Abby Kenigsberg is a geologist, CrossFit enthusiast and lifelong patient at Texas Children’s Hospital. Born in Corpus Christi in 1992, she was diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot. Her parents, understandably anxious and seeking the best care, were advised by a family friend to take her to Texas Children’s. Dr. Tim Bricker, her first cardiologist, and Dr. David Ott, who performed her surgery at just nine months old, became important figures in Abby’s early life.
“My mom loved Dr. Bricker and the entire team,” Abby recalled. “They made my parents feel secure and hopeful during a stressful time.”
Abby continued her care in our Heart Center when she went away to college. While in grad school in the northeast, she returned to Texas regularly for appointments. Thanks to the opening of our first-of-its-kind Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) facility, and now that Abby lives and works in Houston, it is even easier to maintain her care under the watchful eyes of Dr. Wilson Lam.
“I’ve never had a doctor like him. Even during the pandemic, when I emailed him, he responded within an hour. That’s been the case several times,” Abby shared.
Living a full and active life with ACHD
Despite her condition, Abby has always led an active life. She played tennis, softball, and basketball in high school and continued with intramural sports in college and grad school. Now, as a geologist, she is often outdoors, enjoys hiking and has taken up CrossFit, a passion she shares with her wife, who is a marathon runner.
With her scientific background, Abby appreciates the uncertainties and complexities of medical science. She values the thoroughness of her care team, which has always left her feeling well-supported.
“Dr. Lam went back through decades of my records when I had a question about my stabilized condition and what that meant. For a doctor to spend that much time with an asymptomatic patient and listen to my concerns, I think really is rare,” Abby marveled.
Our ACHD team are The Difference
Dr. Lam is renowned for his detailed explanations, often illustrated on a whiteboard during consultations. Nurses frequently point out, “That’s a Dr. Lam whiteboard.”
“Education is the most empowering tool we can offer our patients in the outpatient setting,” Dr. Lam explained. “I want my patients to be the most knowledgeable person in the room when discussing their congenital heart disease because patients invested in maintaining the best health possible have the best shot at leading fuller, longer and more active lives.”
Our multidisciplinary ACHD team keeps up with novel strategies and therapies, often extrapolating risks and benefits for an adult population underrepresented in studies and research. They adapt to fast-paced changes in medical literature and guidelines and collaborate regularly.
“Working well together helps ensure the best outcome possible for our patients,” explained Dr. Lam.
Texas Children’s ACHD team recently made a significant impact at the 34th International Symposium on Congenital Heart Disease in the Adult in Skamania, Washington, participating in 40% of the event’s podium sessions. Our team members, including Peter Ermis, Katie Salciccioli and Ryan Byrne, played key roles in major discussion topics such as workforce and fellowship training, utilization of ACHD guidelines and ACHD heart failure. We are thrilled to celebrate the progress and expansion of our ACHD team as they continue to demonstrate excellence and leadership in their field
Abby’s story is a powerful example of how dedicated, personalized care by an exceptional team is The Difference for adults living with congenital heart disease. Do you know an individual who is The Difference on your team? Fill out this form and tell us about how they make an impact: https://forms.office.com/r/XK8w3pwEMS
