One surgery, a lifetime of gratitude
Don Shanebrook was a pink, healthy-looking baby when he was born at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in 1975. But before he left the hospital, his doctor detected a heart murmur. He was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart defect that affects blood flow through the heart and to the lungs. Many children born with this condition need immediate surgery, but Don turned out to be an exception.
“I’m one of the fortunate ones. I wasn’t what they called a ‘blue baby,” he said referring to a bluish discoloration of the skin caused by insufficient oxygen in the blood. “They were able to wait several years before they did any type of procedure.”
Two months before Don’s 6th birthday, he had surgery at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to repair two holes in his heart: one between the lower chambers and one between the upper chambers. At the same time, doctors treated a narrowed pulmonary valve by inserting and inflating a balloon inside his heart to widen the opening and restore normal blood flow to his lungs.
That was the last heart surgery he needed.
“Knowing that a lot of kids born with a heart defect go through multiple surgeries, I feel blessed,” said Don, who is now 50. “To get one and be done, not to mention waiting that long to actually do it, was kind of miraculous in my opinion.”
Heartfelt wisdom
Good health throughout his teens and early 20s made it easy for Don to act like someone who didn’t have a congenital heart defect.
“I didn’t watch my health because I was feeling fine,” he said. “Fortunately, nothing happened to me, and common sense finally kicked in, but I highly recommend people don’t do that.”
Today, under the care of Dr. Elizabeth Adams, Don makes his health a priority by keeping up with regular checkups, staying active and striving to maintain a heart-healthy diet. He also volunteers at Camp Lionheart, mentoring children with heart disease so they can avoid the mistakes he made.
“I feel I’m helping them by showing them that, even with heart defects, they’re not alone,” he said, emphasizing that there is a whole community of people like him who’ve faced similar experiences and are ready to offer guidance and compassion. “Volunteering has helped me keep an honest perspective on my own health – both mentally and physically. Helping others, no pun intended, is where my heart is.”
