Welcome to Katja’s blog. A place for information, updates and our “laugh instead of cry” humor of living with a child with CHD (Congenital Heart Defects). Take a seat and prepare for a long emotional journey of our ups and downs. Feel free to browse posts about Katja, her heart and her previous surgeries. Newest updates are available below:
It’s official! We are finally heading home after 10w2d, that’s 2.5 months of being on the East Coast 😱
We are beyond grateful for all the love and support. Katja received a special private flight home 🚀
We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon Seattle with the PNW and Childrens National’s 1st Domino Partial Heart Transplant kid! 😉
Katja is off Bypass! We are waiting on the update from her surgeon now. Hopefully she’ll be closed up and in recovery in the next 2hrs. I’ll update as soon as her Dr talks to us.
As they say.. “No news is good news”. Latest update from the OR is that everything is going as expected. Getting into her chest took longer and her repair is taking a little longer than we wanted but things so far, are moving along. She’s still on Bypass but so far, so good 🤞
Katja is now on Bypass. It took longer than expected due to her previous surgery scar tissue and adhesions. These next few hours are the most crucial. Her heart is stopped completely while the machine keeps her alive. Her heart will be repaired and the team will slowly restart her heart and get it beating…
We are a fun loving family of 7. I’m Jenn, the Mom and words behind the blog. Dad Jori is the IT backbone of making sure I don’t go crazy over features. We have 5 beautiful children. Nevaeh (17), Twins Arianna & Araceli (15), Katja “Our Mended little Heart” (9) and Gryffin “Finn” (4).
Save Katja’s Heart: Urgent Flight for a Rare Transplant
Help us help Katja!
Confessions of a Mended Heart 