Lorenzo

When I went to my 20 week anatomy scan, my husband and I found out my son would be born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome with aortic atresia and mitral stenosis.

Multiple complications made him not a candidate for the traditional 3 surgery procedure most HLHS babies get. So he had to be considered for heart transplant. He was ultimately put on the transplant waiting list.

He had his first open heart surgery just over a month old to place him on a sVAD (single ventricular assist device). This device is used to help assist his heart function, and be a temporary bridgefor single ventricle babies while they wait for their donor heart.

There were many setbacks he went through as he waited for a donor heart. He was intubated the first 3 months of his life because his lungs would constantly collapse, he had one of the worst GI bleeds the gastrointestinal doctors said they had ever seen. He fought hard to stay alive and thanks to the help of the wonderful CICU team, he is still with us.

The day he turned 8 months and on day 201 being on the transplant list was Lorenzo’s heart surgery day.  He spent 13 1/2 hours in surgery. There were more complications and he had to be placed on ECMO for 9 days for his lungs that had collapsed again.

We will forever be grateful for the selfless act of the parents of the donor whom I know are grieving a great loss. They gave my son a second chance at life. A gift that can never be repaid.

After 326 days living in the hospital he got to come home just before his first birthday.

If anyone ever can donate their organs and register to donate, you can help save the lives of so many babies and adults. I hope one day we get the chance to meet the parents of the baby who gave my baby boy a second chance.