Team Travis: Bringing Hope to Broken Hearts

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Bringing Hope to Broken Hearts

Sisters by Heart is continuing its mission to inspire and support newly-diagnosed HLHS families.

With your help, we can reach more families and spread the word that a diagnosis of HLHS is not the end, but just the beginning of a life-changing and rewarding journey.

Our children, both survivors and angels, bring us HOPE for the future of HLHS. Please, share our message so that we may continue to reach out to those in need.

3 comments:

AnonymousApril 19, 2011 at 11:08 AM
This is a beautiful video, and I am so glad Travis in in it, though I cried when I saw his picture. I think it is important for families with new diagnoses to know that even the angel babies had valued, happy, meaningful lives and experiences and times with their families. I hope your blog will remain on blog registers along with those of living HLHS babies. Travis is a beautiful boy, and his life had great worth and meaning, and his story really matters. I am so sorry for your loss.
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AnonymousApril 19, 2011 at 11:40 AM
PS I just made a donation to the gift baskets program in Travis's honor.
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Happy4everafterApril 20, 2011 at 12:11 AM
Cried through the whole thing ... thank you ladies for doing this ... seriously as I've lived with a Single Ventricle defect for 29 years and I just pray you all know how much hope and love you are giving new parents and these children ... and the song is beauitful ... I love you all ... whether I know you are not ... you are my heart family ... and I want to share this video on my CHD FB ... so any new HLHS mom's can find you all!!! <3 <3 Prayers, love, and hugs ...

From someone who is so proud that you all started this and beg to differ that we are more than just a diagnoses!!!
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Travis Gary DiCarlo

Travis Gary DiCarlo, first son of Roger and Nicole DiCarlo, was born at San Diego Kaiser Hospital, October 23, 2009 with a Congenital Heart Defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, or HLHS. The short explanation is that Travis was born with only half of a heart. In order for him to live, a series of three operations were planned.

Due to an infection, Travis had to have an additional open heart surgery to insert pulmonary artery bands on October 29, 2009. He had his Norwood Surgery on November 21, 2009. He was sent home on December 14, 2009 from Rady's Children Hospital of San Diego after spending his first 52 nights of life in the hospital.

After being home for several months, Travis was due to for his next surgery in the plan, the Glenn procedure. But the life of a cardiac kid can change in an instant and life doesn't always go as planned. Due to the anatomy of his heart and some rhythm issues, Travis had what the surgeons called Norwood part 2. They replaced his Sano Shunt with a bigger one, enlarged his pulmonary arteries and installed a pacemaker. This surgery was performed on May 3, 2010. Travis went home on May 17th, 2010.

Around Travis' first birthday in October his cardiologist detected some narrowing in his pulmonary artery and ordered a heart cath. The heart cath showed extensive narrowing in his aorta and his pulmonary artery. On February 17, 2011 Travis had his 4th open heart surgery. He was doing well with recovery until he suddenly went into cardiac arrest on Friday (2/18). After two hours of CPR Travis was placed on ECMO (a heart/lung bypass). Although his heart did begin to beat again on its own, his brain was damaged during the whole ordeal and he lost all brain function. We had to say goodbye to our beautiful boy on Saturday, February 19th. We miss our boy terribly.....