Leif Jude Greiner-Gansen
Born: August 11, 1998
Weight: 6lbs, 15 1/2 ozs
Height: 19 1/2 inches
Born at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC)
Leif was born with a hypoplastic left heart, which was diagnosed in-utero at 23 weeks. At that time, I was given four options: heart transplant, Norwood surgery, "compassionate care" (bring him home when he's born, care for him unti he dies), or terminate the pregnancy. For a variety of reasons, the decision made was surgery. Leif was born August 11, 1998, at 36 weeks into the pregnancy. A team of nurses, doctors, surgeons, and other amazing staff awaited his arrival. Leif was immediately put on a Prostaglandin to keep his heart's duct open, enabling him to wait for surgery. A C-Pap was used to help Leif breathe, and later to maintain a lower oxygen saturation for surgery.
Due to some differences of nursing styles and policies, we were unable to hold Leif until the 18th. Even then, it took several nurses and a lot of time to get Leif ready to shift from his bed to a pillow in someone's arms. He was a cuddler immediately!
Leif's Stage One surgery, the Norwood, was performed on August 19, 1998, at UIHC. The morning before surgery was the first time he opened both his eyes.
