Trevor was born on October 3, 1996. He had very weak pulses in his legs and an ultrasound revealed a severe coarctation of his aorta, which was successfully repaired when he was three days old.

A routine follow-up in December 1998, showed that Trevor had developed a sub-aortic membrane which needed to be removed by open heart surgery. We prepared ourselves as well as possible and did all we could to help Trevor understand what was going to happen. Much to our gratitude he was curious and excited more than anything else.

When the day finally came we experienced the indescribable agony of placing his sleeping body on the surgery bed and watching as he was wheeled away from us. After hours of anxious waiting we were told to meet the surgeon at the ICU. We got there just as Trevor was brought back from surgery and remember so clearly our joy at seeing his little blond head shining in the midst of the tubes and wires. The surgery was a great success and six long days later we went home to a house and yard full of balloons. Trevor was feeling so good that he ran around as if nothing had happened.

The next two years were blissfully uneventful as all routine follow-ups were normal. At the January 10, 2001, appointment Trevor's cardiologist became concerned with a change in Trevor's ever-present murmur and signs of a slight arrhythmia on the EKG. An echo exam confirmed his fears, the membrane had returned.

Four agonizing months later we heard the worst - the membrane was growing and had to once again be removed. Surgery is scheduled for July 25, 2001. Additionally, the coarctation has come back too, and will hopefully be treated in the cath lab on July 12, 2001. 

Trevor is, as always, an extremely active, big and healthy boy. Which makes this even harder to accept. We are blessed he is so happy and strong.

Update: The coarctation needs to be surgically repaired along with the sub-aortic membrane and both will be done in late October 2001