The Countdown
And so, we are now awaiting our baby boy’s arrival. We feel fortunate to have received this diagnosis before birth, as it gives us time to prepare. Approximately 50% of cases similar to ours go undetected until after delivery, so we feel we're one step ahead.
Knowing ahead of time also brings a sense of anticipation and more frequent check-ins with our care team. On the cardiac side, they’ve been closely monitoring how Baby P’s heart is progressing. In addition, we’ve been having regular growth ultrasounds to ensure the rest of his body is responding and developing as expected.
As of now, baby’s condition is favorable for our plan. Our most recent cardiac ultrasound did reveal a slight size difference between the heart’s two great arteries. Symmetry between them is important, as they will eventually be partially switched during surgery — much like sewing the cuffs onto a pair of sleeves. Thankfully, our doctor doesn't believe this minor variation is significant enough to alter the course of our treatment. It’s a small difference — mere fractions of a millimeter — but as with everything related to the heart, every detail matters.
Our baby boy’s cardiologist is Dr. Doshi at CHOC. We’ve also had the opportunity to meet with our surgeon, Dr. Glen Van Arsdell, who performs heart surgeries at both CHOC and UCLA. Both physicians are incredibly skilled and have been very reassuring.
We’ve tentatively scheduled an induction for July 7, 2025, if labor doesn’t begin naturally before then. The date is important and will help with planning around surgical scheduling, hospital staffing, and follow-up appointments, which often run more smoothly earlier in the week.
Outside of the medical and logistical aspects, we’re doing our best to stay present. There have been hard days, and at times, this news has felt like a heavy weight to carry. I’ve leaned on extra support and tools along the way, and I’m especially grateful for Mitch’s sound perspective.
We’re deeply appreciative of everyone who has shown up for us — in both big and small ways — and we’ve been soaking up these final moments as a family of three (four, if you count our pup, Wednesday). We’re cherishing Donavon as he continues to grow, walk, and talk, and doing our best to stay rooted in the joy this pregnancy still holds.
It’s exciting — and comforting — to picture Donavon with his baby brother and to imagine the bond they’ll share. Donavon loves patting my belly and proudly pointing out where his baby brother is. He has a little ‘baby brother’ doll that he hugs and holds close. And when I ask him to say “brother,” he sometimes grins and says “bro”.
-Joyce