On February 1st, 2000,

the second of our two beautiful baby boys was born

weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce with an APGAR score of 9.

Eighteen hours later, a heart murmur was detected and

he was diagnosed with a deadly heart defect known as

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

We were given three choices; palliative reconstructive surgical procedures,

heart transplant, or compassionate care.

After intense research, our family chose the staged surgical option for our son. 

At only 7 days old, Ethan had his first of three 

open-heart surgeries, called the Norwood.

When he was six months, he received his second major

cardiac operation, the Glenn.

Then he was allowed to come home

to be with his family for eighteen months and wait until his heart 

was ready for his third and final operation called 

the Fontan. During that time, he grew well, ate well, 

and played well. No one would have known Ethan was sick

 unless he took off his shirt, or if they read the details on his

medical ID bracelet. He was an extremely happy child, with a vibrant

and determined spirit. Nothing seemed to keep Ethan down-not even a cold!

Ethan could usually be found getting into general mischief when

no one was looking. His favorite toys were a handful of marbles

and a Woody doll (from Toy Story). Ethan and his big brother

JohnJohn were inseparable and the best (and sometimes worst) of friends.

 On June 10th, 2002 Ethan underwent his long-awaited

 surgery quite successfully. I can easily recall the moment

 I saw him for the first time after his operation-his toes were

 so pink! But his heart rate was too high, and his blood pressures

 were dangerously low. 24 hours of peaks and valleys

 of improvement passed in the all-too familiar cardiac ICU at Dallas

Children's Hospital. The nurses worked frantically to stabilize Ethan's

critical condition, but his weak heart tired out 31 hours after the

 operation. Ethan was removed from life support and placed

in his family's arms as he took his final breaths.

The exact cause for the abnormal rhythms after surgery are unknown.

The doctors told our family that Ethan was healthy enough to survive

the operation, but he fell into a 5% category of healthy HLHS

 children that do not make it past the final surgery.

Ethan is survived by his mother, Shanna Shields, 

his loving father, John Carlos Shields V, 

his brothers, John Carlos Shields VI (John-John), and

Andrew Thomas Shields,

his sisters, Fionna & Olivia Shields, 

his step-mother, Claire Shields, 

and his dedicated grandparents, 

Joni Shields (Mimi), Susan and Shawn Bentley, 

John Carlos IV and Susie Shields, 

Dale and Darla Burchett, Tom and Jane Verner, 

and Theresa Verner.

(Ethan has a very large family-it's hard to mention all)

I would also like to mention the doctors and nurses 

that put so much love, time and effort into 

taking such wonderful care of our son. 

Dr. Damaris Y. Wright ( Primary Cardiologist)

Dr. Shrikant Dhoot (Pediatrician)

Dr. Hisashi Nikaidoh (Cardiac Surgeon)

Dr. Stephen Leonard (Cardiac Surgeon)

Dr. Sandra Klapp (Cardiologist)

All the RN's in the CICU, NICU,

Fourth Floor Recovery, and Third Floor

Cardiology Office at Children's!

These were the people who gave us the 

wonderful opportunity to get to know this beautiful child.

Thank you.

A note from Mom: I have recently completed nursing school, and

plan to further my education in the interest of

neonates born with congenital heart disease.

-Shanna Shields, Ethan's Mom

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