What was supposed to be a joyful milestone in our pregnancy became the moment our lives changed forever.
On July 23rd, 2024, my husband Deen and I went in for what we believed would be a routine 20-week anatomy scan. Everything appeared normal at first. Measurements were on track, and we felt reassured — until the sonographer mentioned that our baby boy wasn’t positioned correctly to clearly see the chambers of his heart. We were told not to worry and asked to return the following week for a re-scan.

I left work that day thinking I would be gone for no more than an hour. Instead, I spent the entire afternoon in the hospital. The sonographer scanned, sent us out, brought us back in, scanned again — over and over — until finally she paused and said the words that still echo in my mind:
“I feel the heart looks abnormal.”
Deen and I looked at each other in complete shock. Fear rushed in instantly. This had never crossed our minds.
We were placed in a consultation room and left waiting for nearly an hour, trapped in silence, not knowing what was wrong or what was coming next. When the specialist finally entered, she asked if we knew what the sonographer had seen. We didn’t. She gently explained her findings — a hole in the heart, and a pulmonary valve that appeared enlarged.
We were immediately referred to fetal cardiology. They told us the appointment would be within days, and unbelievably, we received the referral the very next day. That day felt endless — one that will stay with us forever.
During the fetal heart scan, the team reassured us, saying, “Please don’t worry if we’re quiet — we’re just concentrating and will explain everything afterward.” Still, every second felt heavy.
In the consultation room, the cardiologist carefully walked us through her findings using diagrams of a normal heart and then explaining how they believed our baby’s heart — Harrison’s heart — was functioning. The possible diagnoses were overwhelming: coarctation of the aorta, an atrial septal defect (ASD), two ventricular septal defects (VSDs), and possible aortic stenosis.
The consultant reassured us that the heart could be repaired — but there was another concern: a possible genetic condition, DiGeorge syndrome (22q11 deletion). We were offered an amniocentesis to rule out genetic disorders.
Afterward, we sat in the car and cried uncontrollably. We had no idea what the future held for our baby boy. A few hours later, we returned for the amniocentesis. The hospital staff were incredibly kind and compassionate, guiding us through one of the hardest days of our lives.
The wait that followed was torture. Two weeks of fear, grief, and endless “what ifs.” Then, ten days later, the results came back — completely clear. No genetic conditions. Harrison’s heart defects were isolated.
From that point on, we attended monthly fetal cardiology appointments with the same consultant. She became a familiar face and was about 89% certain Harrison had coarctation of the aorta along with two large VSDs.
In November, I was induced. After days of labor, Harrison was born. I was terrified to hold him, knowing he would be transferred to NICU — but they placed him in my arms first. That moment was everything. Soon after, he was taken to NICU, and we followed immediately. Seeing him there, so small yet so strong, we instantly fell in love with our little heart warrior.
The following morning, Harrison was transferred to the heart center. After seven anxious days of monitoring and tests, doctors ruled out coarctation of the aorta and aortic stenosis. They believed it was “just” a VSD. We were discharged that Friday and finally brought our baby home.
But our relief was short-lived.
At a routine midwife appointment the following Monday, Harrison’s oxygen saturation levels were low, and his resting heart rate was 170 beats per minute. An ambulance rushed him to our local hospital, and from there, he was transferred back to the heart center.
This time, doctors confirmed that Harrison had a large ASD in addition to the VSD — and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), meaning his heart was beating abnormally fast due to the extra workload from the holes.
We stayed another seven days. When discharged, Harrison was on multiple medications — diuretics to support his heart and propranolol to control the SVT.
We made it home for Christmas, grateful for every moment. But from January to May 2025, Harrison was admitted to the hospital five times. Even mild colds overwhelmed him. At one point, he developed pneumonia. His lung pressures weren’t dropping, and our consultant made the decision no parent is ever fully ready for: it was time for surgery.
No amount of preparation can truly prepare you for seeing your child after heart surgery. The wires, the tubes, the machines — it’s terrifying. He didn’t look like himself. But we knew he was in the best hands. And then something incredible happened.
Harrison recovered quickly. Within five days, we were discharged — something we never imagined possible.
Since surgery, everything has changed. Harrison feeds better. He stays awake longer. He smiles more. He is happier, stronger, and finally able to be a baby without his heart working against him.
We will forever be grateful to the hospitals, doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for our son with such compassion and dedication. Their love for patients and families is beyond words.
We are still waiting for Harrison’s lung pressures to fully settle, but today, he is thriving.
He is strong.
He is resilient.
And he truly is our little heart warrior.
He Wasn’t Supposed to Survive — But Oliver Rewrote His Destiny
At just two years old, Oliver Staub faced a moment no child — and no family — should ever have to endure.
What was meant to be a joyful family vacation in Mexico turned into a nightmare in an instant. A devastating truck accident left Oliver critically injured, his head nearly completely separated from his spine. The damage was so severe that doctors on the scene delivered a heartbreaking prognosis: he was not expected to survive more than a few days. For his parents, time seemed to stop as they were forced to confront the unthinkable — the possible loss of their little boy.

When Oliver arrived at the hospital, he had already stopped breathing. Medical teams rushed to resuscitate him, working against the clock to stabilize his fragile body. Against all odds, his heartbeat returned. That single moment became the first glimmer of hope in a situation that seemed utterly hopeless.
Because his injuries were so complex, Oliver was urgently flown to Chicago, where a team of world-class specialists prepared for a surgery few had ever attempted. The procedure was extraordinarily risky: surgeons would need to reconnect his skull to his spine and repair extensive spinal damage. Even the slightest misstep could cost him his life. As his parents waited, praying for a miracle, the surgical team worked with precision, courage, and determination to give Oliver a chance no one thought possible.

The surgery was only the beginning.
In the days that followed, Oliver remained in critical condition. His tiny body fought to recover, and at one point, his heart stopped again. His parents prepared themselves for the worst, holding onto hope by a thread. Then, slowly, signs of life began to appear. A finger moved. A small hand squeezed. His legs twitched. Each movement felt like a miracle unfolding in real time.
Day by day, Oliver continued to surprise everyone. He began breathing on his own with the help of a ventilator. He responded to voices. He showed awareness and strength doctors never expected him to have. For 39 long days, he remained hospitalized, surrounded by machines, medical teams, and the unwavering love of his parents, who never left his side.
Leaving the hospital did not mean the journey was over. Recovery required patience, therapy, and constant care. Oliver had to relearn how to move, how to balance, how to interact with the world again. But his spirit remained unbroken. Step by step, he grew stronger. Each small milestone — sitting up, standing, walking — was celebrated as a victory.
Today, Oliver Staub is thriving.
He runs. He laughs. He plays. He sings. He experiences the simple joys of childhood that once seemed forever out of reach. Looking at him now, it’s hard to imagine how close the world came to losing him.
Oliver’s story is more than a medical miracle. It is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit, the unwavering love of family, and the extraordinary impact of dedicated medical care. It shows that even when the odds are overwhelming, hope can survive — and sometimes, the impossible can become reality.
Oliver didn’t just survive.
He rewrote what survival looks like.
🙏 A living miracle. A symbol of resilience. A reminder that hope is never lost.
From Shadows to Sunshine: The Incredible Recovery of a Rescued Kitten
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