Winston Brooks: a journey with a broken heart

Hi, my name is Winston Oliver Brooks, I was born with a broken heart. Just one day after I was born, I was taken from my mommy & placed in their Category II NICU. I stopped eating, going potty, and my sugar levels were low. Two days later, my blood sugar levels began to rise & I was able to drink small amounts of formula. So, the hospital released me from their NICU not knowing the problem with me was actually my heart. I went home to be with my family. My mommy noticed my hands & feet were purple upon being released & it got worse being home. Mommy took my body temp & found it to 94 degrees. I wasn’t holding down breast milk & my color was turning grey. In a panic, my Mommy & Daddy drove me directly to Ft Worth where I was admitted to the Pulmonary, Category IV NICU were they did tons of tests including a spinal tap. The doctors discovered my heart wasn’t able to pass blood through my aorta. A condition called coarctation of the aorta. My tiny body was dying. I needed surgery immediately to fix it. The amazing doctors worked very hard to fix my broken heart. My family says prayers every day that I am able to grow up strong and with no other complications. I spent several days and nights away from my big brothers while I was in the Cat IV NICU. I still have to see doctors every week to make sure my new heart continues to beat like it should. On my last visit, one of my doctors noticed on the EKG that I developed a kink in the top of my aorta. The doctors are optimist that the kink will work it’s way out. Between being born at one hospital, then being sent to their Cat II NICU only to come home & have to leave again to be admitted immediately to Ft Worth’s Cat IV NCIU, the bills added up quickly. Pages & pages of bills began coming to my house. My parents really need help with paying for all the medical bills from my unexpected & unwanted adventurous time in two separate hospitals. I am asking with all that my little heart can ask to please donate towards all my current medical bills & those that will be coming in for some time, as I will need close monitoring as I grow. Please donate from your heart for my heart. I want to thank you in advance for your love & generous donation. My Mommy & Daddy will need all the financial help they can get from people like you with a giving heart. #coarctationoftheaorta #heartwarrior #CHD