Heart To Heart With Anna

Send us a textIs it possible to have a baby if you are a woman who was born with HLHS? What problems can occur when a person with a single ventricle heart becomes pregnant? What advice would a Heart Warrior offer others trying to have a baby? Meghan Roswick-Didier is 30 years old and was diagnosed with HLHS at 7 days of age. She had four open-heart surgeries at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia including the Norwood at nine days old, the hemi-Fontan at seven months old, the Fontan at 13 months old and a surgery to open her ASD at two-and-a-half-years old. Her doctors encouraged her to set her own limits which she did. She enjoyed gymnastics and sports in high school and never let anything hold her back. In her early 20s she suffered a devastating stroke and took a year to recover. Meg has studied Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, coaches gymnastics and advocates for better patient care for adults with congenital heart defects. In 2022 she embarked on her biggest journey yet, as she and

Send us a textIs it possible there could actually be a cure for congenital heart defects? If so, what might that cure look like? Who would be responsible for creating such a cure?Welcome to our first Medical Monday mini-series for Heart Month 2023. In this episode, you'll revisit HeartWorks, a very special company that is changing the face of treatment for those born with single ventricle hearts, especially hypoplastic left heart syndrome.Dr. Timothy Nelson is the director of the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for HLHS at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Nelson’s research work is focused on cardiovascular regeneration using bioengineered stem cells to improve the ability to discover, diagnose, and ultimately treat mechanisms of degenerative diseases. As director of the program, Dr. Nelson and his team are specifically interested in the cause of HLHS and finding ways to delay and prevent heart failure for individuals with HLHS. To better understand and treat this congenital heart disease, the program has taken a mul

Send us a textHow can a child help her father recover from heart transplant surgery? How important is it for parents to allow their children to be part of the recovery process? What advice does a heart transplant recipient have for others facing being listed for transplant when they are the parents of a young child?This is the first Heart Dad Sunday episode for February 2023 and Frank Jaworski is our Guest Host. Paul Cardall was born in 1973 with only half a heart. He had his first surgery a few hours after birth and two more surgeries at age 13 and 14. As a child, he took piano lessons, but wasn’t keen on practice. As a teenager, he started composing and became obsessed. He was hired to play at weddings, in restaurants and department stores. In 1994, author Richard Paul Evans invited him to compose a musical adaptation of his Number 1 New York Times best-selling novel The Christmas Box, which helped launch Paul’s professional career. In 1999, Paul founded Stone Angel Music, where he released his albums inde

Send us a textAnnie Ulchak was born in Lima, Peru in 1979 with nomenclature HLHS, pulmonary stenosis, double inlet right atrium, and double outlet right ventricle.  She was adopted and had the two-stage HLHS process: BT shunt at age 3 and classic Fontan at age 7 at Boston Children's Hospital. She was diagnosed with CHF and cardiac cirrhosis in 2010. In June 2014, she was diagnosed with autoimmune serositis of the peritoneum. In December 2014 and January 2015, she was diagnosed with atrial flutters and has undergone two cardiac ablations. Following her most recent health struggles, Annie developed a passion for nutrition and improved her health dramatically via an overhaul of her diet. Annie works full time as a dual executive assistant and project coordinator for a prominent Boston healthcare system. When she's not working, she can be found volunteering at Quincy Animal Shelter and for the Adult Congenital Heart Association’s Peer-to-Peer mentoring program. Annie's other Heart to Heart with Ann

Send us a textWith congenital heart defects being the #1 birth defect around the globe, there are many people touched by this condition. At least 1% of the population is born with a heart defect. Many of them will be innocent murmurs that will close up on their own. But some people have more serious heart conditions.In this special mini-series episode for Heart Month 2023, Anna asks her Listeners to identify some famous entertainers who have been touched by CHDs. Put your thinking cap on and let's see if you can guess who these 4 Entertainers are!Thank you to everyone who has helped HUG in creating our podcasts and other resources. Visit https;//www.heartsunitetheglobe.com to donate or join us!HeartWorks: We Build HeartsHeartWorks empowers the CHD community by advancing research and finding cures for heart defects.Support the showAnna's Buzzsprout Affiliate LinkBaby Blue Sound CollectiveSocial Media Pages:Apple PodcastsFacebookInstagramMeWeTwitterYouTubeWebsite

Send us a textIn our first CHD Spotlight episode, we'll discuss half-a-heart conditions -- hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), hypoplastic right heart syndrome (HRHS), and single ventricle hearts.Dr. Edward Bove is our expert guest. Dr. Bove spent most of his career as a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at the University of Michigan Health System. A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Albany Medical College, he went to the University of Michigan for his residency. He returned to U of M in 1985 and by 2012, he had performed 10,000 heart surgeries, mostly on babies. Dr. Bove is a long-time supporter of Hearts Unite the Globe and currently serves as the head of our Medical Advisory Board.In this CHD Spotlight, Dr. Bove explains what HLHS, HRHS, and single ventricle hearts are, what methods are used to treat these conditions, and how treatment for these conditions has changed over time.Former appearances by Dr. Bove on "Heart to Heart with Anna"Advancements in Treatments for HLHS Hear

Send us a textHow can a special education teacher's training influence her writing technique when creating her first children's book? What elements of storytelling are important for young children when they are learning new concepts through books? Why did this mother of a baby with Scimitar Syndrome feel she needed to write a book to help other families like her own?Katy Green is married to her husband Scott, and together they have three children: Henry, aged 8, Lyle, aged 6, and Charlotte, aged 4. Charlotte was born with Scimitar syndrome, which consists of several congenital defects. In addition to the syndrome, she was also diagnosed with multiple other complex medical conditions and underwent six surgeries before she was 18 months old. Charlotte is yet to face heart surgery, which she will need at some time in the future. Concerned that Charlotte will be old enough to remember her heart surgery, Katy wanted to help prepare her daughter for this day and build her confidence and resilience. A form

Send us a textWhat considerations need to be made if patients with congenital heart defects are aligned with the LGBTQ+ community?  Dr. Jake Kleinmahon attended medical school and completed his residency in pediatrics at Tulane University School of Medicine. He continued his training at Children's Colorado, completing fellowships in pediatric cardiology and pediatric heart transplant and advanced heart failure. In 2018 he joined the faculty at Ochsner Hospital for Children in New Orleans where he serves as the medical director of pediatric heart transplant, heart failure, and ventricular assist device programs. He has been active in multiple research efforts and societies to advance heart, lung, and transplant health outcomes, and works to improve healthcare disparities among different CHD racial groups. He was awarded Doctor of the Year by the Colorado Pediatric Congenital Heart Association in 2018. His interests include taking care of children with cardiomyopathies, myocarditis, connective tissue disor

Send us a textHow do you enjoy the holidays when your heart warrior is in the hospital during the holiday season? What can you do, as a parent, grandparent, or friend, when a child is in the hospital during the holidays? Why is it especially difficult to have a child in the hospital during the holidays?We’ll answer these questions and more in this episode which features Jenny Muscatell and Lauren Backe. These heart moms have both faced plenty of hospital time and they have some advice and experiences to share with us.Jenny Muscatell is a Licensed Social Worker, author, and radio host for Christian Mix 106.  She is the Co-founder of Muscatell Ministries, The Heart Community Collection, and serves as Editor in Chief for CHD Magazine. As a licensed social worker, Jenny has established an extensive reservoir of expertise specializing in crisis intervention, health systems, and end-of-life care. Her best-selling book, The Journey of Faith and Open Heart, shares the story of how she found faith battling for her dau

Send us a textGwen Fosse is a Clinical Outreach Specialist at U of MI Congenital Heart Centre at Mott Children's Hospital. She has almost 50 years of experience working with patients affected by CHD and their families. In this episode, Gwen Fosse, RN shares about what SCA is, who is affected, what Project A.D.A.M. is, and what people can do to be #READY to help someone who might have an SCA. Gwen’s Links:Project ADAM –·       National: https://tinyurl.com/3bh5hpxc·       Michigan: https://tinyurl.com/8vfd6bf3Michigan Dept of Health & Human Services – MI HEARTSafe Schools Program·      https://tinyurl.com/2ppdv9tcData:·       AHA info: https://tinyurl.com/mr3mv86x·     AED App. https://tinyurl.com/ycxef3j5 ·       SCA Outcomes: https://tinyurl.com/3t62b9svPediatric Guideline·       https://tinyurl.com/3xubxckjSchool Nurses·       https://www.nasn.org/home·       Cardiac Emergency Response Planning for Schools: https://tinyurl.com/5e9ubnhcAHA·       https://www.heart.org/·       CPR and First Aid https

Send us a textWho is Jake Ryan and why did he write a book? What happens when it’s the parent who is the Heart Warrior? How do you prepare your children for your heart surgery?Jake Ryan was a busy father of three-and-a-half-year-old twins - a son and daughter - when his life changed forever. He collapsed during a routine workout one day at the gym. Fortunately, he was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and a faulty mitral valve. After his surgery, he worried that he would not be able to be the kind of involved and playful dad that his kids were used to. Finding no books for children that described a parent having a cardiac incident and needing surgery, he decided to write such a book. Today, he lives in New York City and is a single dad to his now teenage children. He runs a life coaching business and can be found on TicToc and Instagram as @FreeJakeRyan. We’ll start today’s program by learning a bit about Jake and his immediate family. In the second segment, we’ll talk abou

Send us a textHow is it possible an organ donor might actually be responsible for two lives, even when giving a heart to a man? What was life like for Nick May years after his heart transplant? Did Nick May have a similar experience as his siblings growing up, considering he had a heart transplant as an infant? Susan May is mom to Nick, 33, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries, coarctation of the aorta, and a septal defect.  He had three surgeries at 5 days, 3 1/2 months, and one year of age, prior to receiving a heart transplant just before his second birthday. Nick is one of the first children in the US to receive a heart transplant and is the 5th longest-living transplant recipient. Today, he is married with a daughter.Susan has written a book about her son's heart journey, with a revised edition released this year. Susan also writes professionally and has written 40 books in total, including a non-fiction book about a WWII flight surgeon and 33 medica

Send us a textBaby Hearts Press People's Choice Award Winners, Dr. Brandon Lane Phillips and Jeremy Miller, return to "Heart to Heart with Anna' with an update on how their award-winning book is doing and all of the exciting news surrounding the book. Why would a cardiologist choose to write his life story about growing up with tetralogy of Fallot? How did his life intersect with his favorite childhood actor from the 1980s TV sitcom "Growing Pains"? What new project are these gentlemen working on?You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in this episode of "Heart to Heart with Anna."Helpful Links to Broadcast Episodes Mentioned in the Show:Starlight Foundation (for wishes for kids with chronic illness) https://www.starlight.org/Fox and Friends interview with Brandon and Jeremy: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/growing-pains-star-jeremy-miller-and-doctor-discuss-30-year-friendshipDr. Brandon Lane Phillips’ Other “Heart to Heart with Anna” appearances:8th

Send us a textWhat are warning signs a doctor may be experiencing doctor burnout? How are some nonprofits affected by doctor burnout? What can members of the CHD community do to try to reduce doctor burnout? Today's program is 'Dr. John Calhoon on Doctor Burnout in the CHD Community' and our Guest is Dr. John Calhoon.Dr. Calhoon is both a congenital and adult cardiac surgeon and was my Heart Warrior’s surgeon. He also wrote the Foreword for my first book: “Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Parent’s Handbook.”Dr. Calhoon is the Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center and also is the Director of the Congenital Heart Center in San Antonio, a partnership of UHS and UTH. Over the years, his interests and expertise have included complex congenital heart surgery; heart and lung transplantation; less invasive cardiac surgery, and improving education and patient care.He has served as the President of many national cardiac

Send us a textWhat are some of the dangers of addiction when you have a Fontan heart? How does a Heart Warrior who has addiction problems break free from the addiction? What new project is Joe Flowers embarking upon in 2023?Today’s show is Addiction and Congenital Heart Defects and our Guest is Joe Flowers. We’ll start today’s program by learning a bit about Joe in Segment 1. In the second segment, we’re going to talk about complications that Joe has had and in the third segment, we’ll discuss Joe’s pacemaker and future prognosis.Joe Flowers was born in 1980 with Tricuspid Atresia, an ASD, and a VSD. He had a chronic sinus infection in his early life but remained well enough to avoid heart surgery until the age of 11 years. He had a modified Fontan which was successful and he enjoyed good heart health for almost 20 years. In 2009 at the age of 29, he was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia, for which he received a defibrillator. Around this time, Joe also had back surgery. Unfortunately, a private struggle

Send us a textWhat considerations need to be made if people are born with congenital heart defects and determine their gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth? Is it possible for someone with a critical congenital heart defect to take hormones safely? What advice would an adult transgender woman have for others in the CHD community?Hope Jaworski was born in Temple, Texas with a single ventricle heart in 1994. She lived as a male under the name Alexander for twenty-seven years before realizing and accepting that she was a transgender woman. Hope enjoys writing, playing tabletop games with friends, and 3-D printing. She has worked in healthcare for seven years.Today Hope and I will be discussing her coming out as transgender, the trans community, and in particular, concerns for trans people with complex medical conditions. Hope is my child and she has been on my program numerous times in the past, including when she interviewed me to celebrate my 300th podcast episode."Heart

Send us a textWhy would a doctor recommend parents take their child to a facility to live his life in the 1980s? Is there ever a good reason to take your child out of the hospital and take him to Disney instead? How did Peg trust her gut when it came to her son needing cardiac transplantation during COVID-19?Peg Eitl is a mom of three children: Joe, 40, Jason, 36, and Lacey, 31. Joe was born with Down Syndrome and a single ventricle heart. Due to his medical complexity and intellectual disability, the doctors advised Peg and her husband Craig to put him in a facility but they would have none of it! Fortunately, they met with cardiologist Dr. Black who encouraged them and gave them hope for Joe. Over the next few years, the new parents worked tirelessly with their son, enrolling him in early intervention, therapies, and extra-curricular activities in between cardiac appointments and procedures including a B-T shunt at 11 months, a Modified Glenn and Fontan at 7 years of age. Throughout his health battle, Joe a

Send us a textHow can a family deal with the loss of a child? What happens when a surviving child needs a transplant? What advice does a long-time Heart Mom have for other heart families?Bridgett Streacker has been married to her husband Brian for 34 years. They have four children: Jacob 33, Chesna (stillborn), Mallory (their Heart Warrior), and Haleigh 24. As a family, they have gone through many surgeries and obstacles, heartbreak and triumphs, which have made them closer.  Bridgett describes her Heart Warrior as one of a kind, who never let her CHD define her and lives like there is no tomorrow. The family faced one of its biggest challenges during COVID when Mallory had a heart transplant and was allowed no visitors for her entire hospital stay.In this episode, Bridgett and Anna discuss what it’s like to be a CHD family, how they deal with mental health issues, and some advice for other families facing situations such as the ones they’ve faced.Please visit our Heart to Heart with Anna Social Media and Pod

Send us a textWho is Alessandra Lichtenfeld and why did she write a film entitled “Broken Hearts”? What can a heart warrior teach the world about living with a CHD through film? How does a Heart Warrior go from being “fixed” to needing open-heart surgery at 23 years of age?Alessandra Lichtenfeld was born with pulmonary stenosis and has 6 procedures on her heart, starting from when she was 2 years of age. Throughout her life, she has had periods of illness at age 9 and as a young adult. She is a filmmaker and music video director whose work has been showcased in Billboard, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Under the Radar, and more. She received her B.A. from U.C. Berkeley with a double major in psychology and linguistics. She has an MFA in Film and Media Production from UT Austin. She enjoys making surreal, absurdist comedies and dramas about difficult subjects such as bullying and chronic illness. To date, she has directed four films including Broken Hearts, Pixie Sticks, Just Here for the Good Vibes, and Just in My Hea

Send us a textWhy are members of the CHD community more at risk for certain kinds of psychological problems than those outside of the heart world? What makes people more at risk and what can be done about it? Thanks to Covid, people seem more reluctant to leave home for elective medical help so how can people receive treatment within the privacy and safety of their own homes?Amy Bjorkman is the mother to a 17-year-old daughter with a single ventricle heart who has had 6 heart surgeries and spent her first 7 months in the hospital. She is also a licensed psychologist who has specialized in trauma for the last 20 years. She is an expert on how the body holds trauma and the concomitant dysregulation of the nervous system that directly impacts our sense of safety and ability to self-soothe. She works with clients from a somatic perspective to enhance their window of tolerance in managing stress such that they are able to feel more grounded and connected to themselves and others. She has a deep understanding of co