On Monday, February 18, 2019, Tinley Jane Toner came quickly into the world. A few hours after a smooth delivery, Tinley’s nurse noticed the newborn’s oxygen levels were rather low, although she seemed fine. The nurse decided to take her to the NICU for a more in-depth checkup. An hour passed, but to her parents it felt like it was forever. Finally, the doctors reported they were looking into a possible heart murmur. Her parents weren’t too concerned because Tinley’s mom had a heart murmur when she was born. However, when two NICU doctors walked into their room, her parents knew it wasn’t good news.
The conversation was a blur, and the only thing Tinley’s parents remember is their daughter had been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and was being kept alive by intravenous medicine. They had 10 minutes to decide whether Tinley would be transported to a hospital in Gainesville or Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville. That night, Tinley was taken by ambulance to Jacksonville.
Tinley’s first open heart surgery was performed when she was nine days old to begin the process of correcting pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum. This means the valve that allows blood to flow from the heart to the lungs (pulmonary valve) doesn’t work correctly. Instead of opening and closing to allow blood to travel from the heart to the lungs, a sheet of tissue or muscle blocked blood flow. Just before Tinley turned a month old, she was finally able to go home. She had her second open heart surgery at four months old and her third, and final surgery, at three years old.
Today, she is a sassy and fun six-year-old with a sense of style and a joyful spirit. Tinley is the proud sister to Trey, her brother.
Thank you for your support of the American Heart Association! It means the world to Tinley’s family. Your donations allow doctors to research her condition and many others, helping babies and children like Tinley, as well as adults.
