this procedure is complete, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood no longer mix in the heart and an infant’s skin will no longer look bluish.
Ari is scheduled for her first of three heart surgeries on Wednesday March 23, 2022. Bailey is employed by BLG Logistics in Vance. Brandi is a stay home Mom so Bailey is currently their only source of income. He is currently off on unpaid FMLA. He will return to work as soon as possible after Ari’s first surgery is complete and she is stable. They are on several waiting lists for housing close to Children’s. Jax & Mia are being cared for, at their home, by family members. Brandi is still currently being treated at UAB because she developed Postpartum Preeclampsia. They are having problems getting her blood pressure stable enough to discharge her. Once she’s discharged, they will constantly travel between their home in Fosters and Children’s to care for the twins and also be with Ari. Brandi and Ari are both insured and hopefully, most of their hospital expenses will be covered. They will still have deductibles and co-pays. In addition to maintaining household expenses, they will have the costs of gas and meals while away from home.
If you feel led to contribute to their journey, Brandi & Bailey are so humbled and grateful. If you can offer prayer, that’s what’s needed most right now.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about sweet Ari. We are taking one day at a time and fully relying on God!
CashApp- $BrandiEaton19
Venmo- @BrandiEaton5 (Phone number 2182) PayPal- @BrandiKizziah
Organizer
Julie Kizziah
Organizer
Fosters, AL