Children's Miracle Network Golf Tournament Guide 1 | Page 6

Kael Adams age 10 TAUSSIG-BING ANOMALY When Kara Adams was five months pregnant, her and her husband learned that their son would be born with a rare and complex congenital heart defect known as Taussig-Bing Anomaly. When their newborn son would arrive, he would need surgery right away. Kara and her husband Jason were living in Hawaii at the time and relocated to Nashville, TN so they could take their son to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Kael was born on February 18, 2004, and had his first open-heart surgery when he was eight days old. At five and a half months old, he had a second openheart surgery to patch his upper Pulmonary Artery. Unfortunately, Kael’s father Jason was deployed to Afghanistan soon after his first surgery, and Kara had to fight hard to get her husband home for the second surgery. She wrote letters to Senators, and eventually, it had to take an act of congress to get him home. Kael had gone through two open-heart surgeries, three angioplasties, a colonoscopy, an upper GI pic line, and a central line all before he was 6 months old. With his father being deployed, his mother was left to make difficult decision about Kael’s health. After 20 numerous surgeries and procedures, Kael just celebrated his 10th birthday while recovering from his third open heart surgery. Despite everything he has gone through, he has had many triumphs. His mom says he is the smartest little person she knows, and that he is the greatest gift her and her husband have ever received. Kael’s parents chose his name because it means mighty warrior, and they say he is by far the most courageous warrior they will ever have the pleasure of knowing.