Corbin's Fight For Life

Facts about Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/HLHS.html What are posterior urethral valves? http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/urology/puv.html

The Kenison family greatly appreciates your support in the most emotional roller coaster ride of our lives. Our baby Corbin Kenison is due August 1. We are excited and very scared at the same time because in the ultra sounds he looks like a normal developing baby on the outside. He moves around and kicks his mommy's tummy he even sucks his thumb and Adrienne has had a great pregnancy so far. Corbin has a long road ahead of him and a fight for life we pray he will win.

Corbin has been diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (see link for more information). HLHS is when the left side of the heart does not develop as a typically developing baby. He will need a series of open heart surgeries to help his heart function and will need life long therapies, medications, and cardiac follow-ups. He needs his first heart surgery in order to survive after birth and the other surgeries typically happen within the first 2 years of life.

Chris and Adrienne were devastated to hear their baby had a severe heart defect but were prepared for the care Corbin would need. We were referred to Great Falls to do another ultra sound and when they were there, the Dr. noticed another birth defect that was more severe than the heart defect. Chris and Adrienne were told baby Corbin has Posterior Urethral Valves or PUV and it could be lethal. Corbin was given a 5% chance to live and there was nothing medically that could be done until birth, if he made it that long. The challenge Corbin was facing was to release his fluid, and he needed to do this in order for the kidney to stay alive and filter a little. He also needed to release his fluid so he could ingest and his lungs can develop. If he did not release his fluid the Dr. prepared us to carry him to term and he would be comforted until he died.

Chris and Adrienne prayed and asked for your prayers and a miracle happened 10 days later, something that could not be medically explained... "He peed! He peed!" as his big brother Aiden, age 6 exclaimed during morning circle time in his kindergarten class. Corbin did not give up and we are not either. This baby has so much love and support already and we have not met him. He is strong and is going to laugh and play with his big brothers someday. He will need to continue to "pee" so his lungs can develop and his kidney's can function, although they are very damaged and he will need a series of surgeries and possible kidney transplant by the age of 5 years.

Corbin is not able to be delivered and receive the intensive medical care he needs in Montana, so we are being sent to Seattle Children's Hospital. Our family will need to move there for over 2 months and the cost of housing and leaving our lives, Adrienne's business, and Chris's job on pause in Helena is really going to add up. We will leave 1 month before Adrienne is due (around 4th of July) and the medical team will evaluate Adrienne and Corbin and preform more testing and ultrasounds so they are prepared and we are prepared for his birth and surgeries.

Adrienne and Chris would like to thank the local medical teams in Helena and Great Falls that have helped us through this process and will continue to care for our family as time goes on. Thank you family and friends for your support in Corbin's fight for life by buying a cool shirt and spreading awareness about Corbin's very rare combination of medical conditions. Corbin is very unique and we were picked to love him and provide him with the most amazing life possible.