surviving an aortic stenosis

and a coarctation of the aorta

Trenton Howard was born November 20th at 7:08 p.m. in Berryville Arkansas . As soon he was born shows difficult to breath, soon was picked up by an ambulance to the Children’s Hospital at Missouri because of a snow storm, making impossible for a air ambulance to flown. This takes four hours, two hours for the ambulance to travel to Berryville and two hours to take Trenton to Missouri. In Missouri they realize the condition of little Trenton was something the couldn’t handle so the call to send Trenton by air ambulance to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock Arkansas.

“Took a long time to get him where he needed to be for medical treatment. He was such a strong baby and was near death when he got to Children’s hospital. They rushed him into surgery. They had to get consent on the phone through Trenton’s grandmother because we were driving by car and they couldn’t get a hold of us” said Thomas Howard and Brandy, Trenton’s parents.

It wasn’t until birth when their parents find out he has a CHD condition. Was diagnose with Critical Aortic Stenosis and Coarctation of the Aorta. Along with this two CHD conditions he also was diagnose with Congestive Heart Failure, Pneumonia, Pulmonary Edema Acute, Neonatal Sepsis and Transient Tachypnea of Newborn (TTN).

Aortic Stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve or a narrowing of the aorta directly above (supravalvar) or below (subaortic) the aortic valve. Normally, oxygen-rich blood is pumped from the left ventricle, through the aortic valve, into the aorta and then out to the body. With aortic stenosis, it makes it very hard for the heart to pump blood to the body. Depending on the severity of the stenosis, open heart surgery may be needed to correct the defect. Another option may be a balloon valvuloplasty.

Blood normally transport oxygen through the body, when blood is hardly pumped to the body makes it difficult for the infant to breath.

The Coarctation of the aorta is a constricted segment of the aorta that obstructs blood flow to the body. The aorta is the main artery that sends oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body. The left ventricle has to pump harder because the pressure is high. Because of this, the heart may enlarge. Coarctations most often occur as isolated defects, but may occur with a ventricular septal defect, subaortic stenosis, or complex congenital heart defects. Surgery may be needed to correct the defect, depending on the severity of the coarctation and the presence of other congenital defects. Another option may be a balloon angioplasty.

Because of this, Trenton was schedule for an emergency surgery where needed two balloon procedures and 5 blood transfusions. After this he was schedule for another surgery at his 3rd month of age.

Was hard for this family seeing other kids dying from doctor’s appointment to another. Little Jacobs and Trinity were two little babies who died and Trenton’s parents witnessed. Trenton was sent to Arkansas Children’s Hospital again for the scheduled surgery. In February 17th 2008 Trenton was included in the Heart Transplant List and a friend from the community opened an account to raise funds for the transplant under Trenton’s grandmother name at the Community First Bank Eureka Springs. February 29th 2008 developed a fibrosis in his heart, and the doctors needed to control it with medicine to avoid the spreading of the scar tissue.

In March 6th of this year Trenton was sent home to die. “We actually had a doctor tell us to go home with our baby and let him die. They told us there was no hope. Getting a new heart fast was hopeless” said his mom Brandy. That night his father called to say he had a heart. “They rushed our baby into surgery. He started dying... they pumped him full of ephedrine. We have his detailed medical records that told us he was dying” the mother said. Trenton underwent into a heart transplant surgery the night of March 6th 2008, at 3 o’clock in the morning next day he was out of surgery alive with a new heart. Even though he has O+ and the heart is B+ it was working well.

“Trenton has gotten his new heart. He was meant to live and be here on this earth he is a fighter.. Please pray for the family that lost their baby because it was a tragic death. I cry all the time for that baby that died but ever so grateful at the same time” wrote Brandy in her journal after the surgery. Because of an infection Trenton need to be feed with a Feeding Button and a Nissen. In April 9th 2008 he finally went home.

At this time Trenton Howard has 8 month and doing well, let keep him in pray and many other warriors who have survived with CHD. For more information about Trenton Howard go to their www.caringbridge.org page.

If you would like to help this and other million warriors around the World, you can do it for free and confidentially at this link. Millions of life will be grateful for this.

Redacted by Rafael Vilá ©2008 www.GTFN.org

Information provided by

Christine Méndez CHD Awareness in PR

Thomas Howard and Brandy, Trenton Howards' parents.