Noah's Heart Journey: CHD
Donation protected
Hello Everyone-
My name is Brittany Rodgers and my amazing husband is Andrew Rodgers. We are overjoyed at the thought of becoming parents for the first time to our baby boy.
We have created this Gofundme page because when I was just 21wks pregnant my husband and I recieved the heartbreaking news that no parents wants to hear. Our son Noah was diagnosed with, a complex heart defect, Tricuspid Atresia with VSD and the added complication of transposition of the great arteries and a leaky valve. The Doctors informed us he would require a series of three open heart surgeries before the time he is 3 years old.
At 35wks during pregnancy I was admitted to the hospital for gestational high blood pressure, Dr. Voss explained to my husband and I that "our child is in a burning house" one of the most unsettling things a mother could hear. My blood pressure was 171/115. I felt helpless. My own body was putting our son in danger and there was nothing I could do about it. According to the doctors, not only was it putting him in danger, it was also putting myself in danger for maternity seizures or even worse.
They were almost positive they would need to induce me that night. Which would have been fine, but with the added complication of Noah being a heart baby and needing his open heart surgery right after birth they need him to weigh as much as he can weigh because he will have a better survival rate for his surgery. From the start we were told by the MDs that its always a concern that heart babies will not grow like they should in the womb due to their heart condition.
So every single ultrasound has been a milestone for us where he has kept his weight where it needs to be. Until 35wks, they did an ultrasound to see how much weight Noah had gained since our last ultrasound. They estimated his weight was 4lbs 12ozs at 35weeks. The doctors had to make the decision to do what is best for baby and mom. So they decided to keep me in the hospital to monitor Noah's heart and my blood pressure and also in hopes he would gain more weight within the 2 weeks. The plan was to induce me around 37weeks because waiting any longer was too much of a risk for mother and child.
I was induced into labor at just 37weeks at Good Samaritan Hospital on September 30th. Our baby boy arrived on October 1st at 7:09pm. Noah was sent to the NICU to be stabilized & then two hours later transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center. His weight was less than what we were originally told during pregnancy. He only weighed 4lbs 7ozs and was 18.1 inches long.
While at Children's Hospital he stopped breathing multiple nights in a row and his heart rate dropped on the brink of needing resuscitated. It was then that they put him on a breathing machine and he had his first minor heart surgery to place 2 bands on his heart. He does not yet weigh enough for his first major open heart surgery the Norwood Procedure. If he tolerates coming off of the breathing machine within the next week the doctors plan to insert a feeding tube in hopes he will gain some weight that way he can have the Norwood Procedure.
The journey ahead is a long one. This is only 1 of 3 major heart surgeries Noah will require. The first one, the most difficult of the three (the Norwood Procedure) will happen anywhere from birth to the first few weeks of his life. The second (the Glenn Shunt Procedure) will happen when he is about 6 months old. The third (the Fontan Procedure) will happen before he is 3 years old. Unfortunately, none of these surgeries are a cure. Noah might end up needing a heart transplant once he is older.
Please consider making a donation to help lessen the financial burden we face as many bills have started to come in. Unfortunately, we are unsure of how long I may be out of work to care for Noah. Your donations will help pay for Noah's continued medical care and upcoming surgeries. They will also help cover the expense of household bills due to missed time from work, travel, and many other associated expenses.
We are trusting that God has his hand on our Noah. In no way do we have the finances for all of this, we are trusting in the Lord that he will bless us. Trusting that he will provide for our family, provide healing, peace, comfort, and strength. Please help by donating. We are so grateful for your help! God Bless!
You can also help by sharing our story on social media with friends and family.
All our love,
The Rodgers Family (Andrew, Brittany, & Noah)
My name is Brittany Rodgers and my amazing husband is Andrew Rodgers. We are overjoyed at the thought of becoming parents for the first time to our baby boy.
We have created this Gofundme page because when I was just 21wks pregnant my husband and I recieved the heartbreaking news that no parents wants to hear. Our son Noah was diagnosed with, a complex heart defect, Tricuspid Atresia with VSD and the added complication of transposition of the great arteries and a leaky valve. The Doctors informed us he would require a series of three open heart surgeries before the time he is 3 years old.
At 35wks during pregnancy I was admitted to the hospital for gestational high blood pressure, Dr. Voss explained to my husband and I that "our child is in a burning house" one of the most unsettling things a mother could hear. My blood pressure was 171/115. I felt helpless. My own body was putting our son in danger and there was nothing I could do about it. According to the doctors, not only was it putting him in danger, it was also putting myself in danger for maternity seizures or even worse.
They were almost positive they would need to induce me that night. Which would have been fine, but with the added complication of Noah being a heart baby and needing his open heart surgery right after birth they need him to weigh as much as he can weigh because he will have a better survival rate for his surgery. From the start we were told by the MDs that its always a concern that heart babies will not grow like they should in the womb due to their heart condition.
So every single ultrasound has been a milestone for us where he has kept his weight where it needs to be. Until 35wks, they did an ultrasound to see how much weight Noah had gained since our last ultrasound. They estimated his weight was 4lbs 12ozs at 35weeks. The doctors had to make the decision to do what is best for baby and mom. So they decided to keep me in the hospital to monitor Noah's heart and my blood pressure and also in hopes he would gain more weight within the 2 weeks. The plan was to induce me around 37weeks because waiting any longer was too much of a risk for mother and child.
I was induced into labor at just 37weeks at Good Samaritan Hospital on September 30th. Our baby boy arrived on October 1st at 7:09pm. Noah was sent to the NICU to be stabilized & then two hours later transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center. His weight was less than what we were originally told during pregnancy. He only weighed 4lbs 7ozs and was 18.1 inches long.
While at Children's Hospital he stopped breathing multiple nights in a row and his heart rate dropped on the brink of needing resuscitated. It was then that they put him on a breathing machine and he had his first minor heart surgery to place 2 bands on his heart. He does not yet weigh enough for his first major open heart surgery the Norwood Procedure. If he tolerates coming off of the breathing machine within the next week the doctors plan to insert a feeding tube in hopes he will gain some weight that way he can have the Norwood Procedure.
The journey ahead is a long one. This is only 1 of 3 major heart surgeries Noah will require. The first one, the most difficult of the three (the Norwood Procedure) will happen anywhere from birth to the first few weeks of his life. The second (the Glenn Shunt Procedure) will happen when he is about 6 months old. The third (the Fontan Procedure) will happen before he is 3 years old. Unfortunately, none of these surgeries are a cure. Noah might end up needing a heart transplant once he is older.
Please consider making a donation to help lessen the financial burden we face as many bills have started to come in. Unfortunately, we are unsure of how long I may be out of work to care for Noah. Your donations will help pay for Noah's continued medical care and upcoming surgeries. They will also help cover the expense of household bills due to missed time from work, travel, and many other associated expenses.
We are trusting that God has his hand on our Noah. In no way do we have the finances for all of this, we are trusting in the Lord that he will bless us. Trusting that he will provide for our family, provide healing, peace, comfort, and strength. Please help by donating. We are so grateful for your help! God Bless!
You can also help by sharing our story on social media with friends and family.
All our love,
The Rodgers Family (Andrew, Brittany, & Noah)
Organizer
Brittany Lynn Rodgers
Organizer
Harrison, IN