Heart Warrior Case Owen Hebert

Case was diagnosed at 19 weeks with a VSD we were then sent to a maternal fetal specialist that diagnosed him with Double Outlet Right Ventrical with a VSD. David and I felt it best that we then transfer our care to Texas children's hospital in Houston. Case was seen in utero by our fetal cardiologist (his pediatric cardiologist now) Dr. Nancy Ayres. She is WONDERFUL and has many difficult days bearable by her kindness. Upon further scans, Dr. Ayres diagnosed Case, not with DORV but d-TGA (transposition of the great arteries), VSD (ventral septal defect) , hypoplasia pulmonary valve, pulmonary stenosis. Case (and I) were monitored very closely during pregnancy. I relocated to Houston at 36 weeks in order to deliver at the Pavilion for Woman at TCH. I was induced at 38 weeks 6 days. I had a very easy labor and only pushed for about 50 minutes! Case arrived at 4:13 pm and weighed 7lb 8oz 20". He looked good when he came out so we were able to touch and see him for just a moment before he was stabilized and whisked away to the NICU-level 4. David was able to go with Case to the NICU. Dr. Ayres was waiting for him there and the cardiology team began a battery of tests and scans to see how his heart was doing. His oxygen level dropped drastically during the night and at 22 hours old an Atrial Septostomy was done in order for more blood to mix. He was stable for 9 days so we were able to go home (to the Ronald McDonald House)! What a sweet, sweet day! They wanted Case to grow a bit before they did his big surgery.

Wednesday, February 18, at 7:30am we handed our sweet little baby over for open heart surgery. I thought leaving him for the night in the NICU was the hardest thing I would ever do. I was wrong. Handing your precious baby over for a 10 hour open heart surgery is by far the emotionally, physically and mentally draining thing I have ever done. David and I were crying. We cried before we handing him over and cried in the elevator hallway before we went down to the waiting room. We knew it needed to happen in order for Case to live. We would have just given anything to take his place. Because of the complexity of his defect, Dr. Fraser, Case's surgeon, wasn't sure which route he would take for the fix until Case was opened up. Praise Jesus, he was able to do an Arterial Switch. This will require less open heart surgeries in the future if all goes well. We received several updates during surgery, this helped ease the tension and anxiety we were feeling (along with SO many people praying for Case, his team and us!). Around 6:30pm he was finally off bypass, closed up and moved up to the Cardio Vascular ICU. After a very long day, and much anticipation, we were finally about to see our boy around 8:45. He was hooked up to so many machines, wires poking out, tubes everywhere but still just as perfect to us then as he was when we sent him in.

Case isn't out of the woods yet, and will forever need long term follow up care with cardiology and will face more open heart surgeries in the future.

As of now, he is in recovery. His kidneys are having a bit of trouble so they have started him on dialysis. They will do this for about 4 days to help discard waste. His team of doctors are working on getting all the medicines and fluids at the right levels so he can heal. His pressures are still fluctuating and his heart rate is fast but this is not out of the norm for a neonate that has undergone extensive open heart surgery.

This is the sweetest family you will ever meet and one of the strongest!! Shelbie has been my bestfriend since Kindergarten and I consider her my sister. If you would like to help them out in anyway, dontation or prayers..either would be appreciated!! We are trying to raise money to help them out with the medical and travel expenses. Shelbie and David both work full time but Shelbie has had to be off for several weeks due to Case's condition. This would be a huge burden lifted from their shoulders if we could help them out. 

Thank you in advance and God Bless!