Heart of a Dinosaur

10/31/2026

🎃🦖 BOO! Did We Scare You?

Probably not. Our dinosaur is wearing a superhero cape that's approximately three sizes too small, and we're pretty sure he's more interested in the candy than the crime-fighting.

But that's the magic of Halloween, isn't it? For one day, anything is possible. Dinosaurs can be superheroes, living rooms can become haunted houses, and a plastic bucket full of candy can feel like the greatest treasure in the world.

To all our Heart Heroes heading out for trick-or-treating tonight, we hope your buckets are full, your costumes are comfortable, and your adventures are unforgettable!

To those celebrating from home, enjoying a quieter evening, or spending Halloween in the hospital, we hope a little magic finds its way to you, too. Halloween doesn't have to look a certain way to be special.

And to the families carrying the memory of a Heart Angel, we're holding space for you today, too.

However your family celebrates, we hope today brings a few smiles, a little laughter, and memories worth keeping.

From our favorite little superhero and his very large, slightly ridiculous dinosaur sidekick...

Happy Halloween from Heart of a Dinosaur! 🎃💙🦖

10/30/2026

🎃🦖 Halloween with a Heart Warrior: A Little Planning, a Lot of Fun!

Halloween is almost here! Costumes are ready, candy buckets are waiting, and somewhere a parent is wondering how they're supposed to keep up with a child running toward every porch light in the neighborhood.

For families navigating congenital heart disease, a little extra planning can help make the night more enjoyable:

❤️ Plan for their energy level. Some heart warriors can trick-or-treat all evening, while others tire more easily. Choose a manageable route, build in breaks, and remember that five houses can be just as magical as fifty.

🎃 Dress for the weather, not just the costume. South Texas is apparently skipping the chilly Halloween weather this year! Around Pleasanton, Saturday's high is expected to reach 80°F, with temperatures still in the 70s during trick-or-treating. Choose breathable costumes and comfortable shoes, and follow your child's hydration guidance. Afternoon storms are also possible, so check the forecast and have a backup plan.

💙 Pack the essentials. Bring needed medications, medical supplies, and appropriate snacks. A wagon or stroller can be a great option when little legs need a break.

👻 Consider the crowds. For children with increased infection risks or specific medical precautions, a quieter neighborhood, smaller gathering, or celebration at home may be a better fit.

🍬 Remember, Halloween isn't just about candy. Some children have feeding restrictions, allergies, or other dietary needs. Stickers, small toys, and nonfood treats can help make the fun more inclusive.

Most importantly, let your Heart Hero help decide what sounds fun! Not every child with CHD needs special restrictions. Many can participate in typical childhood activities, while others have individualized recommendations from their cardiology team. The goal isn't to make Halloween smaller. It's to make the experience work for the child enjoying it. Whether they're visiting every house on the block, riding along in a wagon, or handing out candy from the couch, we hope our Heart Heroes have a wonderfully spooky time! 💙🦖

10/26/2026

Heart of a Dinosaur is honored to welcome sweet Emery Rose to our Heart Hero family!

Emery entered the world a little earlier than expected, arriving at just 35 weeks. At only four weeks old, she suffered a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, beginning a month-long hospitalization in the NICU and cardiac ICU.

Further testing revealed scar tissue in Emery's left ventricle, indicating damage to her heart muscle. During her hospitalization, she also experienced abnormal heart rhythms and low blood pressure, adding to the challenges her tiny heart was already facing.

Her medical team conducted extensive testing, including cardiac imaging, examinations of her coronary arteries, and genetic testing. Doctors believe the injury likely began in utero, before Emery was even born, although the exact cause remains unknown.

Today, Emery continues to take daily medications and receives ongoing monitoring and care from her cardiology team. During her first few months of life, she also needed temporary feeding tube support to help meet her nutritional needs.

Through it all, Emery has remained what her family so lovingly calls “our sweet girl, our little light.”

Her journey has been far different from the one her family imagined. Instead of simply settling into life with their new baby, they found themselves navigating intensive care units, medical testing, medications, and questions that didn't always have answers.

But alongside those difficult moments have been countless reasons to celebrate. Every day watching Emery grow, every new milestone, and every bit of progress carries its own special meaning.

Her family continues to take life one day at a time, holding onto hope, celebrating her progress, and trusting God with her precious little heart.

And while Emery may have an extraordinary medical history for such a tiny girl, her family reminds us of something important: her medical journey is only one part of who she is.

She is their daughter, their little light, and their sweet Emery Rose. 🌹

Heart of a Dinosaur is grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside Emery and her family as her story continues. We look forward to celebrating her milestones, cheering her on through the challenges, and watching this precious little girl grow.

Welcome to the Heart of a Dinosaur family, Emery Rose! We're so happy you're here. 💙🦖

10/22/2026

🔬💙🦖 HOLE THROUGH RESEARCH | Part 3 of 5

What if we could see the warning signs sooner?

When a baby has a complex congenital heart defect, even small changes can matter. Parents become familiar with oxygen readings, feeding patterns, weight checks, and the little signs that tell them how their child is doing. But what if changes are happening before anyone can easily see them?

That's what researchers are exploring with artificial intelligence.

Some babies with single-ventricle heart conditions need several surgeries. The period between the first and second procedures can be especially vulnerable, even with careful monitoring at home and in the hospital.

Researchers are investigating whether machine learning could spot subtle patterns in heart-monitoring data that suggest a baby's condition may be worsening. A monitor collects information beat after beat. Could analyzing all that data help doctors notice something important sooner?

The hope is that an earlier warning could give medical teams more time to evaluate a child and respond.

This is still early research, not a proven prediction tool. Scientists need to test whether the approach can reliably detect problems and improve outcomes. It wouldn't replace cardiologists, established monitoring, or parents who know their children best.

But it's a promising question worth asking. Sometimes progress means inventing a new treatment. Other times, it means learning more from the information we already have.

For tiny hearts, even a little more warning could someday make a big difference. 💙🦖

Source: Children's Heart Foundation and American Academy of Pediatrics, September 2026.

10/21/2026

When Cohen's heart surgery was unexpectedly postponed, his family was left facing more than another difficult wait. They were also facing an enormous financial setback. Once again, this community has responded with something pretty incredible.

Friends, neighbors, and people who simply want to help are organizing raffles, pageants, and fundraising opportunities to support Cohen and his family through the weeks ahead. This is what showing up for a heart family looks like.

Not everyone can make a large donation. Not everyone can organize a fundraiser. But maybe you can purchase a raffle ticket, participate in an event, contribute a few dollars, or share this post with someone who can. Every little bit of support helps remind this family that they aren't carrying everything alone.

Cohen's family has put together a list of the wonderful fundraising efforts happening on their behalf, including ways to contribute directly. Take a look at their original post, find a way to get involved if you're able, and help us keep this love moving!

To everyone who has stepped up to help this sweet boy and his family: THANK YOU. 💜💛💙🦖

💜💛 So many amazing people are coming together for our Cohen James, and we are beyond grateful! ❤️‍🩹

With Cohen’s heart surgery being postponed and the unexpected financial burden our family is facing, the love and support from our community have meant more than words could ever explain.

We have several wonderful people hosting events and fundraisers to help our family, and I wanted to share all the ways you can get involved! 💜

🎟️ Jennings LA Raffle hosted by Lori — Drawing November 1st

🎟️ Eunice LA Raffle hosted by Jordan — Drawing November 20th

👑 Pageant hosted by Debbie (sweetheart queen awards)— October 25th

👑 Pageant hosted by April (people’s choice) — November 1st

❤️ GoFundMe by Taylor
https://gofund.me/d985b9079

Every raffle ticket, pageant entry, donation, prayer, and share makes a difference for our little boy.

We never imagined being in a position where we would need this much help, but we also never imagined just how many people would show up for our family.

To everyone organizing these events, donating their time, or supporting Cohen in any way — THANK YOU. You are helping carry our family through one of the hardest seasons of our lives.

Please continue to share Cohen’s story. We have a long road ahead, but we are so thankful we aren’t walking it alone. 💜💛

10/19/2026

Today was supposed to be Cohen's surgery day.

For weeks, his family has been preparing for October 19. Making arrangements. Preparing financially. Gathering their courage. Trying to get ready for something no parent ever wants their child to face.

And now, everything has changed.

Cohen has tested positive for an infection, and his medical team has determined that moving forward with his heart surgery right now would be unsafe. His surgery has been postponed, potentially until after Thanksgiving.

Of course, Cohen's safety comes first. Everyone wants him to have the best possible chance when that day finally arrives.

But here's something we wish more people understood about life with congenital heart disease: A postponed surgery doesn't mean the hardship is postponed, too. The worry doesn't stop. The preparations don't magically undo themselves. The emotional exhaustion doesn't reset. And sometimes, neither do the financial consequences.

For Cohen's family, the delay also means facing a new insurance year on November 1, when their deductible and out-of-pocket costs reset according to their plan. Expenses they've already worked so hard to cover may have to be faced all over again. This is one of the realities of CHD that doesn't always make it into the photographs or medical updates.

Sometimes families do everything they can to prepare, and circumstances beyond their control change everything.

So today, we're asking our Heart of a Dinosaur community to continue showing up for Cohen.

💜 Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
💜 Share their story.
💜 Offer encouragement and support however you're able.

Last weekend, this community showed Cohen just how loved he is with an incredible early Halloween celebration. That love doesn't have an expiration date. His surgery may have moved on the calendar, but Cohen and his family still need their community beside them.

We're still cheering for you, Cohen. Every step of the way. 💜💛🦖

💔 This is absolutely heartbreaking to have to say.

After all the preparation, prayers, and emotions leading up to October 19th, we have received the devastating news that Cohen’s heart surgery has to be canceled.

Cohen has tested positive for an infection, and because of how serious his upcoming heart surgery is, it simply isn’t safe to move forward right now. We are now looking at surgery being pushed until after Thanksgiving. 💔

We have spent weeks preparing ourselves emotionally, mentally, and financially for this day. To be this close and have everything come to a sudden stop is absolutely crushing.

On top of the heartbreak, this creates an incredible financial strain on our family. With our insurance deductible and out-of-pocket expenses starting back at $0 on November 1st, everything we have already paid toward them will no longer count toward our new insurance.

We are exhausted, overwhelmed, and heartbroken. But above everything, we know Cohen’s safety comes first. ❤️

To everyone who has prayed, donated, shared his story, or supported our family in any way, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We need those prayers now more than ever.

Our sweet boy’s heart journey is far from over. This is just another unexpected bump in the road. 💜💛

10/16/2026

🔬💙🦖 HOPE THROUGH RESEARCH | PART 2 OF 5

MORE DONOR HEARTS. MORE CHANCES AT TOMORROW.
For a child waiting for a heart transplant, one of the biggest challenges isn't necessarily the surgery itself. It's finding a donor heart in time.

Donor hearts are incredibly precious, and not every donated heart can be used for transplantation. But researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have developed a new approach that could help change that.

THE BREAKTHROUGH? A NEW WAY TO RECOVER DONOR HEARTS.
The technique is called REUP (Rapid Recovery with Extended Ultraoxygenated Preservation). In simple terms, it allows medical teams to recover and preserve certain donated hearts after circulatory death using a special cold, oxygen-rich solution. This could make more donor hearts available for children who desperately need them.

IT'S ALREADY HELPING CHILDREN.
In October 2026, researchers reported five successful pediatric heart transplants using this technique, with all five children showing normal pumping function in both ventricles by day seven. Vanderbilt has since reported five additional successful pediatric transplants using the approach. That's ten children who received donor hearts through this new method.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HEART FAMILIES?
Potentially more donor hearts. Shorter waiting periods. More opportunities for children facing advanced heart failure, including some with complex CHD. Of course, these are early results. More research and long-term follow-up are needed, and this technique won't eliminate the challenges of transplantation.

Behind every donated heart is a donor and a family whose generosity deserves tremendous respect. But for families waiting beside hospital beds, hoping for the call that a heart is available, developments like this matter. Because research isn't just about improving technology. It's about giving more children the chance to have a tomorrow. And hopefully, a whole lot of wonderfully ordinary days after that. 💙🦖



Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center & New England Journal of Medicine, October 2026.

10/14/2026

🔬💙🦖 HOPE THROUGH RESEARCH | PART 1 OF 5

WHAT IF A HEART VALVE COULD GROW WITH A CHILD?
One of the challenges of treating congenital heart disease is something every parent knows: Kids grow. But the medical devices used to repair their hearts don't always grow with them.

For some children with CHD, a pulmonary valve needs to be replaced. Traditional replacement valves have a fixed size, meaning a child may eventually outgrow the valve and need another procedure.

But a newly approved technology is offering another possibility!

MEET THE SIZE-ADJUSTABLE HEART VALVE.
In October 2026, the FDA approved the AUTUS Size-Adjustable Valve for certain pediatric patients needing pulmonary valve replacement. Here's what makes it exciting: This valve is designed to be expanded as a child grows!

After the valve is surgically implanted, doctors can enlarge it through a catheter-based procedure, potentially avoiding another open-heart surgery solely to accommodate growth. For families who have already watched their child undergo heart surgery, that's a pretty incredible possibility.

SO DOES THIS MEAN NO MORE SURGERIES?
Not necessarily. The valve is intended for specific patients, and future procedures may still be needed. Researchers will continue studying its long-term performance. But it's an important step toward addressing a challenge heart families have faced for generations.

That's why we're launching HOPE THROUGH RESEARCH, a five-part series exploring new developments in congenital heart care. Some are already reaching patients. Others are still being studied.

All begin with a question: What if we could make life a little better for the next generation of Heart Heroes?

Today, that question comes with an exciting possibility: A heart valve designed to be expanded as a child grows. 💙🦖



Source: FDA, October 2026. For general education; treatment depends on each child's medical needs.

10/12/2026

THE HEART ISN'T THE ONLY THING CHD CAN AFFECT

When people think about congenital heart disease, they usually picture the heart. The surgeries. The medications. The cardiology appointments. But did you know that CHD can affect much more than a child's heart?

🧠 BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT
Some children with complex CHD experience delays in speech, motor skills, attention, or learning. Their medical history, circulation, and time spent critically ill can all play a role.

🍼 FEEDING & GROWTH
Eating can require tremendous energy for some heart babies. Feeding difficulties, slow weight gain, and the need for nutritional support aren't uncommon.

🏃 MOVEMENT & ENDURANCE
Some Heart Heroes need additional support with coordination, strength, or stamina. Physical and occupational therapy can help them develop skills and confidence.

💭 EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Repeated hospitalizations, medical procedures, and disruptions to everyday life can affect a child's emotional health. Families and siblings may need support, too.

Not every child with CHD experiences these challenges.

Some need very little additional support. Others benefit from a team that includes cardiologists, therapists, developmental specialists, nutrition professionals, and educators. Sometimes those needs continue long after a heart surgery is considered successful. Because caring for a heart kid means caring for the WHOLE kid. Not just their heart. Their growth. Their learning. Their confidence. Their childhood. Every part of them matters. 💙🦖