Brittany, born 2009

Brittany was born a twin at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her twin sister was born with Atrioventricular Canal Defect and passed away a month after her birth from complications of a heart catheterization. Since then Brittany has also been diagnosed with sub-aortic stenosis. She had her first open heart surgery when she was 18 months old to remove the sub-aortic membrane. The doctors did not expect for the membrane to come back and especially not as quick as it did but only 2 years later. Brittany had her second open heart surgery to remove the membrane for the second time. Afterwards, she went into complete heart block and was very close to needing a pacemaker but after about a week she began to slowly go back into a normal heart rhythm. Now she is just trying to be a normal four year old girl. She loves going to school and playing with her brother and sister, even if she gets tired quickly. She will eventually need more surgery to help her valve and possibly the membrane again but until then we just try to make her feel like she is not any different than anyone else.

 

Story by Brittany’s mom, Alexis - Pennsylvania