Melo's Heart Journey
Donation protected
Please help us with the costs associated with medical and traveling for Melo's big trip to Boston Childrens Hospital.
Karmelo was born on December 23, 2013 with a complex congenital heart defect. He was diagnosed on December 24th after being flown to Miami Children’s for a heart murmur. His diagnosis is Coarctation of Aorta(CoA), hypoplastic arch, double outlet right ventricle (DORV), atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and pulmonary stenosis. His first open heart surgery (OHS) was at 7 days old, his pulmonary valve and aorta were combined to make a new aorta and a shunt was placed to act like his pulmonary valve, this operation is the first stage for single ventricle repairs, called the Norwood. After his first surgery he was having trouble coming off of oxygen and had to have a second OHS to repair a leaking tricuspid valve at 3 weeks old on January 13, 2014. After being released from MCH, Melo has thrived, he has impressed all of his doctors and made it further along with the shunt than anyone ever expected. This past year has been bi-weekly doctor’s visits between his cardiologist, pediatrician and pulmonolgist, we are blessed to have such an amazing team behind him. He has outgrown the shunt but because he has developed better than we expected he is a candidate for a bi-ventricular full repair meaning he will have a “normal” functioning heart. His surgery will be in Boston with one of the top cardiac surgeons in the world, after this surgery we expect him to be off of all of his medications by the end of next year and grow up a happy, healthy little man. Melo is a true warrior and our hero, despite his heart condition he is a happy, smart, strong and loving little boy.
Thank you so much for all of your support!!!
Karmelo was born on December 23, 2013 with a complex congenital heart defect. He was diagnosed on December 24th after being flown to Miami Children’s for a heart murmur. His diagnosis is Coarctation of Aorta(CoA), hypoplastic arch, double outlet right ventricle (DORV), atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and pulmonary stenosis. His first open heart surgery (OHS) was at 7 days old, his pulmonary valve and aorta were combined to make a new aorta and a shunt was placed to act like his pulmonary valve, this operation is the first stage for single ventricle repairs, called the Norwood. After his first surgery he was having trouble coming off of oxygen and had to have a second OHS to repair a leaking tricuspid valve at 3 weeks old on January 13, 2014. After being released from MCH, Melo has thrived, he has impressed all of his doctors and made it further along with the shunt than anyone ever expected. This past year has been bi-weekly doctor’s visits between his cardiologist, pediatrician and pulmonolgist, we are blessed to have such an amazing team behind him. He has outgrown the shunt but because he has developed better than we expected he is a candidate for a bi-ventricular full repair meaning he will have a “normal” functioning heart. His surgery will be in Boston with one of the top cardiac surgeons in the world, after this surgery we expect him to be off of all of his medications by the end of next year and grow up a happy, healthy little man. Melo is a true warrior and our hero, despite his heart condition he is a happy, smart, strong and loving little boy.
Thank you so much for all of your support!!!
Organizer
Christine Malsheimer
Organizer
Key West, FL