A CVICU Story: Caleb Burton
“God has truly enabled Dr. Knott-Craig and his staff to graciously care for patients and their families during trying times,” said Glenn Burton, parent of a Le Bonheur CVICU patient, Caleb.
At Caleb’s 9-month well visit, the pediatrician detected an abnormal sound coming from the baby's chest. To make sure everything was fine, Caleb was sent to a pediatric cardiologist in his hometown of Huntsville, Ala. After taking a closer look, the cardiologist diagnosed Caleb with partial anomalous pulmonary venous return and atrial septal defect – both congenital heart defects. Glenn and his wife Amanda decided to get a second opinion, so they traveled with Caleb to Boston Children’s Hospital where his diagnosis was confirmed.
To correct both heart defects, surgery would need to be performed. “The doctors said surgery could be done at any time, but the earlier we went through with surgery, the less Caleb would remember and the more quickly he would recover,” said Glenn.
Choosing the right doctor for their child’s care is often a difficult decision for parents to make, and the Burtons wanted to make sure they chose the best doctor for Caleb’s procedure. After considering all of their options, the Burtons decided to come to Le Bonheur Children’s Heart Institute.
“After receiving two different recommendations for Dr. Knott-Craig, we contacted him,” said Glenn. “We chose Dr. Knott-Craig for his refusal to predetermine his course of action for Caleb’s surgical procedure until he had seen Caleb’s heart.”
While Caleb’s treatment involved a relatively routine surgical procedure, Dr. Knott-Craig made sure the Burtons knew that he took Caleb’s case very seriously, stating that “no open-heart surgery is simple until it is completed with a satisfactory result for the patient.”
“Amanda and I knew that Dr. Knott-Craig and his team would approach any problem with an open mind and with an attitude of humility,” Glenn said. “He was the answer to our prayers.”
The surgery was a success, and Caleb is now a healthy, active 20 month old. He has returned home to Huntsville, Ala., and, according to his parents, he is full of energy and won’t slow down for anything.
“We are so thankful for all the doctors and nurses at Le Bonheur who helped Caleb,” said the Burtons. “He is our little gift from God.”
