Caring hearts help Crestview infant

Crestview residents Danielle and Christian Carlee were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their third child.

Their sons, Trace, 6, and Christian, 3, were excited about having a little brother.

Several weeks into the pregnancy, “something just didn’t seem right to me,” Danielle said. “I asked my OB/GYN if I could have another ultrasound.”

The scan showed that baby Ashton had hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

It’s a congenital heart defect that happens in the first eight weeks of gestation, Danielle explained. The left side of the heart doesn’t develop fully and is non-functional.

Then she added an ominous note: “Without surgery there is no hope for the baby.”

The condition occurs in one of every 10,000 babies.

“It’s a scary thing,” Daniell said.

After the initial shock wore off, the Carlees went to work to learn more about the disorder.

“Having to deal with this was unexpected,” Danielle said. “I educated myself. The Internet does wonders, that’s for sure. There are resources out there.”

As her pregnancy progressed, her local doctors kept a close eye on both mother and fetus. When it came time to deliver, Danielle was rushed to Orlando where surgeons could perform the infant heart surgery Ashton would require.

Doctors performed an emergency C-section to keep Ashton’s artery open. Normally the fetal artery closes when a baby is born.

At four days of age, Ashton received a “Norwood procedure,” in which a shunt was placed in the aortic arch. It was the first of three surgeries required to correct the abnormality. He recently had the second.

Once a month the Carlees head over to the Nemours Children’s Clinic in Pensacola where infant cardiologist Dr. Mary Mehta observes Ashton’s progress.

“It’s a great facility. Everyone there is so knowledgeable and so nice. I’m glad that they’re close by,” Danielle said.

Like any baby, Ashton continues to grow.

“He’s doing well. He’s growing,” Danielle said happily. “He weighs 13 pounds, which is a little small, but for these babies he’s doing really well. He’s teething and doing well. He really is special.”

On Aug. 7 Ashton will celebrate his 5-month birthday. Between 16 months and four years of age he will have the third surgery to correct his heart defect.

The last one is as intricate as the first two. Doctors will reroute the blood flow so the right side of the heart doesn’t do all the work, Danielle explained.

Until then, Ashton will be carefully monitored.

“Everything has to be perfect before they can operate,” Danielle said.

Meanwhile, life progresses somewhat normally for the Carlee family. Christian goes to his job at a Blue Water Bay financial company. Danielle, who grew up in Destin, is about to return to her job as a hair stylist in Niceville.

Little Ashton, meanwhile, just started at Caring Hearts, which provides day care services for children with special needs.

“They are wonderful,” Danielle said. “He had his first day there. They are amazing!”