We walk for Zoe.
Zoe is a tiny but mighty one year old who has endured and overcame so much in her first year of life. She is the true definition of a warrior and we are proud to call her our daughter. We were elated when we found out we were pregnant in Oct of 2016. Zoe is the product of 3 years of fertility. We shared our wonderful news with family and friends over the holiday and we were looking forward to what 2017 would bring. Just a few weeks later following a fetal echo we got the heartbreaking news that Zoe had critical aortic valve stenosis and an aortic coarctation. Our lives were turned upside down and forever changed.
Zoe was born June 22, 2017 at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, 5lb 15oz; she was transferred to Children’s Hospital immediately and underwent an aortic valvoplasty to alleviate the pressure across the aortic valve. She then underwent a thoracotomy and coarctation repair 3 days later. Once she came off the ventilator we were finally able to hold our baby for the first time, a week after she was born. Zoe spent 2 weeks in the CICU. She earned 129 beads of courage for each poke she received. It still amazes us how much tenacity and fight our little girl possessed to be able to endure such a rough start in life.
In the past year Zoe has grown into an adorable, feisty one year old. She is closely monitored but despite her condition continues to amaze us all. We are walking for her heart because she fills our hearts with so much love!
