Support for Isaac Chatham

Isaac’s Story

Isaac Henry Chatham was born 9 minutes after his twin brother Lucas on October 6, 2020 at Baptist Women’s Hospital in Memphis. The twins were born 6 weeks premature and needed to spend time in the NICU to develop.

When Isaac was 4 days old his parents, Courtney and Carl, got a call that changed everything. “His pulse is fast and weak and we think his heart is on the wrong side of his chest”. Isaac was immediately transferred to the NICU at Le Bohneur, where he lived for the next 8 weeks and remained on a ventilator for the first month.

That first week at Le Bonheur Isaac was diagnosed with Scimitar Syndrome, which effects roughly 1 in 100,000 babies. His right lung did not fully form; it is small and does not assist at all in respiration. Because of his small lung, Isaac’s heart shifted to the right side of his chest and half of the veins attached to the wrong place in his heart, making his heart less efficient and putting strain on his system.

But that wasn’t all we learned about Isaac in those first 8 weeks. We learned Isaac is a fighter and has a joy that touches everyone around him. No matter what test or procedure he is going through, Isaac doesn’t cry. He smiles and is happy to be with us. He is content to lay in his hospital bed and smile at his nurses or laugh at his mom and dad singing him songs.

During his stay in the NICU, Isaac had dozens of x-rays, echos, and blood tests. He went through his first cardiac catheterization to seal off some of the extra veins around his heart. He also had surgery to place a gastric feeding tube, because drinking from a bottle was more effort than his heart and lung could support. Isaac would eventually require open heart surgery to relocate the misplaced veins. His right lung would never grow to full size and his lung capacity would always be diminished.

In January, Isaac went in for a checkup with his cardiologist and received more bad news. The pressure in the veins from his good lung was extremely high and he was on the verge of heart failure. An emergency cath was performed and Isaac was diagnosed with Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS), which effects roughly 1 in 80,000 babies. Isaac’s parents were told his veins were closing and there was no way to stop them. He was given a life expectancy of 2 years. Stents were placed in the veins to open them up and slow the progression of the disease. Isaac’s family prayed for a miracle and planned to love him every second they had.

Since this diagnosis, Isaac has had 2 more caths to maintain and dilate the stents. He is still the happiest baby you’ll ever be lucky enough to meet. He loves being at home with his brothers, mom, and dad. He is frequently hospitalized because any infection makes him extremely sick, but every time he goes to Le Bohneur he has a string of visitors who have missed seeing his smile since his last visit!

Isaac and his family have had more than their share of heartache in his short life, but they’ve also found hope. Prayers and support from friends and family have lifted them up and given light to their future. Isaac is back in the hospital but will be transported to Boston Children’s Hospital in the coming week to receive an extensive cath and open heart surgery that should significantly relieve his struggling. The doctors in Boston also believe, in the future, they may be able to conduct another surgery to repair Isaac’s stented veins and allow him to live a long life.

Isaac and his family still have a long way to go, but they have faith they can make it through. Due to Isaac’s conditions, he has had trouble recovering from even simple procedures, so we don’t know how long he and his family will be relocated. The future also still holds procedures to fix his veins, regular heart caths until adulthood, and frequent tests to monitor his condition.

The funds raised here will go towards travel expenses for the family’s upcoming trip to Boston and future trips, as well as any medical bills.