| From
the Beginning:
Born Sunday, Sept 2, Timothy appeared
normal and healthy. The doctor noticed a heart murmur but most
babies have such on their first day. On Sept 3, the doctor
regarded the murmur as worthy of investigation and after tests were
done, Timothy was taken by helicopter to UCLA where one of the best
neonatal units for heart problems exists in the U.S.
What we know now, but didn't then, is
that Timothy was born with one of the worst types of congenital heart
defects. Known as Shone's Complex (and/or) Hypoplastic Left Heart
Syndrome, the left side of Timothy's heart did not develop
properly. Until recently, babies born with this condition usually
died in their first week.
Rather than fixing a series of problems
which are very high-risk and then still have a small left ventricle,
doctors decided instead to make his heart work on a single (the right)
ventricle.
The right ventricle typically is weaker
and pumps blood to the lungs; the left pumps to the body. This had
to be changed so that the right ventricle pumps to the body and
holes/shunts were added so that the blood would also get to the lungs.
**Our daily reports of Timothy's
situation begins with his birth.**
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