Doctors soon discovered Madeline suffered from four congenital heart defects:  a hole in her heart (ASD), an arrhythmia problem (WPW Syndrome), high pressure in her lungs (pulmonary hypertension) and a tight valve (mitral valve stenosis).  Madeline had open heart surgery ten days after our ambulance ride to the ER to repair the hole and was given medications to treat her other conditions.

 Her cardiologist, Dr. Joel Lutterman, maintained close contact with us and advised us to come back to the hospital when she showed symptoms that something was not right. Four weeks after heart surgery, Madeline had a heart catheterization to modify the Gore-tex patch that was placed over the hole.

 As a 10 month old learning the art of eating, enduring three intubations and medication six times a day did not help.  She developed a feeding disorder (conditioned dysphagia) and essentially stopped eating.  In June of 2006, Madeline underwent surgery at Le Bonheur to place a feeding tube in her stomach that would supply her nourishment while she learned to eat again.  Special Kids and Families, Inc. (an early intervention service provider) introduced Madeline to feeding therapy through a twelve week program.  When Madeline needed further intervention, Le Bonheur Early Intervention and Development provided individual and group feeding therapy for the next two years that eventually led Madeline to eat on her own.  In October, 2006, we traveled to Boston Children's where Madeline, then 17 months old, had a heart catheterization to balloon open her tight valve.  Dr. James Lock conducted the procedure.

 Thankfully, Madeline had her feeding tube removed in December, 2007, and then needed surgery at Le Bonheur to close the hole in her stomach in February, 2008. Whew!!!!

 The first six months were full with frequent check ups at the hospital and a few hospitalizations.  Fortunately, Madeline is doing very well now.  She loves to visit "Our Le Bonheur" as she calls it, for regular check-ups and occasions like Doctor's Day, Nurse's Day, Congenital Heart Disease Week, the Topping Out Ceremony (to commemorate the highest beam being placed on our new hospital, visiting other kids in the hospital, and any other opportunity to give her caregivers hugs and kisses!