NyLayah was born with VACterl association - a rare, sporadic disorder involving at least three congenital malformations. NyLayah has a right sided aortic arch with a left subclavian artery and an aneurism called a Kommerel Diverticulum coming from her aorta. She also had a vascular ring that was repaired when she was 9 months old. In addition, she had a tethered spine that was operated on when she was 7 months old and another malformation that required a week stay after an extensive surgery when she was just 4 months old.

Recently, NyLayah has been losing weight and not eating and drinking as much. Mom noticed and reached out to her care team at BOSTON & CHOP where they did multiple tests and a triple scope which determined that her aneurysm is compressing on her esophagus, causing her to feel short of breath, and not wanting to eat. It also has been causing difficulty with swallowing food or liquids. During her triple scope, the doctors felt that placing a feeding tube in her nose was the best choice in order for her to gain weight to nutritionally prepare her for her second heart surgery. She has a Kommerel Diverticulum with her vertebral artery branching from it which makes the surgery risky.

The team of doctors are coming up with the best plan of care for NyLayah at this time.

Her current plan is to gain weight, then undergo surgery to fix the compression of her esophagus, but with the Kommerel Diverticulum, the surgery is very risky.

Mom and NyLayah will be staying a week at CHOP to monitor how NyLayah does with her tube feeds. Once she is home, she is to spend the next 6 weeks with tube feeds to gain enough weight in order to perform the surgery.

I am creating this GoFundMe in order to help financially support Mom and NyLayah while they spend this week in the hospital,

the up and coming weeks while they prepare for surgery, and for her surgery stay and recovery time.

Arianna is a single mother who is attending Shippensburg University full-time and also works part time. She dedicated her life to being a mother. Her baby is her everything. She will be taking medical leave from both work and school.

I am hopeful that the community can come together in order to support Arianna, NyLayah, and the family at this time.