Natalie Jean-Mardell Pheil

I was born at 2:38 AM on September 9th. I was a month early, but only a week early than they planned. I had to be born in Seattle, Washington because I have a heart defects. So they didn't want to wait for 9 months. I suffer from Tetrology of Fallot and Pulmonary Artresia. I had to be born in the Operating room, so they could take care of me in a special room with a Respiratory Therapist, Perinatologist and a Pediatrician.

My First Picture [Larger View]

To everyone's delight I came out screaming

Moms First Look at Me [Larger View]

Mom never got to hold me. They had to stabilize me. They gave mom a quick look then rushed me down to Prenatal Intensive Care Unit. They got me already there. 

Prenatal Intensive Care Unit [Larger View]

Four hours later they took me by ambulance to to Children's Hospital. They put me Intensive Care Unit. Because of the medicine they gave me to stop my Ductus from closing off before surgery I stopped breathing. They had to put me on a respirator.

Moms first time holding me. [Larger View]

Mom, Dad and Grandma Pheil got to hold me on my second day.

 Dads first time holding me. [Larger View]

Grandma Mardell holding me. [Larger View]

I had surgery on my third day. They installed a shunt between my Pulmonary Artery and Aorta. Four hours after surgery I Coded. But they were able to bring me back.

After Surgery [Larger View]

They had to give me a lot fluids to keep my Sats and BP up. 

Aunt Lisa [Larger View]

After the surgery they stopped the medication to stop my Ductus from closing. Unfortunately it not only closed off the Ductus it also closed off my Left Pulmonary Artery. On the sixth day they had to rush me into to Cardiac Cauterization and installed a stint to open up the artery. I avoided going in for Emergency Surgery.

Critical Care Unit [Larger View]

They had me on a lot of machines after that. I stayed in the hospital another two weeks after there.

Godmother Kimberly [Larger View]

The first person I got to meet when I came home was my Godmother Kimberly.

My first day home. [Larger View]

I still have the big surgery. Hopefully the stint will work fine till I'm at least 6 months old. If not I may get a new shunt. After 6 months I'm good to go. The longer the better. If they are able to patch my heart, it will be my last surgery. If they have to use a graft they will have to resize it every couple of years while I grow.

I have a rocking bassinet that sits next to daddy's desk. As for being a part of Sanctuary, I can see the computer from my bassinet and will be able to help daddy with his spelling and diction (which we all know is a big problem).