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Justin Wyatt 
Hi!!! We are setting this up so that people can know that
I'm a kid with a bad heart.
When I go to a new child w/ congenital heart defects site, I like be able to see right away what CHD they have, it FINALLY occured to me that maybe people would like to know what Justin's were too and a little of the background history, SOOO...
Justin was born 4/12/88, when he was one day old, they took him to the nursery to check him and it was a while before they came back, they said he turned blue while feeding so they wanted to do some tests, It was one of the worst days of my life. Justin was DXd w/ Transposition of the great vessels (aorta and pulmonary artery were switched)ventricular septal defects (holes in the wall between his ventricle) pulmonary stenosis /atresia (his pulmonary artery was so narrow blood could not get out of his right ventricle)and a few minor things. I was told he needed to be transferred to either CHOP or st Chris and would need heart surgery.I knew of Dr.Norwood at CHOP so had Justin transferred there. the short version is because of his pulmonary stenosis and where it was located, Justin was not a canidate for the switch so would need to have a BT shunt at 10 days,this would help him until he was big enough for the big surgery, when he started feeding after he got off the vent he had projectile vomitting so at 17 days old he had surgery for pyloric stenosis. when he was 18 months old he had a repair called the Rastelli. part of the repair included having a conduit (tube) go from his right ventricle to his pulmonary artery, normally the conduit would be out grown and need replaced all thru the childs life, Justin was lucky because Dr. Norwood did a modified version, using Justin's own heart tissue and part of his pericardium (the sack around the heart) in hopes the conduit would grow w/ Justin so he could avoid numerous surgeries, he also didn't get a pulmonary valve so he wouldn't keep needing that replaced as he was growing. When Justin was 10 he had a surgery to cut out a blocked part of his conduit, he also got a pacemaker.
when he was 11, he got bacterial endocarditis (an infection in his heart) that required a pic line and 6 weeks of IV antibiotics.
for the next few years he had a few caths and stents, to keep opening his conduit,that would get blocked w/ scar tissue and calcification. Which brings us to where this page was started.
Justin's banner made with love by
THE HEROES BANNER SITE
Please, Visit my caringbridge brothers and sisters. I always wanted some, now I have tons!!!
Kylies Page
Jordans Page
Rebecca Lynns Page
Serenas Page
MARTY LYONS FOUNDATION The MLF has granted me my wish to go to Disney with my parents. I plan on going as SOON as I recover enough from surgery to go on the "TOWER OF TERROR". I wonder if they let you skateboard in the park?
GIVE KIDS THE WORLD
This is the cool place we are going to stay when I go to Disney-
Do you think if we put hats and t-shirts on Comet and Zero anyone will notice!?
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Journal
Tuesday, May 2, 2017 5:12 PM CDT WOW ! Can't believe its been 5 years with out an update.Part of reason Im updating now is so they don't delete this account. On the plus side part of the lack of updates, is Justin hasn't had any heart surgeries or procedures (knocking on all the wood around me) since 2007 its 2017 now so 10 years. The longest time between surgeries before this was from the time he was 18 months until he was 10 and even then he had many interventional caths before that. This site is the one place we have a record of all Justin went thru and remembering how grateful we are to have that. When Caringbridge was started and when I first made this site, there wasn't really any place "online" where people could join for free to let people know what was going on, there wasn't Facebook or anything like that and Ill always be grateful this was started.
So quick update, we're all good. Justin is doing great. He turned 29 in April i know I still can't believe that and last year he bought a house- On the same block as our house AND got engaged to a wonderful girl named Jess we all love, so life is good.They have 2 big dogs Storm and Loki who come to my house for doggie daycare on days both Jess and Justin work the same hours. I still have Roxy who is 10 and Boo who's 5 so life is still exciting.:)
Justin is still a stage hand and really enjoys it over the years he's worked on a lot of big events like the Pope in Philly most of the big concerts in Philly and AC and last week the NFL draft He loves building the big outdoor stages and last year had his picture in the paper in AC up on the scaffold and a new york paper building the stage in philly for the Pope, wow guess that was 2 years ago IF I figure out how ill try to post here. He used to have a blue hardhat, which I liked because it made it easier to spot him, (and blue is my fav color) but Loki ate it, his new one is yellow.. He and his Dad work together a lot which makes Don very happy and proud,.
Part of the reason I was reminded of updating Justin's page, is because last night Jimmy Kimmel shared the news his week old baby son was diagnosed with CHD after a couple hours and had surgery a week ago. The emotion as he was telling his story brought back so may feelings and as he talked about how great support his friends and family are made me grateful for so many people over the years who were so much comfort during the hardest times. Ive read the guest book so many times, and the guestbook was one of the reasons I wanted to update, so caringbridge wouldn't close this and we'd lose all them. I'm very sorry to hear of another baby having CHD and more parents are going thru this but glad so many millions of people are learning about CHD (and pre existing conditions) beside how important this site is to me and my family another reason I want to keep this page going is Ive heard from so many people over the years that were just starting their own journey with a baby with CHD, who were so happy to read about Justin and in spite of all he went thru with his heart surgeries and infections etc and how well he does and how active he's been and how much Hope he gives them that their babies too might be able to play sports and even break bones when they got older.
Hopefully I won't "have" to do any updates for years to come, but I will try to update a little more often, maybe next year I can post wedding pictures :) Justin next appt is in July. so if anyone sees this pray that goes great too
Lyn Don Roxy and Boo
and Justin (of course) Jess Storm and Loki
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: CHOP
home address 117 Columbia Ave
Stratford, NJ 08084
Links: http://www.heartstrides.kintera.org/mybadheart Justin's walk for CHD page
http://tchin.org/portraits/justin-2.htm Justin's story/CHD info and support group
http://www.kristineryan.com/ Wondeful Photographer in South Jersey
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