Judy, Justin and Barb at duPont with Justin's Eagle project

Justin was born April 12,1988. The next day he turned blue during feeding so the test started. Justin had TGA, VSD, PDA and pulmonary stenosis. He had an angio, then at 10 days he had surgery to put a shunt in. After getting off the vent and starting to eat at 4 weeks, we discovered Justin had projectile vomiting, kind of like "The Exorcist", so he went back to the operating room. to repair his pyloric stenosis. After that, Justin started eating and growing and really hasn't stopped.

At 18 months Justin had a modified Rastelli, where they placed a conduit in his heart. During this time Justin was ALWAYS in the hospital. He had croup, RSV, and pericardial fluid. Starting at around 2, Justin was mostly well. We had a a pretty good time. Justin was on a swim team, played baseball, basketball, soccer, and even a little hockey.

Eagle Scout, 2003

When Justin was 10, and Dr. Norwood moved back into the country, we switched from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to the duPont Hospital for Children. Justin had scar tissue in his pulmonary artery that had to be surgically removed. He also got a pacemaker. When he was 11, he got bacterial endocarditis after losing a baby tooth. When Justin was 12 he had to have 2 stents put into his pulmonary artery.

Now we get to the GOOD part, the reason I am writing. Justin is now a14 year-old. He just started high school. His main sport is baseball—he plays on travel teams as a catcher and first base. This summer he broke both bones in his arm while skateboarding. This involved rods and 2 surgeries and even two nights in the hospital.

Justin is a Boy Scout, and he just completed everything he needs to become an Eagle Scout (yeah!). We're just waiting for the paperwork. His project was getting his friends to help make around 70 fleece "coughing" pillows for the heart kids at duPont hospital.

I hope it  is helpful to some of the parents just starting this process to know about a kid like Justin. He's 5'9", about 135 pounds and unless he has his shirt off no one would every know he ever had a medical problem at all. Good Luck with your little guys!