Karing for Keegan

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Altoona, PA
Karing for Keegan

This page started to keep our family updated about Keegan. Now we help NICU families in need.

02/20/2026

Heart Post Day 20! Emmit had surgery the day he was born and his open heart surgery at 7 days old. Could you imagine trying to do surgery a walnut with tiny veins?! This is one of my favorite facts and one of my favorite pictures of Emmy!

02/19/2026

Heart Post Day 19! (Missed yesterday due to Emmit having appointments.) Emmit has had an open heart surgery and cardiac caths. He still needs interventions to keep his heart functioning at its best. He probably will always need interventions to keep him as healthy as he can be. We are lucky that there have been so many advances in the medical field and that doctors are able to operate on such a tiny heart and fix up our kiddo and give him a chance at life. He is such an amazing and strong guy!

02/17/2026

Heart Post Day 17! Emmit is the strongest kiddo I know. He is brave and so kind. He takes every appointment in stride. He always goes with a smile on his face no matter how he is feeling. Wednesday he has a Cardiac MRI. I don't always understand why Emmit has to go through what he does. I am blessed in the fact that he is so brave and positive about all of it!

02/16/2026

Heart Post Day 16! There is no cure for CHD. Emmit will always have to see a cardiologist. He will need more surgeries and medications. It will always be a part of his life. We are blessed that Emmit has been able to lead a pretty average life so far. He has had very few hospital stays and only small procedures so far. Emmit is so strong and brave.

02/15/2026

Heart Month Day 15! It is amazing how kiddos who may not have lived 30 years ago, can live happy and healthy lives thanks to advances in medicine. It is always a fear in the back of my mind wondering what Emmits future looks like. We were always told that Emmits surgeries are fixes but he may eventually need a heart transplant. Right now his biggest issue is his enlarged aorta. The rest of his heart is functioning great! We are thankful everyday that his heart has been holding up so well.

02/14/2026

Heart Post Day 14! Happy Valentines Day!

02/13/2026

Heart Month Day 13! Something we have been aware of since Emmit's open heart surgery was that he may have some neurological effects from it. All of the medications and the surgery itself can affect the newborn brain. We always noticed Emmit had some struggles as he got older. He was delayed to speak and had some other things we noticed. Emmit was diagnosed with level 1 autism. He was evaluated after his therapist requested he have one. This didn't realy surprise us. Emmit is now more aware as he gets older that he does things differently than his siblings and we are still learning everyday how to help Emmit. He is the smartest, happiest, kindest kiddo, who is amazing at lego building. 💖

02/12/2026

Heart Post Day 12! ❤ symptoms to watch for. Emmit will never be cured. They can fix him up pretty good but he will always need to be monitored by a cardiologist.

02/11/2026

Heart Post Day 11! Due to Emmits open heart surgery there were a few diagnosis that came. When doing his arterial "switch" operation they have to move things around to the proper places. When moving them they can stretch and narrow due to that stretching. Emmit has pulmonary artery stenosis. He currently has a stent placed to help with the narrowing and that has helped a ton with the breathing issues due to the stenosis.

02/10/2026

Heart Post Day 10! This one is a little different, this is a thank you to all the Dr's and nurses who worked to keep Emmit alive, fixed his heart, and cared for him. We have always been blessed, through Emmit's journey and Keegans, to be surrounded by such great teams of people. Today is a thank you to you! ❤️

02/09/2026

Heart Post Day 9! One thing I was told right before Emmit was born was that, If he was born when I was he would most likely not have survived or people would not have even realized that something was wrong with him. But thanks to advances and research they were able to catch the defect, plan for the defect, and preform the artial switch operation. The first successful switch operation was in 1975, the doctor who did it originally practiced on dogs before doing the first surgery on a baby. Just a little history for the morning. I am blessed that Emmits surgery was successful and babies with heart defects are now able to live long lives. ❤️ I couldn't imagine this life without Emmit.

02/08/2026

Heart Post Day 8! One thing I don't talk about much is my journey as a heart Mama. Before having Emmit I had no clue about any heart defects. My knowledge on hospitals wasn't great. I now could tell you Emmits heart and condition inside out. All the different treatment options. All about hospitals. As a parent, you become the biggest advocate for your child. Emmit is the strongest kiddo I know and I will always stick up for what I think he needs and be with him every step of the way. ❤️

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Altoona, PA
16602

Website

http://karingforkeegan.org/

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