Owen

A Trisomy 21 Warrior

We tried for 5 years and finally were blessed with Owen! We found out while we were pregnant he had a 63% of being born with Trisomy 21. They found an Atrioventricular Septal Defect on an ultrasound during our anatomy scan. Owen was born on May 5, 2019 at 35 weeks and 5 days and he was diagnosed with down syndrome a week later. The most beautiful baby boy spent 7 days in the NICU and came home with a heart monitor. At 4 months old, he had his first open heart surgery to fix his Atrioventricular Septal Defect. He had complications during the surgery and got chylothorax and had to have skimmed breast milk. He was finally able to go home after 21 days. He came home with moderate leakage on one side and was told he’d need another surgery someday.

When he was 1.5yrs old he started catching every cold and was diagnosed with asthma after having pneumonia 5 times that year. Having a severe allergy to antibiotics with serum like sickness and catching RSV and being put on BiPAP for 10 days we discovered he needed ENT surgery to help his airway. Then they decided it was time for him to have his second open heart surgery to fix his leaking valve. This surgery was so much easier than the first! In and out in 5 days. He learned to walk after it and is now thriving at preschool! He is truly Owen the Omazing! We love shouting his worth and that there is nothing to fear about Down syndrome.