Asher & Dog
Asher was born in October 2021 and spent the first five months of his life in UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. His parents recall meeting with Victor Morell, MD, who informed them that their son had double inlet left ventricle, a rare defect in which the heart’s left and right upper chambers connect to the lower left chamber.
“There was so much going on at the time, but Dr. Morell was great,” Ryan, Asher’s dad, recalls. “He explained his plan for surgery and was confident that this would be best for our son’s future.”
Bryan Goldstein, MD, performed an initial cardiac catheterization procedure, which allowed Asher to avoid heart surgery as an infant. Dr. Morell then performed Asher’s first open heart surgery in January 2022, when Asher was three months old. In the time since then, Ryan says Asher has gotten stronger. The family has made return visits to UPMC Children’s for cardiac catheterizations with Dr. Goldstein, followed by a second heart surgery with Dr. Morell in September 2024.
Throughout this process, Asher has found comfort in the form of a couple of stuffed animals – a dog, which he simply calls “Dog,” and a furry stuffed reindeer named Buddy, a gift from Asher’s grandmother.
“He really enjoys holding onto these animals and having them by his side,” Ryan explains. “Whether it be pre-op, post-op, or at home, that little dog and reindeer have provided Asher with emotional support.”
Asher’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.