UCLA Pediatric Heart Center

When we first started down this CHD path, we immersed ourselves in research. Many of you remember when we had to decide who our surgeon and cardiologist would be. It felt like a life or death decision. And it very well may have been. In the end, after looking at data, talking with parents, and consulting with doctors we decided that Dr. Starnes at Children’s Hospital would be Elijah’s surgeon. But we were still left with the decision of a cardiologist.  We were overwhelmed with all of the information and details and neither Dion nor I were prepared to make that decision at that time.

It wasn’t until after Elijah was born and had survived the Norwood that we made that choice. We called Dr. Sklansky and humbly asked if he would be Elijah’s cardiologist. Now mind you, Dr. Sklansky is an incredibly busy man who runs pediatric cardiology at UCLA. As in this man is the man. The man.  Everyone at CHLA loves him and there was not a person there that was not sorry that he left. When we went to Dr. Sklansky for our consult before Elijah was born, he treated us, Dion and I, like humans. Like parents grieving the loss of the child they thought they had. And he prepared us for Elijah. For the sweet little baby with half a heart.  He sat with us for hours when I was pregnant making sure that we understood what was happening.  We wanted Dr. Sklansky.  And Dr. Sklansky responded in kind. I remember that phone call. Dr. Sklansky was happy to be Elijah’s cardiologist and he was honored that we had chosen him. You need to understand that this man is amazing. He is perhaps the best cardiologist on the west coast (I know I know I know, I may be a little bias).  And he was honored to be Elijah’s cardiologist. I have never met a more humble, kind, brilliant man.

The point of this post isn’t just to sing the praises of Dr. Sklansky, although those praises are deserved. The point of this post is to celebrate. A couple of days ago Dr. Sklansky called and invited our family to the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new pediatric heart center at UCLA.  This has been a very long time coming. You see, before the new center, you had to travel all over the hospital for all of your different procedures and appointments. This meant coming into contact with all kind germs and very, very long appointment days. Under Dr. Sklansky’s inspiration and vision, they have renovated and created a “one stop shop” for children with CHDs.  The place is awesome.  We were honored to be a part of such an amazing event to celebrate such a needed facility. However, it isn’t the facility that makes the place what it is. It is the people. Dr. Sklansky, and our nurse Ashley, have been nothing short of a God send. We are incredibly blessed to have them in our lives guiding our son down this often scary and uncertain path.