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"I recall Dr. Taussig drawing a diagram on Charles' chest to indicate where the incision would be made."
Submitted by: Stephanie G.
My eldest son, Charles F. Galczynski, Jr., was born on November 12, 1946, in Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Mansdorfer, his pediatrician, assured us that the slight murmur in his heart would go away as he grew older. When he started walking, he would tire easily and would squat down to rest often. His fingernails would become blue and his thumbs were flat. A friend suggested that we take him to a Dr. Koffey. After examining Charles, Dr. Koffey advised us to take him to Johns Hopkins Children's Clinic. He said they were initiating a new procedure for "Blue Babies". We were happy to have a conference with Dr. Blalock and Dr. Taussig. They determined that Charles would be an excellent candidate for the new procedure. I recall Dr. Taussig drawing a diagram on Charles' chest to indicate where the incision would be made. The operation took place in August 1954, when Charles was 7 years old. After the surgery, my husband and I were thrilled with Charles' speedy recovery and desire to return to school at Holy Rosary. His color and stamina improved remarkably. We were told that he would probably need to undergo another procedure when he was in his late teens. Charles had the second open-heart procedure at Johns Hopkins in August 1968. Charles lived a full, active life. He worked as a radiographer for the Montgomery County Health Dept for over 30 years. He and his wife, Cecile, raised 4 sons. He was active in his church and was an annual participant in a medieval festival. Although we lost him on January 17, 2003, to a heart attack, we are grateful for the many years we had with him thanks to Drs. Blalock and Taussig. We never knew about the great work and brilliance of Mr. Vivien Thomas in developing the procedure, and, although this is late in coming, we also wish to express our gratitude to him.
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