Brantley Ballard was born with a heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. When born he was required to go through at least three open heart surgeries. The first one was called the Norwood and Brantley went through this surgery at 7 days old. Unfortunately after this surgery he was having some problems and ended up having to have an emergency open heart surgery to fix his arch. This surgery was at 2 weeks old. After almost 2 months in the hospital Brantley was able to go home with a feeding tube and lots of medication.

At about 6 months old Brantley went through the next phase of surgery called the Glenn. After this surgery he had a lot of headaches because of the pressure changes in his heart and the new blood flow pattern. This surgery is where we found out that Brantley had pulmonary hypertension and Protein Losing Enteropothy (PLE). Brantley was able to go home after about 2 weeks in the hospital and stay at home for a few years with him having cath labs every so often to check on his heart.

Finally at the age of 3, it was time for Brantley to have his 4th and “final” surgery called the Fontan. Brantley’s surgery went well and that evening he was standing up. However, things took a turn for the worst and Brantley’s body wasn’t wanting to accept the new “Rework” of his heart. Within the next day he was put back on a ventilator and taken back to cath lab to see what was going on. When he came back from cath lab all his vitals dropped and we were scared we were going to loose brantley. Brantley had two collapsed lungs and his heart wasn’t liking the new work done in his heart. He was on a ventilator and the “modern day” iron lung machine for quite sometime. But Brantley being our Iron Man fought hard and pulled through.

Since the Fontan surgery Brantley has had trouble with his PLE. In 2020 we traveled to Philadelphia to the children’s hospital there to try to fix the PLE. However, when we went there they were only able to fix a few spots because the medication they put him on was working and they didn’t see any leakage.

This brings us to where we are today. Brantley is now 9 years old and unfortunately his heart is “sick”. His heart has a good squeeze but not a good release and with the PLE and the hypertension there isn’t much more they can do for him.

January 27-28 Brantley had his Heart transplant evaluations. The doctors believe that finding Brantley a new heart will give him a better chance at life and a much better living. A heart transplant is not a fix as he will need a new heart in 6-15 years (give or take a few years). A heart transplant does come with its own set of problems and lots of blood draws, doctors visits, and some medication. But this is the best chance for Brantley to live a more improved life hopefully a lot longer!

February 6th 2025 we got the call that Brantley was approved for a heart transplant and will be listed at a stage 2.

Any donations received will go toward hotel stays (if needed), food, gas, and “travel expenses”. This will help out greatly as we are expected to be in hospital for at least a month after receiving his new heart. There will also be lots of doctors appointments that we will have to travel back and forth from Atlanta (4 hour drive from where we live) before and after the heart transplant.

We appreciate everyone’s help and all the prayers we can receive!

With Love,

Renae (Brantley’s mom)

❤️ “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you” Ezekiel 36:26