Isabelle

 

Isabelle is a spirited, energetic 15-month-old running, babbling, and getting into everything. However, she fought quite a battle in her early months. When Isabelle was two days old her parents found out that she had a congenital heart defect.

 

Below her mom Kym tells us more:

 

What happened the day you found out she had a heart defect?

She and I rode in an ambulance to Phoenix Children's straight from the cardiologist's office.  We were rushed to the PICU where a team of nurses and doctors got an IV started so she would have the medicine she needed to keep her alive until she could have her first open-heart surgery. 

 

When did she have her first open-heart surgery?

At seven days old. It was an eight hour procedure. When she came out her chest was left open - a common practice for infants as too much swelling would be disastrous - and she was on a series of machines. She healed well and went home with oxygen and a feeding tube. The Hospital sent us home with a nurse who came in twice per week. On her second visit she noticed signs of extreme respiratory distress. Dr. Teodori ordered a helicopter to come to the house and pick her up. 

 

And she had a second surgery?

Yes. Dr. Teodori and a staff of many talented individuals worked on my daughter for 15 hours.  When it was over, our daughter was touch and go. Everyone put on a brave face for us but we knew they were skeptical of her making it through the night.  But Isabelle is a fighter!  She got through it all wonderfully!  

 

How is Isabelle today?

She had some vocal chord damage from the feeding tube, still making it necessary for all fluids to be thickened so that she doesn't aspirate. She sees a speech pathologist because she has lost some vocal function. But she's home, and she is doing great!  Isabelle will always be in a doctor's care [the family currently sees four specialists at the Hospital], and she will require more open-heart surgeries. 

 

How would you describe the people at Phoenix Children's?

In addition to the wonderful care and talented individuals our daughter encountered at the Hospital, they were all supportive and caring for our family too. The support that Phoenix Children's offers is unbelievable. We were made to feel that our daughter was the only one there and that they would do anything to make her better.