When a 21-week ultrasound turned their world upside down, Dylan and Devyn Parrish braced for a reality they had never imagined.
A doctor noticed a faint echo that signaled their baby’s heart would not work the way it was meant to. Their unborn son, Callahan, was diagnosed with dextrotransposition of the great arteries (dTGA), a rare congenital heart defect in which the two major arteries are switched in position.
“When you hear something like that, your ears kind of go numb,” Devyn said. “So, we made a plan to pray about it and try to enjoy our pregnancy.”
They were immediately sent to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, where specialists were ready to meet the challenge. Within days of his birth on June 27, 2023, Callahan was in the neonatal intensive care unit. A few hours later, he was transferred to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit for his first open heart surgery on July 3, led by UF Health cardiovascular surgeon Mark S. Bleiweis, M.D.
The next day, a sudden accumulation of gas forced a rushed operation on his large intestine. UF Health anesthesiologist Kevin J. Sullivan, M.D., was there the entire time, noticing a buildup that required two centimeters of intestine to be removed, followed by a second surgery two months later to reconnect the bowel.
“Dr. Sullivan was his doctor both nights he was rushed back into surgery,” Devyn said. “Without him and the nurses there, we don’t know if the gas in his stomach would have been found.”
After six weeks in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, Callahan left the hospital with a bright future. He now visits every six months for a checkup with UF Health pediatric cardiologist Laura Wilson, M.D., and twice a year for an echocardiogram to watch his heart rhythm.
During his time at UF Health, a group from Dance Marathon at UF surprised Callahan with personalized cards and stories that resonated with the whole family.
“We still have the cards they made him,” Devyn said. In gratitude, the Parrish family donated pacifiers and pizza to babies and staff at the PCICU.
Now 2 years old, Callahan is a fearless boy who loves playing basketball, riding his BMX bike, caring for his horse and spending time on the family boat. While he may need another heart surgery, his family says nothing could replace the relief of having Shands in their backyard. They remain grateful to the dedicated physicians, nurses and staff at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, whose expertise and compassion continue to help children thrive.
“People from all over the world come here just to have their child cared for,” Devyn said. “Shands is a blessing.”