Open Heart Surgery @ MindSay 
A Heart for Crystal
On April 13, 2004 Crystal Naomi Clausen was born to Cindy and Clifton Clausen. Crystal was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning she was without the left ventricle. April 16, 2004 Crystal had her first open heart surgery, the Norwood procedure. This was the first step in fixing her heart. The day she turned three months old she received the second step in fixing her heart, the Glenn Procedure. One week later they modified the Glenn procedure. When Crystal was almost two years old they were going to do the Fontan procedure, the last surgery, but they decided against it because she was doing ok at this point. By the time she was ready for the procedure it was too late, and if they opened her up one more time her heart would rupture and she would die. Her only hope was a heart transplant.
Each year more than 40,000 children are born with heart diseases. As of July 31, 2007 1,332 heart transplants have been done nationally this year. Ninety-eight heart transplants have been done on children five and under this last year. Around 85% live one year after their transplant and 75% live about five years after. Approximately 50% of transplant recipients live twelve years after the transplant. These numbers are increasing all the time with the more transplants that get done but they would like this percentage to increase dramatically within the next few years, although with the lack of organ donors right now they would rather do surgery on young children instead of a heart transplant.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is a very rare disease leaving doctors with only two ways to treat it: 3 Step Surgery and a Heart Transplant. Soon After the baby’s birth Stage 1 Norwood Procedure is needed. This will allow the right ventricle to provide permanent circulation throughout the body. It also gets the baby ready for the final surgery. During the second surgery; The Glenn Procedure, the vein that routes oxygen from the upper half of the body is connected to the artery that routes blood to the lungs. The vein that routes oxygen from the lower half of the body is connected to the artery that routes the blood to the lungs in the last surgery the Fontan Procedure. After these procedures have been done oxygen-poor blood can then travel to the lungs for oxygen, by bypassing the right side of the heart.
The other way to treat this disease is to do a heart transplant. Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is the most common disease that the child might need a transplant for although it is a rare disease. Before a child receives a new heart they must undergo many tests to make sure that they are healthy enough for a transplant, to match you with a donor, and to determine how urgent the need is for a heart. First they have to have blood tests done these are to get the blood type so the child does not experience an allergic reaction to the heart. Diagnostic tests are to get the current and full understanding of the child’s medical condition. Evaluations of the family and child (if old enough) are done; information from these interviews is used in determining whether or not the child receives a transplant. After the child has been placed on The United Network for Organ Sharing list there is nothing else to do but sit and wait for a new heart.
The only thing left for Crystal was a heart transplant. With each passing day Crystal’s family sits and waits with her at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. At one year she got put into glasses to help her see because of a cord running over her face in the hospital and she became cross-eyed. This last May, Crystal was taken to Madison Children’s Hospital, from there she was transferred to Milwaukee. She was three at this time and she could no longer sit-up, crawl, or walk. The doctors said that for every day she lost in the hospital it would take her ten days to relearn what all she had lost by laying on her back. Late in June doctors were considering putting her on the transplant list. After tests and everything else by July 15 she was added to the United Network for Organ Sharing list. After one hundred days of being on this list Crystal’s family became worried and scared that they might not find a donor in time. The very next day their pager went off and they had a heart for Crystal. October 22, 2007 Crystal Naomi Clausen received her heart.
On top of that, my mother called me from the hospital tonight. Apparently she was admitted yesterday for sever pneumonia and heart troubles. No one called me until today. She's probably going to have to go into Open heart surgery tomorrow/today. I'm just so worried I'm going to lose her and I'm not going to be around. I'm not going to be able to say goodbye.
This is all just affecting me because of two years ago when she had her first heart attack and they gave her a month to live. Sure, she's live longer than a month but she's wearing herself down. I'm so tired of crying and I'm so worn down. I just feel empty.
Go hug your mother.
The moon is only blushing
'cause it can see right through you
the stars aren't jealous when they see inside
the paleness of your skin
the blackness of you sin
the vision of your arms open wide
my open heart gushing
like a river, right to you
all the bad things I've never tried
you can't end what you never begin
you can't lose what you never win
but I can't help feeling someone has died
so let's make believe
that I'm not me
and you're not you
like we're two thieves
who think that we're so free
we could steal the truth
the ambulance is rushing
but it only moves you
to use his rag on the blood that's dried
the little gap in my grin
the weakness of my chin
but my dad says it won't be homicide
because the mere thought of touching
is so beautiful to you
but to me it's like assisted suicide
I'd pop the rover with a pin
but it can't kill what's never been
and there are no more chances to convince you that I've lied
so let's make believe
that I'm not me
and you're not you
it's too bad thieves
are never free
and you can't steal the truth
Being Afraid Of Opening Your Heart It is not easy to have an open heart in a world that offers us a full plate of experiences. This life gives us much joy, love, and light, but it also shows us a fair amount of pain, sadness, and suffering. When our hearts are open, we take everything into ourselves, and we are deeply affected by what we see. We do not hold ourselves separate from the pain of others. In addition, our own personal disappointments may begin to take their toll. We may feel small, alone, and overwhelmed. Most of us may feel like we are not up to the task of living with our hearts open, and we might begin to close down, little by little, so that we can get through our days without having to feel too much.
One thing that can help us turn this situation around is an awareness of the power of empathy. To open our hearts to another person's suffering is a revolutionary act that has energetic implications. Many experiments with meditation have proven that we can reach far beyond the boundaries of our selves and heal others when our hearts are open. Heart meditations awaken this power and heal the person meditating as well as anyone who is the focus of the meditation.
You may want to experiment with this the next time you see or hear something painful. Instead of shuttering your
emotions, resolve to hold your feelings in your heart. Tap into the divine energy of universal love that resides in your heart. This energy makes you powerful, for it is your protection that will transmute the pain of others. Breathe deeply, and let yourself feel the pain of the situation, knowing that your heart is big and strong enough to hold it. As you breathe, visualize healing light emanating from your heart and touching all that are suffering. You will heal your heart in the process.