A Father and Son Heart Defect Journey
By: Ty McCathran

• Ostium Primum Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

Through a tiny ellipse of tissue called the sinoatrial node (situated in the back wall of the top of the heart´s right atrium), a set of signals originates to ensure each of our heart muscles operates as they should.  The heart, as designed, is the world´s best engineered and most efficient pump as these muscles operate every second of every day and at least 2.5 billion consecutive times during a normal lifespan transporting blood through the body in a continuous circle.  This is how the heart should work. 

• February 14, 2007

On February 14, 2007 (ironically the day recognized as National Congenital Heart Awareness Day) my wife, Amy, and I were reminded that at times this continuous circle is damaged.  Our 14 day old son Jake was diagnosed with an Ostium Primum Atrial Septal Defect (ASD).  Basically, this defect consists of a hole between the 2 atria (upper collecting chambers of the heart) with a defect in one of the heart valves.  The only solution to ensure a full lifespan and prevent more complicated cardiovascular problems is repair by open heart surgery. This just so happened to be the same defect I was diagnosed with and had repaired 11 years earlier at the age of twenty one.  My defect was successfully repaired with only a little bit of mitral valve regurgitation.  I am fortunate that this repaired defect still allows me to play tennis and do things like climb the 14,000 ft. Mt. Princeton in Colorado. 

• Growing Up With the American Heart Association

It´s strange, but in some way, our family has always been connected to and involved with the American Heart Association.  Growing up, my Aunt ,Kaye Cochran, was heavily involved with Jump Rope For Heart in Louisiana as the State JRFH Coordinator and a teacher. Kaye also served as JRFH Demonstration Team coach for the Red Hots, in Caddo Parish Public School System in Shreveport, La.  Kaye is now past president of LAHPERD ( Louisiana Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) , the Caddo Parish Wellness Coordinator, and a member of the AHA/AAHPERD Joint Projects committee. I can remember participating in several Jump Rope For Heart school events and learning the importance of having a healthy heart early on in life.  Little did I know just how important it would be for me to have a heart as healthy as possible to help me through open heart surgery.

• Baby Jake´s Surgery

Jake´s story however, would be a little different than mine as we soon found out that that Jake´s hole was almost half an inch in diameter (much bigger than mine).  This would very quickly begin to create more complicated problems…… if not corrected within the first year of life.  So, on December 17th, 2007, at the Texas Children´s Hospital in Houston, TX, Jake underwent successful open heart surgery to correct his defect. An x-ray taken just three days post operation already showed new capillaries forming in the lungs indicating increased cardiovascular ability and that Jake´s heart was operating as a more efficient pump.  We also noticed that Jake no longer sweats like he has just run a marathon when feeding.  Four days post operation with a split sternum, cut in half chest muscles, and back muscles that were just compressed way more than they were designed to be, Jake pulled himself up in his crib. Five days post operation; Jake was not only crawling again but climbing our stairs.  I don´t know if that´s just another one the body´s amazing ways of resilience or if he´s really that smart.  As parents we are choosing to believe that´s it more of the latter.

• Our Appreciation to the American Heart Association

As my family can attest and as the first word of the defect suggests, going through an atrial septal defect (ASD) and open heart surgery is a trial.  However, it´s a trial that has been conquered and continues to be conquered everyday with the help of organizations like the American Heart Association. 

Nationally, Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) continue to be the most common birth defect and is the number one cause of death from birth related defects during the first year of life.  Technology has brought us to a point where specifically, ASD´s that are corrected can lead to an excellent quality of life with only a likelihood of re-operation to repair or replace the mitral valve many years later.  As we have learned from others, congenial heart defects are not always something that can be fully cured, but they can be managed.  It is said that the goal of any CHD survivor is to live a life long enough to die of something other than their heart defect.

We believe that when you have a strong Faith and technology at places like the Texas Children´s Hospital, miracles happen.  While we cannot really help with the miracle part we can help with the technologies available.  This technology takes funding and Congenital Heart Defect research continues to be under-funded.  According to the Children´s Heart Foundation, nearly twice as many children die from CHD´s in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD´s.  We have a challenge to raise the awareness for CHD´s.  So, when you hear of stories like ours and are in any way drawn to them please think about donating to the American Heart Association to help create another miracle. 

• Happy 1st Birthday, Jake McCathran!

What a difference a year makes! One year ago was Jake´s first cardiology appointment. He received his official diagnosis of his ASD and we discussed plans to eventually fix his heart. On that day we were told Jake could wait until he was 3-4 years old for surgery. Who would have known that Jake´s condition would require surgery sooner than expected. February 14th is National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day and means so much more to us than just Valentine´s Day had before.

On Saturday, Feb. 9. 2008, we felt that it was important to celebrate Jake´s recovery from heart surgery during his first birthday party.  In honor of his fixed heart, Amy decided on a Valentine´s theme for the party even though the potential for too much pink for a boy´s birthday party existed.  However, Amy worked hard to make sure there was not a speck of pink at the party going so far as taking out all of the pink m & m´s out of the Valentine mix. The heart shaped cake was just perfect! We celebrate Jake's successful repaired heart today and pray for others who are going through similar situations. We cannot offer any medical advice other than to follow your cardiologist's recommendations, but my family does have personal experience in both adult and pediatric open heart surgery and recovery so please feel free to email me if we may be of help to someone in a similar situation.   

Ty McCathran  (Ty9895@hotmail.com)