Story
Name
Walker Grimm
Injury/Illness
Heart Defect
Walker was born in May of 2024 with a known diagnosis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. His diagnosis on HLHS has been compounded with a second issue of having an Intact Atrial Septum. HLHS with IAS is a subset of HLHS patients with very severe complications that present immediately at birth. At birth Walker was taken right to the Cath Lab to open a hole in his atrial septum. After this was opened he experienced a prolonged cardiac arrest of over an hour and was placed on ECMO for 13 days.
In those first 13 days Walker had an open heart surgery, two heart caths and experienced other complications including a hemorrhage that required a mass transfusion. Walker will need another open heart surgery called the Glenn in the upcoming months. At this time, he is on the ventilator until his next heart cath. This cath will give us some information on Walker's heart that will help us know the best way to proceed with his care.