Tenlee
“Our CHD journey began in October 2018, Tenlee’s initial diagnosis was HLHS, Hyperplastic Left Heart Syndrome. We found out about her HLHS diagnosis at my 20 week fetal anatomy scan. Even though we had 18 weeks to process this news, nothing prepares you.
Over the course of a couple months, her diagnosis changed a few times. Ultimately, she was also diagnosed with an Unbalanced AV canal.
Tenlee Grey Alberalla was born February 28,2019 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Even with all of Tenlee’s structural abnormalities, her cardiologists were hopeful for a bi vent repair. We anticipated about 3-4 weeks in the hospital after she was born, but once she was born everything changed. Tenlee’s function of her heart took a turn for the worse. Her overall squeeze of the heart was very poor, and that’s what ultimately led to her needing a heart transplant. She was listed for a heart at 2 and a half weeks old.
Tenlee waited 5 months for her new heart at CHOP. Immediately after her transplant, she had a bumpy road and ended up on ECMO. Praise God, she recovered quickly.
At 6 months old, we were able to bring Tenlee home for the very first time.
Since coming home, Tenlee has been meeting all her normal milestones for kids her age. She is such a little MIRACLE!
Now she spends her days being WILD, chasing her 4 year old sister around, and kissing her baby brother. Tenlee loves food, and would eat blueberries and watermelon all day if she could. When daddy is home, she is stuck to his hip, wanting to do everything he does, especially riding the Gator. Tenlee LOVES going to the beach and building sand castles.
She likes to dance to the entire Frozen sound track, oh and Luke Bryan’s “One Margarita!”
We are beyond thankful to be home, living our crazy life with 3 kids. But our journey is not over. It’s just the beginning. There is no cure for CHD. One day, she will need another heart transplant. We pray that is not for A VERY LONG time. We love to raise CHD awareness and try to give back to CHOP, the place that gave Tenlee a second chance at life as much as we can.
Battle on, warriors!”