Snyder, Laura Beth

[left:ad3680c3e4]http://www.cherubs-cdh.org/Album/new/snyder-laurabeth.jpg[/left:ad3680c3e4]My granddaughter was born Oct. 9, 1993 at the University of Florida (Shands) with a right sided CDH. It was patched when she was four days old. She spent her first twenty-two days of life on a respirator. Laura Beth had heart complications probably brought on by the strong drugs given to her. Because of the doctor’s fear of her refluxing and damaging her lungs (her right one is small) she was not allowed to suck or feed, but was fed intravenously then by NG-tube. This coupled with the various illnesses she succumbed to at Shands: cardiac arrest, staph, RSV, yeast of her central line, abscess of her right leg requiring more surgery, Laura didn’t come home until Feb. 7, 1994. She has oral aversions and feeds only through a button. Her stomach is quite small and twisted which necessitates her being fed 24 hours a day. We live in a rural area. About a year before Laura was born another CDH female was born. She was left-sided with only one lung. This was less than half a mile from us. She has since moved away. I did some research and found out about Nitrofin, a herbicide used for weed control. It caused mainly right-sided CDH in rats. Behind us are acres of blueberries but I have never found out what kind of chemicals they use. My daughter had a previous pregnancy which she and her husband elected to abort because the fetus was a severe hydrocephalic with kidney problems. We didn’t know of Laura’s condition until birth. Laura’s parents both suffered head trauma when they were young and are slightly mentally handicapped. I would appreciate any information and help. I would also be glad to answer any questions.


Updated 1999:


I've put this letter off long enough. So here's an update on Laura Beth Snyder, born 10/9/93 with right-sided CDH at U.F. Shands. We had no knowledge of her condition until her birth.

I will never forget the nurse telling us she had CDH and would probably die. Laura had other ideas. This was the beginning of the longest four months of my life. When Laura was 4 days old they operated and placed a Gortex patch in her. She was 22 days on the ventilator the 1st time. She was in cardiac arrest for eight minutes, was in tachacardia numerous times and had numerous infections and other problems before we even brought her home.

Laura came home Feb. 7, 1994 with constant reflux and a G-tube, which she still has. I had observed in the hospital that she would throw up any large feeding but would tolerate small feedings. We found out at home we could give her 15cc every 15 minutes and she would hold this.

Laura is 5 and a half now and because her stomach is very small and twisted she will not tolerate anymore than 8oz at a feeding. Other than feeding problems Laura is very healthy and seems to have no lung problems. Laura loves to swim and can swim under water like a fish. She loves animals and could at an early age name all the animals and tell you the sounds they make. She does have some learning problems mostly with speech, which she receives Speech Therapy for. She is in a special kindergarten class where they work with her eating and her fine motor skills. When I see this loving, cheerful, outgoing bundle of energy running through my house stopping only long enough to show me her newest catch- a lizard, a walking stick or bug or carefully carrying a kitten, I remember very clearly how many times during those first months that we were told Laura would not live and am so very grateful against all those odds she is one of the cherubs that survived.


Written by Laura Beth’s grandmother, Chryl Hundertmark (Florida)
1996, Updated 1999