Samantha's Stronger Than a Broken Heart
Donation protected
Surprise it's Twins! - the news from our first ultrasound.
Anatomy ultrasound- we need to send you for further diagnostics on Twin B.
After performing a echo ( another type of ultrasound) at a Windsor hospital and then in London at the Pediatric hospital, Samantha was disgnosed in utero with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome with Pulmonary Atresia.
In simple terms this means that the lower right side ( ventricle) of Samantha's heart did not fully develop and the valve in the artery from the heart to the lungs did not develop.
We chose to give our little girl the best possible chance at life.
Leaving Daddy and our first son Adam(who just turned 4yrs old) at home to have some sense of normalcy with the help of our family and friends. Mom came to Toronto on February 2nd in the event she went into labor early to be as close to the SickKids Hospital where Samantha needed to be.
Owen and Samantha were born February 17th by cesarean section at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Samantha was whisked away immediately to another room to stabilize her. Owen fortunately is heart healthy.
Mom and Dad were able to see Samantha for a few minutes before she was moved to SickKids Hospital for stabilization and more tests.
Samantha requires assistance of CPAP machine for breathing so her heart doesn't have to work so hard. A cocktail of medicines, including one to keep open a duct that would normally close after birth, which is allowing blood to flow to get lungs. She gets nutrition via iv and tube feeding.
On her 1st month-iversary, she had her first open chest surgery to apply pulmonary artery bands.
It took Samantha almost 3 months to achieve a weight of 3kg (6.6 lbs) when they were finally able to perform ( on her 3rd month-iversary) a diagnostic test to see the function of coronary arteries which would be the determining factor of whether or not her heart was repairable.
It has been determined that due to these coronary arteries being dependent on the right ventricle that we should list Samantha for a heart transplant. Repair is not an option for her heart.
Mom has been staying at Ronald McDonald House Toronto caring for Owen and walking daily to the hospital to spend time with Samantha with the help of grandma.
We have finally made the decision for Daddy and Big brother to join us in Toronto. We have been apart for about 4months now, and they have only met the newest additions to our family 5 times for a quick overnight visit.
Upon hearing this devastating news we now find ourselves in a position to reach out for the help of others due to the costs of both mom and dad being off work to support Samantha through her care in hospital and caring for her twin and older brother. We also must maintain the costs of our home and the costs of Ronald McDonald house and staying in Toronto. We could be here for many months while waiting for a suitable heart for transplant.
This will also help us plan for care Samantha might need in the future such as specialized equipment and travel for extensive follow up care which would require traveling.
Thank you is not strong enough for all of those who support us emotionally, spiritually and financially!
Sincerely,
Amanda, Ryan, Adam, Owen and Samantha
Anatomy ultrasound- we need to send you for further diagnostics on Twin B.
After performing a echo ( another type of ultrasound) at a Windsor hospital and then in London at the Pediatric hospital, Samantha was disgnosed in utero with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome with Pulmonary Atresia.
In simple terms this means that the lower right side ( ventricle) of Samantha's heart did not fully develop and the valve in the artery from the heart to the lungs did not develop.
We chose to give our little girl the best possible chance at life.
Leaving Daddy and our first son Adam(who just turned 4yrs old) at home to have some sense of normalcy with the help of our family and friends. Mom came to Toronto on February 2nd in the event she went into labor early to be as close to the SickKids Hospital where Samantha needed to be.
Owen and Samantha were born February 17th by cesarean section at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Samantha was whisked away immediately to another room to stabilize her. Owen fortunately is heart healthy.
Mom and Dad were able to see Samantha for a few minutes before she was moved to SickKids Hospital for stabilization and more tests.
Samantha requires assistance of CPAP machine for breathing so her heart doesn't have to work so hard. A cocktail of medicines, including one to keep open a duct that would normally close after birth, which is allowing blood to flow to get lungs. She gets nutrition via iv and tube feeding.
On her 1st month-iversary, she had her first open chest surgery to apply pulmonary artery bands.
It took Samantha almost 3 months to achieve a weight of 3kg (6.6 lbs) when they were finally able to perform ( on her 3rd month-iversary) a diagnostic test to see the function of coronary arteries which would be the determining factor of whether or not her heart was repairable.
It has been determined that due to these coronary arteries being dependent on the right ventricle that we should list Samantha for a heart transplant. Repair is not an option for her heart.
Mom has been staying at Ronald McDonald House Toronto caring for Owen and walking daily to the hospital to spend time with Samantha with the help of grandma.
We have finally made the decision for Daddy and Big brother to join us in Toronto. We have been apart for about 4months now, and they have only met the newest additions to our family 5 times for a quick overnight visit.
Upon hearing this devastating news we now find ourselves in a position to reach out for the help of others due to the costs of both mom and dad being off work to support Samantha through her care in hospital and caring for her twin and older brother. We also must maintain the costs of our home and the costs of Ronald McDonald house and staying in Toronto. We could be here for many months while waiting for a suitable heart for transplant.
This will also help us plan for care Samantha might need in the future such as specialized equipment and travel for extensive follow up care which would require traveling.
Thank you is not strong enough for all of those who support us emotionally, spiritually and financially!
Sincerely,
Amanda, Ryan, Adam, Owen and Samantha
Organizer
Amanda Bechard
Organizer
Windsor, ON