By: Yohana de la Torre, Chief Editor

“Davee is a piece of work— a resilient piece of work,” Kristi Lester described.

Lester is the mother of 3-year-old Davee. And in his short life, her little boy is living proof that a mended heart is worth everything.

“When Davee was first born, I was taking him to his regular check up’s,” recounts Lester, 26. “On our second or third visit, my pediatrician explained Davee had a heart murmur. After a couple more visits, she suggested we consult a local pediatric cardiologist.”

Two-month-old, Davee was referred to Dr. Carl Reed with the Children’s Specialists of Southwest Florida. And the news Lester got was alarming.
Her little boy had an atrioventricular canal defect. The condition is a large hole in the center of the heart, located at the septum between where the upper chamber joins the wall of the lower chambers.

Two valves in his heart had not fully developed correctly during pregnancy. The tricuspid and mitral valves that normally separate the heart into the upper and lower chambers hadn’t formed as individual valves. Therefore, they would need mending.

Research, by the American Heart Association (AHA), shows that 36,000 infants are affected per year in the United States with some type of congenital heart problems. Of these, several studies suggest that 9,200 require invasive treatment or result in death in the first year of life.

The AHA also says nearly 2,400 Americans die from heart disease every day. An estimated 81,100,000 American adults (more than 1 in 3) have one or more types of Cardiovascular Disease. In regards to congenital heart defects, an estimated 650,000 to 1.3 million people in the US are affected by this condition. Davee’s condition is the most common.

Although Davee’s survival rate was quite high and doctors explained to Lester that the operation would be a one time deal, she needed answers. She asked questions and researched her son’s condition nightly.

“I was worried about him constantly because of the fear and anxiety that had set in after the prognosis,” she says frankly. “I prayed and asked the Lord, why Davee? Why is this happening to him? He’s just a little baby.”

Throughout Lester’s research, she learned that the cause for this condition isn’t known. Basically, her son’s heart had not developed so that blood would travel and pump into where it was supposed to.

Normally, the left side of the heart only pumps blood to the body, and the heart’s right side only pumps blood to the lungs. In a child with AV canal defect, blood can travel across the holes from the left heart chambers to the right heart chambers and out into the lung arteries. The extra blood makes the heart and lungs work harder, and the lungs can become congested.

“I researched this in order to understand the condition and what my son was going through,” Lester adds. “I wanted the knowledge about the condition, the success rate, and his future quality of life. But most importantly, I also needed to mentally and visually prepare for the time in the hospital where I would see him after surgery. I looked for support groups around the country that could help me prep for this and know what I was walking in to.”

The month’s stacked up and Davee’s operation was pushed back because of his healthy condition, but on his 10-month check-up the decision to operate was made.

On September 6, 2007, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed love of Lester’s life underwent open heart surgery at the All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL.

His recovery was very good Lester says. Aside from a small hiccup because of an air bubble in one of his tubes, her little boy was going to be okay.

Today, Davee is what mommy describes as “all boy.”

“He’s a very active, funny and loving boy,” she says. “He practices karate and basketball and just recently got a mouse he named Mousy.”

Lester admits Davee’s scar is a constant reminder, but to this mother it’s a reminder that her child is a survivor.

“Sometimes he points out his scar,” she says. “Other times, I point it out to him to always remind him what he went through. I explain it to Davee so that he can learn that it is a part of him and that he is strong and a survivor.”

Like Lester, experts suggest that people living with a congenital heart defect know as much as possible about their condition. Amy Verstappen, President and CEO of the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), says to learn the name of the condition, how it’s spelled and said.

For children, she advises they learn how to draw their condition and exactly what their heart does, or does not do. Finally, Verstappen says patients should know the long-term risks, their limitations and how their body functions.

As for Lester, she explained that thanks to the AHA coping with Davee’s situation was easier. The organization not only gave her the knowledge to wrap her brain around her son’s condition, but it also gave and is giving her the necessary extras for his future.

“Heart disease has touched my life in so many ways,” she adds. “Davee is not the only survivor in our family. Ten-years-ago, my father’s heart was attacked by a virus that left him with only 20% of his heart functioning. He has a pacemaker with an automatic defibrillator in it. Awareness needs to be spread.”

And that is what American Heart Awareness Month is all about. During the entire month of February, the AHA seeks to increase public knowledge of various cardiovascular diseases, for the purposes of research fundraising, and the prevention of heart disease by encouraging heart-healthy habits.

During this month, the AHA does its heaviest fundraising and educating. Through nationally recognized events and programs like Go Red For Women, Start! Heart Walk, and Power To End Stroke, the AHA’s goal is to reduce the chances that anyone would have to suffer from cardiovascular problems.

Lester just recently joined the movement as an active member when Davee was chosen as one of the honorary child survivors for the 16th Annual Start! Heart Walk in Naples, FL. The walk raised $345,000 and brought out nearly 4,000 people, including many heart disease survivors.

“Currently, I’m trying to find families in both Collier and Lee County that are going through this too,” Lester says. “Nationally, there is a support program called Mended Little Hearts for parents of children with heart defects and heart disease. The program offers resources and a caring support network as families try and find answers and move forward.”

Eventually, Lester would like to form a chapter locally. She feels that meeting others going through this will not only help parents guide each other, but it will help the children suffering from heart disease.

“Essentially, I’m a single mom and it was up to me to keep going for Davee,” she says after a short silence to compose herself. “I always kept going for him. And every morning, I wake up because I want to take care of him, make sure that he has a good life, goes to school, and grows up to be a great man.”

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