Join Vincent's Journey to Recovery

Hello, my name is Vincent.

 

I was named after my great grandfather, and I hope to be like him one day. I was born on December 31, 2024, weighing 4lb 5oz. I was so eager to see this beautiful world that I arrived two months earlier than expected.

 

I have been diagnosed with a rare birth condition called Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (TAPVC).

 

What causes it?

In most children, the cause isn't known. Some children may have other heart defects along with TAPVC.

 

How does it affect the heart?

In the right atrium, oxygen-rich (red) blood from the pulmonary veins mixes with low-oxygen (bluish) blood from the body. Part of this mixture passes through the atrial septum (atrial septal defect) into the left atrium. From there, it goes into the left ventricle, then into the aorta and out to the body. The rest of the blood flows through the right ventricle, into the pulmonary artery, and on to the lungs. The blood passing through the aorta to the body doesn't have a normal amount of oxygen, which causes me to look blue.

 

How does TAPVC affect a child?

Symptoms may develop soon after birth. In other children, symptoms may be delayed. This partly depends on whether the lung veins are blocked as they drain toward the right atrium. Severe obstruction of the pulmonary veins tends to make infants breathe harder and look bluer (have lower oxygen levels) than infants with little obstruction.

 

What can be done about the defect?

This defect must be surgically repaired in early infancy. During open-heart surgery, the pulmonary veins are reconnected to the left atrium, and the atrial septal defect is closed.

 

I will be facing my first open-heart surgery very soon. My doctors are waiting for me to gain a little more weight to help me be more suitable to fight whatever comes my way.

 

Could you please help lessen the burden of medical bills so my parents can focus on getting me healthy?

 

Baby Vincent