Aiden Oldenburg

UPDATE Nov 2023:  It has been 7 years and Aiden is getting a new pulmonary Valve!  We will now be at University of Michigan Mott's Children's Hospital.  We are still with Dr. Turner and made the move with him.  So thankful that he has been Aiden's cardiologist since he was a baby.  We will update here if you would like to be stay connected and thank you for your prayers!  God is so good!  

Post from 2016: Here we are, less than a week from Aiden's open heart surgery.  We are so thankful and blessed to have our friends and family walk this journey with us!  As most of you know Aiden was born premature at 34weeks.  He weighed 6 lbs (yikes...can't imagine if he went full term. lol)  but was in intensive care the first 11 days for his lung development.  We still didn't know that he had a heart defect.  When we finally got to bring him home the last checkup indicated a heart murmur.  We were referred to a specialist at Detroit Children's Hospital.  Through further testing we were informed that he had a Bicuspid Aortic Valve with mild Stenosis, a congenital heart defect.  At 6 months Aiden had a vavluplasty (like an angioplasty)  to widen the valve and delay surgery.  When Aiden was 4 years old it was evident that it was time to replace his valve.   This was a very trying time for us as a family as Trey was an infant, my dad and just passed away and our family business was just beginning.  GOD carried us and gave us PEACE!   Aiden received the Ross Procedure which is a double valve replacement.   They took out his defective aortic valve and moved his pulmonary valve to the aortic position.  His pulmonary valve received a homograph or donated valve.  He responded very well to this surgery and was never required to be on medication.    We are so thankful for Dr.  Walters, Dr. Turner and their team.  Aiden is now 13 years old and has grown so much.  His last checkup in May showed the pressure in his heart had increased significantly and it was time to do something.  Dr. Turner felt that Aiden would be a great candidate for the Transcatheter Melody Valve.  This is a less invasive way to replace a valve and does not require going through the chest.  We were so thankful, nervous, etc...  Aiden was ready to feel better!  August 9th after much anticipation Aiden went in to receive the Melody Valve.  To our dismay Dr Turner decided this was not the best approach because once they went in they could see the valve was too calcified.  This could potentially create a bigger issue if the valve fractured and emergency open heart would be necessary.  Again we had to put our TRUST in GOD, REFUSE FEAR, and know GODS TIMING is best!   November 7th Aiden will be getting a new pulmonary valve (most likely a porcine valve aka pig valve).  As we have been anticipating Aiden getting better since May we have seen Gods hand over this entire situation!  Aiden is an amazing, Jesus loving teenager and Man of God!  He has the biggest heart and truly puts his trust in the LORD!  We are so thankful to be his parents and walk beside him through all of this!   Thank you for continued prayers of covering and peace.