Jace was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect at three days old and has been closely monitored since birth. We were told as long as he continued to grow and thrive, he would be able to live a regular, healthy life without surgery. Every month he got his weight checked and an echocardiogram to make sure he was progressing normally and showing no symptoms of congestive heart failure. Our happy little boy was doing well until he turned four months old and we noticed his weight gain starting to slow down. His little heart and lungs are constantly trying to keep up with the extra blood that's needing to be pumped because of the defect, and we noticed him becoming more tired and working harder to breathe. We were a bit concerned, but still remained positive hoping his weight would catch up in the weeks to come. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and the following month his weight gain completely stopped and he had fallen off of his growth curve. He was then placed on two medications to ease the symptoms of congestive heart failure. We brought him back for a weight check the following week, hoping to see some improvements. We were devastated when none were made. His newest echo showed the defect still had not closed on its own and a new issue with his mitral valve appeared. We met with a cardiac surgeon who told us his defect was moderate in size and the likely hood of it resolving on its own was slim to none. It was then, the painful decision was made to move forward with open heart surgery to repair the defect and assess the issue with his mitral valve so he could start thriving again. It’s overwhelming to think about what the surgery entails and to know your baby boy is about to experience it. This all happened so fast, with a lot to process in a short amount of time. We are pushing through the tears and staying strong for our little warrior. Thank you all for your support and please keep us in your thoughts. All donations are greatly appreciated and are going to help with any unexpected medical costs, food and lodging near the hospital, and lost wages so we can be there for his recovery. Surgery is scheduled for early June.