I created this gofundme account to help with medical bills, relocation costs, & gas for traveling back & forth from WV to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital.

Here’s our story:

Back in October, I stopped taking my birth control with the mindset of “whatever happens, happens”. November, we found out we were pregnant for what we planned to be the last time. February we were told we were having twins. A little shocking, but we were excited. A few weeks later, they told us it was both boys. With 2 boys of our own already, I was a little bummed there wasn’t at least one girl, but being an all boy mom was exciting too, boys sure love their moms. We chose the names Westyn Blake & Wyatt Chase.

At a regular growth check ultrasound in March, our world started turning upside down. There was something wrong with Wyatt’s heart, but Westyn was as healthy as could be . We were then sent to Huntington for a more in depth ultrasound. In Huntington we were told he has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) & would need 3 surgeries by the time he was 2, but the chance of survival was still good. We were referred to doctors at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital for a fetal echo & to meet with doctors to go over a plan for when he was born, or so we thought.

The Cincinnati visit turned out to be the most heartbreaking trips & I would never wish that upon anybody. After looking at the results of the fetal echo, the doctor saw that it wasn’t HLHS, it was something much worse. Mitral Valve Dysplasia. His aortic valve was not allowing blood to flow through as it should. This was also causing him to develop what they call Hydrops, a condition where large amounts of fluid were building up in his other organs causing severe swelling. The fluid was accumulating so rapidly at this time, we were told he was going to end up passing away soon & there was nothing they could do. I have never felt so devastated & defeated. After that, I didn’t want to talk about my pregnancy, hear the word “twins”, or even take pictures of my growing belly. I would break down crying at night. I wondered what I did to go through such pain.

Week after week & ultrasound after ultrasound, I kept wondering which would be the time they would tell me there was no heartbeat, but every single time he was right there moving & growing along with his twin brother. My 27 week mark rolls around & he’s still alive & fighting, the fluid had stopped accumulating like it was. The doctor then told us if he makes it to 32 weeks, I would be sent back to the specialists. 30 weeks, he’s still doing good & another ultrasound shows that the fluid that had accumulated around his lungs, heart, & abdomen had almost went away. So now we’re given a small amount of hope. 32 weeks, he’s still growing & holding onto life so I get scheduled for another fetal echo & doctor meeting in Cincinnati.

Monday, the long anticipated appointment date rolls around. Everyone is a nervous wreck. After the fetal echo, more doctors came in & now, they have given us the option of open heart surgery or comfort care when the twins are born. We have chosen to go the surgery route. I’m not going to be the one to give up on him if he’s not ready to give up. I don’t want to be stuck with the question of “what if”.

With that being said, I have to be relocated to Cincinnati ASAP because on top of him having a heart condition that will require immediate attention once he’s born, I also have a bunch of extra amniotic fluid accumulating which will most likely cause me to go into labor early or have complications. He’s also a twin & twins never go full term. I’m supposed to get a call tomorrow about relocation times & details & I have a consultation with the surgeon on Wednesday the 15th.

Leaving my 2 kids & my family here in West Virginia while I stay in Cincinnati for who knows how long is going to be super tough on everyone, mentally & not to mention financially draining.