LANDON – 7 Years Old

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Landon was born in December 2007 at Springhill Medical Center. An hour or so after delivery, our precious boy was wheeled into our birthing room in and oxygenated incubator. The pediatrician, cardiologist and chaplain wheeled him in with heartbreaking news. He was placed on oxygen because he became cyanotic and had a very strong grade heart murmur. The cardiologist informed us that Landon was born with a congenital abnormality of the heart called Tetralogy of Fallot. He needed to be transported immediately to USA Womens & Childrens Hospital to get prepped for a jet ride to UAB in Birmingham.

While at UAB he was tested for DiGeorge Syndrome (chromosome 22Q11.2 deletion). After being in intensive care for three weeks, the heart surgeon, Dr. Kirkland, performed heart surgery (a cardiac shunt) to provide better blood flow from the heart to the lungs in order to get oxygenized. Landon was released from the hospital in Birmingham the day after Christmas.
At 6 months old, the pediatric cardiologist in Mobile, informed us that Landon needed to go back to UAB to get open-heart surgery.

Our little Landon is now almost 7 years old. He is full of life and energy. He continues to get speech and occupational therapy and he is delayed in most developmental milestones. His immune system is affected so he gets sick easily. When he becomes a young adolescent, he will have to undergo another heart surgery for the final corrective repair. He's had dental surgery to remove teeth and have many capped due to lack of tooth enamel and dentin. He has had corrective repairs on his ear drums from so many acute ear infections. He now wears a hearing aid in both ears.

Every day brings new challenges for him in school as he has most characteristics of ADHD. We are working with a behavioral therapist on that issue. One thing is for sure..he is full of love and happiness and he truly is our hero!

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