Support Holliann's Fight for Evelyn's Life

Hello,

My name is Holliann. I am currently pregnant with my 2nd daughter, Evelyn. On March 28, 2024, I had my 18-week anatomy scan. The routine appointment turned dark when I was informed that my unborn daughter had an anomaly in her chest next to her heart. I was referred to UAB Fetal and Maternal Medicine in Birmingham Alabama. They wanted to wait to see me until May 1st.

When that day came I got the most devastating news I've ever received in my life. The doctors were all in agreement that the most likely issue was Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Her diaphragm had a hole in which her stomach was protruding into her chest cavity, squishing her heart and lungs. With that, she was also diagnosed with hydrops. It's a condition where she has severe swelling and fluid retention in her abdomen and scalp. She was given a less than 30% chance of survival and I was set up with grief counselors.

I was advised that there was a procedure that could help, but from the tests and other observations, me and Evelyn most likely wouldn't be a candidate. However, they sent my referral to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. It would be better to go through the tests and get denied than regret the 'what-ifs'. Me and my partner decided to do whatever was needed to give our unborn daughter the best chance. Even if we were denied, the tests would yield clearer and concise answers to prep for the rest of the pregnancy, even if the chances of her being born alive were very slim.

I traveled to Houston with the expectation of getting confirmation of the CDH diagnosis and being denied the surgical treatment. After the tests and an appointment with my assigned nurse, she advised me that a surgeon needed to see me ASAP. The wonderful doctor advised me to forget all about the congenital hernia, Evelyn was misdiagnosed. Her left lung has multiple fluid-filled sacs that are taking up all the space in her chest cavity. This prognosis is so much better, but no less immediately dangerous. At 4 pm that day, I was told I needed an emergency procedure to put a shunt in Evelyn's chest to drain the fluid and relieve pressure on her heart, otherwise, she would most likely go into cardiac arrest in the coming weeks.

I had the procedure, and the next day the fluid in her chest had decreased significantly and her heart had more room and less pressure to do its job. My second ultrasound 4 days after surgery the hydrops is slowly reversing. An absolute miracle from what we were initially told. Her survival prognosis went from about 30% to about 70%.

However, we are not out of the woods by any means. I live in Alabama but I will be giving birth to Evelyn at the end of July, beginning of August in Houston. Due to her condition, and the experience Texas Children's has, it gives both of us the best shot at the healthiest birth we can get. The surgeons in Houston manages many similar cases all the time.

I am starting this GoFundMe to help assist with travel and medical expenses. This is the miracle we, our family, and our friends have been praying for. Any help would be so amazing and very much appreciated. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this. Please keep us and my family in your thoughts and prayers.