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Expecting a Miracle

Dominic Pasquantonio

When expecting a baby, parents are often filled with countless anxieties and great expectations. As frequently portrayed on the big screen, visions of late night runs to the grocery store to soothe ice cream cravings and revealing visits to the doctor’s office for the "baby’s first picture," often fill the nine month journey to the beginning of parenthood. However, no one can ever prepare for the unexpected and shattering news that something has gone wrong – that something is threatening the life of their child.

This was the experience of Megan and Tom Pasquantonio of Rochester, New York when they were 20 weeks into their pregnancy. Upon visiting their doctor for a routine check-up, they learned that their unborn son, Dominic, had hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, a condition in which the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. Consequently, his heart would not be able to sufficiently pump oxygenated blood throughout his body. To reconstruct his heart, Dominic would need a series of three surgeries, the first of which involved the re-routing, or bypass, of blood around the left side of his heart. The hardest news of all was that he would need the surgery at just ten days old. The Pasquantonios were now expecting more than just their first born child - they were also expecting a miracle.

On October 20, 2000, Dominic Pasquantonio was born and, with baited breath, his parents looked ahead to an unsure future. Ten days later Dominic successfully completed his first surgery, during which he needed four blood transfusions. Healthier and stronger after five weeks, he went home. Two days later, he suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed back to the hospital. While doctors at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester were able to revive him, they also found that his right ventricle was no longer working properly and he would need a second surgery sooner than anticipated.

More than a year later, Dominic underwent his second heart surgery, during which he needed one more blood transfusion. Again, he experienced post-operative complications and doctors recommended a heart transplant surgery instead of proceeding with the third and final surgery. With much thought and prayer, the Pasquantonios chose not to put their son on a waiting list for a heart, but rather to let him grow stronger on his own, to live his life fully with the love of his family and friends and the grace of God.

It is often said that good things come in small packages. A blood donor’s gift of life comes in a small, plastic bag that, when transfused, can literally become the strength in a patient’s veins, filling them with life and often times hope. "Dominic’s smile and his incredible personality are living proof of the awesome things that can happen when people care," says Megan. "He wouldn’t be the happy kid he is today if it wasn’t for all the support he received from his loving family, an incredible medical team at Strong Memorial Hospital, and blood donors. All these things have taken part in making sure our son will grow stronger and healthier each day."