Bella needs a new heart
Donation protected
To our delight and surprise, the news that Bella's mom was pregnant, was discovered October 2015. The excitement of a baby on the way was a blessed surprise.
At our Dec 2015 appointment for the anatomy scan that morning we were so excited to find out we were having a baby girl.
Quickly that excitement turned into great worry. I remember our ultrasound tech kept going over and over the area of the heart with a concerned look on her face. With a shaky voice, I asked her if everything looked okay, and she said “I'm only seeing half a heart”. My heart sank. I looked at my husband and we were both totally devastated by this news.
Shortly after this we the were sent to the high risk Obstetrician for further testing. An extensive Echo Cardiogram was performed. As well as extensive Genetic testing to determine if she had any genetic abnormalities. Luckily everything came back normal.
In December 2015 we where then sent to Children's Hospital in Denver to see the Cardiac specialist and a Fetal Echo Cardiogram was done giving us a diagnoses of Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) with fistulas. This confirmed what the Ultrasound tech had seen. With heavy hearts and a difficult choice to make weather to terminate or carry the pregnancy to term was our next big decision. This is a blessing and God will guide us and give us the strength through this, so we decide to continue our baby's journey with hope and prayer.
We then found out our options. The Norwood procedure would consist of three surgeries beginning almost immediately after she is born. Or we would possibly have to do a complete heart transplant.
Then we came up with a birthing plan to induce at 39 weeks. However, she had a mind of her own and decided that she wanted to start her journey earlier. Mom's water broke and she was hospitalized on strict bed rest until the induction date. Contractions started, we found out she was breech, and she was born 5 weeks early by C- section on March 20th, Palm Sunday.
Weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs 2 ounces, we welcomed Isabella Elise Mundy.
Almost immediately after she was born they had to Intubate her. She was put on a number of medications for her breathing troubles since her little lings had not quite developed completely. And medications to keep her PDA valve open in her heart.
Once Bella became stable, a Cath lab of her heart was done at five days old. We were then told no surgeries would work, and a Heart Transplant would be the only option for her to survive. As much as we tried to prepare for this type of news it was still devastating.
Brave little Bella started running a fever and the source was unknown. The Dr. ordered a spinal tap, which came back negative. Her blood gas levels continued to run abnormally out of range, requiring her to be intabated, and sedated. Three attempts were made to have her come off the Ventilator with one attempt ending in acute renal failure from which she was succesfully revived and renal function are back to stable. She had a brain MRI done April 5, 2015 to rule out any abnormal brain function, that test was normal.
Bella is now successfully removed from the Ventilator and is on the C-Pap and O2, thus far and has remained stable.
On April 18,2016 a Cat Scan of her lungs was done to rule out any abnormalities, and to our Joy and amazement, it was normal. She had to be re intabated again to do this test, which was extremely scary for us. Our brave little Bella has been an incredible fighter through all of this. So brave and strong at just barely a month old and fighting for her life.
Our family continues to pray, that Bella's journey continues and that she is given the gift of a new heart. Going forward Bella will need constant care after she gets a heart. Mom will have to stay home to care for her while Dad works to support the family of 4. After being in the hospital for nearly 2 months now and many more to go. Any help would be a blessing to pay for medical bills, and medications for Bellas care.
At our Dec 2015 appointment for the anatomy scan that morning we were so excited to find out we were having a baby girl.
Quickly that excitement turned into great worry. I remember our ultrasound tech kept going over and over the area of the heart with a concerned look on her face. With a shaky voice, I asked her if everything looked okay, and she said “I'm only seeing half a heart”. My heart sank. I looked at my husband and we were both totally devastated by this news.
Shortly after this we the were sent to the high risk Obstetrician for further testing. An extensive Echo Cardiogram was performed. As well as extensive Genetic testing to determine if she had any genetic abnormalities. Luckily everything came back normal.
In December 2015 we where then sent to Children's Hospital in Denver to see the Cardiac specialist and a Fetal Echo Cardiogram was done giving us a diagnoses of Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) with fistulas. This confirmed what the Ultrasound tech had seen. With heavy hearts and a difficult choice to make weather to terminate or carry the pregnancy to term was our next big decision. This is a blessing and God will guide us and give us the strength through this, so we decide to continue our baby's journey with hope and prayer.
We then found out our options. The Norwood procedure would consist of three surgeries beginning almost immediately after she is born. Or we would possibly have to do a complete heart transplant.
Then we came up with a birthing plan to induce at 39 weeks. However, she had a mind of her own and decided that she wanted to start her journey earlier. Mom's water broke and she was hospitalized on strict bed rest until the induction date. Contractions started, we found out she was breech, and she was born 5 weeks early by C- section on March 20th, Palm Sunday.
Weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs 2 ounces, we welcomed Isabella Elise Mundy.
Almost immediately after she was born they had to Intubate her. She was put on a number of medications for her breathing troubles since her little lings had not quite developed completely. And medications to keep her PDA valve open in her heart.
Once Bella became stable, a Cath lab of her heart was done at five days old. We were then told no surgeries would work, and a Heart Transplant would be the only option for her to survive. As much as we tried to prepare for this type of news it was still devastating.
Brave little Bella started running a fever and the source was unknown. The Dr. ordered a spinal tap, which came back negative. Her blood gas levels continued to run abnormally out of range, requiring her to be intabated, and sedated. Three attempts were made to have her come off the Ventilator with one attempt ending in acute renal failure from which she was succesfully revived and renal function are back to stable. She had a brain MRI done April 5, 2015 to rule out any abnormal brain function, that test was normal.
Bella is now successfully removed from the Ventilator and is on the C-Pap and O2, thus far and has remained stable.
On April 18,2016 a Cat Scan of her lungs was done to rule out any abnormalities, and to our Joy and amazement, it was normal. She had to be re intabated again to do this test, which was extremely scary for us. Our brave little Bella has been an incredible fighter through all of this. So brave and strong at just barely a month old and fighting for her life.
Our family continues to pray, that Bella's journey continues and that she is given the gift of a new heart. Going forward Bella will need constant care after she gets a heart. Mom will have to stay home to care for her while Dad works to support the family of 4. After being in the hospital for nearly 2 months now and many more to go. Any help would be a blessing to pay for medical bills, and medications for Bellas care.
Organizer and beneficiary
Bill Sheffer
Organizer
Colorado, CO
Chandra Morris
Beneficiary
