Rebecca Lyn was born on June 26, 1976, the first child for Bob and I.  The pediatrician heard a significant heart murmur immediately and suspected she had the common Patent Ductus murmur which happens with newborns.  A PDA will usually close upon birth, but if that does not occur, then more intervention is required.  She never regained a healthy pink skin color and struggled to eat.  Dr. Tsifutis saw her each week and monitored her progress.  He was completely familiar with heart defects due to his research study of hearts for seven years at Washington University right her in St. Louis.

At six weeks, Becky began having breathing episodes and turning blue.  We kind of rushed her to the doctor when this occurred and he immediately had her admitted to St. Louis Children's Hospital.  The antequated medical tests confirmed she had more than a PDA.  To the cath lab!  She barely survived the catheterization and immediately the docs informed us of her prognosis. She had a syndrome termed "asplenia" meaning "without spleen."  Her entire insides were backwards, dexter position, and her heart did not completely form. (Common Atrium, Common Ventricle, marked pulmonary stenosis). In her lifetime, heart transplants were not a thing.

A Blalock-Taussig shunt was performed immediately to attempt a mix of her "blue" blood with oxygenated blood from her lungs.  She survived the surgery!  We took her home with oxygen and the instructions to us were literally, "love her each day as much as possible because she will one day just die."

She died suddenly following a grand mal seizure when her oxygen dipped too low.  Her oxygen level never reached above 32%.  Very difficult times for us.  

Years after her sudden death at 16 months, I found out about the Children's Heart Foundation, discovering MO did not have a chapter.  The goal of the foundation is to raise much needed funds for the most promising research for CHDs.  

This year, so many years later, please help me raise funds for heart defect research in memory of our angel Becky. Walk with me on September 28 at Queeny Park..

I want that no other parent is told to take their beloved baby home to die.