Meet Paige

When I was 16 weeks pregnant with my mono/mono twins, baby B (Levi, who became baby A at birth) was diagnosed with Dextrocardia. We found out at birth he not only had Dextrocardia, but also Transposition of the Great Arteries (d-TGA), a couple Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs), Superior-Inferior Ventricles, and Pulmonary Stenosis. Levi and his Twin brother Lane were both born at University of Cincinnati Medical Center 7 weeks and 2 days early. Levi weighing 3 pounds and Lane weighing 4 pounds. Levi was emergently transferred via ambulance to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Levi was too small but luckily stable enough that they waited to do his first surgery. On August 19th, when he was just under 3 months old Levi had his first open-heart surgery. He had a BT shunt placed and pulmonary artery reconstruction. Levi spent a total of 102 days inpatient at Children’s between the CICU and the step-down unit. He was finally able to spend time at home from the end of September until the end of December. His first catheterization was December 29th to get a better look at his heart for his second, much more complex surgery that he would be having. On January 24th, Levi urgently had his second open-heart surgery. He successfully had a bi-ventricular repair, they were able to patch his smaller VSDs, they put in a conduit in his larger VSD, and placed a contegra conduit (made out of cow) for the reconstruction of his blood outflow. He spent a total of 24 days inpatient. After his second surgery he was able to come off home oxygen. Levi will continue having surgeries as he outgrows his conduit. We unfortunately discovered a few days before their first birthday that Lane has an idiopathic 2:1 heart block. He is followed closely by Cardiology and Electrophysiology and may require a pacemaker if his heart rate gets any lower or if he begins showing symptoms, which we are hoping never happens. Levi and Lane are currently 3 1/2 and thriving! They’re full of energy 24/7!