Conner M. - Quilt Finished in 2008

Born: March 2, 2004

Illness: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Wolffe-Parkinson White Syndrome,

Sick Sinus Syndrome

Conner's Story

Hi I am Conner Logan.  I was born March 2, 2004 at 6:51 pm at Rockdale Hospital (in Georgia).  Shortly after birth, I was transported by ambulance, to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Egleston).  I weighed 4 lbs 6 ozs and was 18 inches long. Mommy & Daddy found out when Mommy was 19 weeks pregnant with me that I had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This means the left side of my heart was too small to function. So, I now live with half a heart. Mommy said it was heartbreaking to go through the pregnancy knowing that I would be born to have an open heart surgery immediately. Then at least 2 more to follow. All HLHS children must have the 3 staged surgeries in order to survive. These surgeries repair but do not fix the heart defect. The names of the surgeries are the Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan. I have had all 3 of these along with a Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement & a Pacemaker. My valve was done at 11 months old. I was first put on the heart transplant list but my Surgeon decided to try to replace the valve. This is not usually done on HLHS patients and had not been done at our hospital on an infant. This, so far, has worked for me and kept me off the transplant list...They used a 17mm St. Jude valve. This requires me to be on a high dose of Coumadin (blood thinner) to keep the blood from sticking to the valve. I have to have my levels checked often to make sure the blood isn't too thick or thin. After I had my Fontan surgery I developed Sick Sinus Syndrome and I got my pacemaker. Since the Norwood procedure (first open heart surgery) I have had fast, irregular heartbeats, I am on a medication to control this. They think it is Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. I also had to have my gallbladder removed, due to a 4mm gallstone that was lodged in the neck of my gallbladder.  Each surgery has came with many setbacks and challenges. And for me, long hospital stays. My longest was 8 weeks. It has been a long journey. Mommy & Daddy feel so blessed that I have done so well, I was so tiny...no one was sure what the outcome would be for me. I am still tiny. Now, at 3 years old, I weigh 20 pounds. I have just recently, learned how to walk. Altogether, I have had 6 surgeries, 5 of them heart surgeries and then the gallbladder removal. I have also had 6 heart caths. I am a trooper! I am very smart. My vocabulary is endless...I make friends wherever I go. Everyone says "oh you are sooo cute". I just smile...guess that is why the call me Cute Conner =0)

Someday, I may need a heart transplant. Till then I live with my special half a heart.