Patient Stories
Overcoming odds: how Kai survived amniotic band syndrome
Meet Kai Christensen, a 4-year-old fighter who overcame bleak chances of survival long before he was born. Kai means unbreakable and this little boy, although only 4 years old, is already living up to his name.
Glenn Family Finds Hope Far From Home
During a sonogram at 15 weeks, Jeanie and Shaun Glenn of Seward, Alaska, found out their baby’s heart was off center. Additional tests eventually revealed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with the liver, spleen, stomach and a portion of intestines all squeezed above the diaphragm into the chest cavity.
Groundbreaking Procedure for Severe CDH
When Jenny and Tawa Torry lost their first child to birth defects caused by congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), they never dreamed they’d have to face the same heartbreaking possibility again.
One Team, One Miracle, One Daughter
Like so many expecting parents, Amy and Joe Krese went into their 20-week ultrasound with a mix of excitement and apprehension. They were overjoyed to find they were having a girl but also learned their daughter had a bilateral CDH.
CDH: Three letters that changed our lives
After the long weekend, we had an ultrasound at a maternal-fetal medicine clinic in Grand Rapids, Mich.; the diagnosis was confirmed. Right-sided CDH, the rarer and more severe side.
14 Years Later, Miracle Baby is Just a Normal Teen
From hydrops to hope
If you met Amelia Grace, you would be best friends immediately. The 4-year-old never meets a stranger. While in the womb, Amelia developed a condition called hydrops — an excessive accumulation of fluid that is fatal if left untreated.
Thomas's story: Conquering hydronephrosis at Texas Children's
At 24 weeks, we discovered our little guy had hydronephorsis. His bladder was full and the urine was backing up into his kidneys. We were terrified! We searched endlessly for answers, and looked for any hope and help we could find.
Lifesaving Surgical Care for Patient with HLHS
Extraordinary Outcome for Devastating LUTO Case
Before Luke Vela was even born, his big brother nicknamed him Tuff because of the challenges he’d already overcome.
Eli's story: Traveling to Texas for a lifesaving fetal surgery
On Oct. 31, baby Eli will be five months old, but his journey getting here was nothing short of a miracle. It all started during Lacey Prejean's 12-week pregnancy appointment.
Fetal Imaging and Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation: Becky's Story
When Hunter and Becky Blake arrived at the Fetal Center at Texas Children's Hospital, Becky was 19-weeks pregnant and her unborn child had been diagnosed with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM).
Emerson's story: When life gives you lemons
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I imagine nearly everyone has heard this old saying before. In other words, find the positive in a negative situation. In our case, we’ve been doing our best to “make lemonade” ever since finding out our daughter, Emerson Grace.
God's answered prayer: Olivia
At their 18-week ultrasound, expecting parents Ashley and Jason learned their daughter, Olivia, had signs of spina bifida. Learn more about their journey at Texas Children’s Fetal Center and how the Fetal Team saved their daughter’s life with this innovative fetal surgery.
Canezaro Family first to undergo successful two-port fetoscopic spina bifida repair in U.S.
When Althea Canezaro found out she was pregnant, she was thrilled to give her son, Blaine, a sibling. But, her 22-week ultrasound revealed something she didn’t expect - spina bifida.
Less Invasive Approach to Fetal Spina Bifida Repair
Julia Wallace vividly remembers the moment a routine ultrasound revealed her unborn daughter had myelomeningocele, a type of spina bifida.
The Future of Healing for Neural Tube Defects
Like most first-time parents, Johnna and Adam Kerres of Rock Island, Illinois, were excited to mark every milestone of their pregnancy. Until, that is, an ultrasound at 18 weeks revealed their baby boy Everett had spina bifida.
Surgery Before Birth Changes Abdiel’s Life
Texas Children’s Hospital fetal surgery to repair spina bifida birth defect saves child from paralysis, brain damage and other life-altering complications.
Fetal Surgery Removes Grapefruit-Sized Sacrococcygeal Teratoma
Nine years ago, at their 20-week ultrasound check, Keri and Chad McCartney were thrilled to learn their fifth and final child would be a girl. But that excitement quickly turned to fear.
Leo's Story: Diagnosis and Treatment of congenital heart defect, Tetralogy of Fallot
Expecting parents Rachel and Levi Strauss were heartbroken when they discovered their unborn child, Leo, was diagnosed with a fetal heart defect, Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and a ventricular septal defect.
Burroughs Family evens the odds with TTTS treatment
When Julie Burroughs went in for an ultrasound of her twins at 16 weeks, she was shocked to learn that they were not growing properly due to twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
The Elliott Twins: Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome
At 18.5 weeks of gestation, the Elliott twins were diagnosed with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), causing one twin to receive too many nutrients and the other not enough.
Kristi's story: Conquering TTTS
When my husband, Matt and I were in New Orleans for our first ultrasound visit, we were in for a surprise. We were waiting to hear a sweet baby’s heartbeat, but instead we heard two!