From pregnancy to unexpected challenges ahead: Knox's heart journey of faith and resilience

High school sweethearts, Shelly and Tanner Rabalais, who had been together for a decade before exchanging vows, were eager to start a family soon after their wedding. Their excitement reached its peak when, just three weeks after getting married, Shelly discovered she was pregnant. 

“We were both thrilled,” exclaimed Shelly. “Every time I took a pregnancy test, my husband stood right beside me. To announce the news to my parents and his, we made a unique coupon stating, ‘redeem for one grandchild in August 2019’. Their reactions were priceless. We were so excited to become parents.”  

Shelly's pregnancy progressed without any complications. Despite her high energy levels, she found herself constantly feeling swollen, an occurrence that perplexed even her husband. "No matter what I did, I couldn’t shake off the swelling,” she recalls. “Even during my OB-GYN visits, I was swollen. My husband would say, ‘I don’t get it – how can someone who is that swollen have perfect blood pressure?’”  

Shelly had regular check-ups with her OB-GYN in Alexandria, and all her ultrasounds confirmed the baby’s normal growth. “The ultrasounds showed our baby was doing fine,” said Shelly.  

At 38 weeks, measurements revealed their baby was positioned higher in the womb and was measuring larger than average. As the days leading up to their baby’s birth unfolded, Shelly's water broke in the middle of the night.  Immediately, the couple made the 30-minute drive to St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.   

"They checked me and I wasn’t dilated," said Shelly. "The baby was still positioned high up. When the nurse checked me again, I was barely at one centimeter. They gave me the option to either attempt labor naturally or wait three more hours for the OB-GYN to perform a C-section. Knowing that little progress had been made and feeling unsure if our baby would descend, I went forward with the planned C-section." 

On August 19, 2019, Shelly and Tanner happily welcomed their son, Knox. He weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces. The Rabalais’ were excited to start their life together for the first time as a family of three. 

As Shelly and Tanner reveled in the joy of parenthood, little Knox thrived, his laughter filling their home with boundless happiness. However, when Knox was four years old, his annual wellness checkup with his pediatrician revealed a subtle anomaly that sent ripples of concern through the Rabalais family.  

"Knox was always healthy," remarked Shelly. "However, during that visit, his pediatrician in Alexandria detected a heart murmur. He reassured us by saying, 'I’m not overly concerned, but let’s have a pediatric cardiologist take a look.'" 

The couple was referred to Dr. Durga Naidu, a pediatric cardiologist in Alexandria, who is affiliated with Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “We were a bit nervous, but I knew there were people who live with a heart murmur and are doing well, so we knew it was best to get Knox’s heart evaluated,” said Shelly. 

When Knox visited Dr. Naidu, his blood pressure was very high. They checked it multiple times, and it remained dangerously elevated. Further tests, including an ultrasound of his heart, revealed a problem.  

Knox had coarctation of the aorta, a congenital heart defect where a portion of the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body, is narrowed. This narrowing restricts blood flow to the lower part of the body and can lead to various complications including high blood pressure in the upper body and heart failure if left untreated. Surgery is required to repair it. 

"I was shocked because Knox was an active boy," said Shelly. "You'd never guess anything was wrong with him. Looking back, the only sign we noticed was sometimes, after playing hard without resting, he'd wake up in the middle of the night crying because his legs hurt. I'd give him Tylenol, which seemed to alleviate the discomfort. Knowing now about his heart, it makes sense why he experienced leg pain.” 

Dr. Naidu referred them to Dr. Timothy Pettitt, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Children’s Hospital. They knew surgery was needed, which made Shelly and Tanner anxious. But as Dr. Pettitt explained their son’s heart condition and how he would surgically treat it, they trusted him and The Heart Center at Children’s Hospital New Orleans team to guide them through. 

"Dr. Pettitt showed us the CT scan of Knox’s heart and explained that the blood flow through his aorta was severely obstructed," Shelly remembers. "His aorta was so narrowed that a stent wouldn't work, and surgery was necessary. He was upfront about the potential risks and benefits, which reassured me. I understood from start to finish how he planned to repair Knox’s heart. It was tough to stay composed. My husband and I were in tears. We leaned on prayer, hoping for the best outcome for our little boy.” 

On January 25, 2024, Dr. Pettitt performed surgery to correct Knox’s coarcation of the aorta. The surgical repair involved removing the narrowed portion of the aorta and reconnecting the healthy ends together. 

After surgery, Knox was transferred to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). The surgery was successful and Dr. Pettitt told the family that he was able to fix the coarcation and Knox would make a full recovery. Knox spent seven days in the hospital recovering before he was ready to go home. 

Since his surgery, 4-year-old Knox is thriving. He enjoys riding his bike, jumping on trampolines, playing ball, and being outdoors. He's very active and loves playing with his 2-year-old sister, although he can be a bit rough at times. Remarkably, he hasn't experienced any leg pain since. As part of his regular follow-up, he sees Dr. Naidu. Knox is currently on blood pressure medicine which has managed his condition. 

Knox's parents are thankful to the Heart Center at Children’s Hospital for their support and care. 

“Sometimes, you get the feeling from doctors that this is just another procedure, routine to them because they do it every day,” said Shelly. “But for us, it’s far from routine. Dr. Pettitt never made us feel that way. The nurses were equally exceptional. Everyone was incredibly kind, compassionate, helpful and understanding. They made us feel at ease during what was a stressful and uncertain time for our family,” explained Shelly. 

“The message I have for other families going through this, is to trust in God and have faith. If you sense something isn’t right, don’t hesitate to follow up with a pediatrician. If they refer you to a specialist, don’t delay. I always knew Knox was a special child, and I believed God had big plans for him. After speaking with Dr. Pettitt and the cardiology team, I knew they were truly a godsend. We are grateful for Dr. Naidu, Dr. Pettitt, and everyone involved including our son’s pediatrician in Alexandria for finding the heart murmur that led to his interventions. It feels like God’s work was truly done through them.” 

For more information about the Heart Center at Children’s Hospital, visit: Heart Center | Children's Hospital New Orleans (chnola.org)