Ria, born 2012

After a high risk pregnancy, which included many trips to the ER, we were relieved when our baby made it to the scheduled a c-section date. We thought the worst was behind us. When she was just one day old, they found a murmur which was diagnosed as Critical Aortic Stenosis. The frightening thing was that the doctor who finally discovered it was the SIXTH doctor to examine her. All others had somehow given her thumbs up. Once it was discovered, they found that it was so severe that she needed to be taken by leer jet to Minneapolis Children's Hospital immediately, where she underwent a balloon valvuloplasty the next day.

 

As her mother, I refused to stay behind at the hospital where she was born, despite having just undergone a c-section. As a result, the day after her surgery I developed a uterine infected and had to be hospitalized elsewhere, since they could not treat me at Children's. Having to be away from my newborn baby who had just undergone heart surgery was absolutely the darkest time of our lives.

 

They originally said she would have to have another balloon valvuloplasty at three months, which came and went. The way her surgery is holding up is absolutely miraculous. Although she is facing open heart surgery sometime in her young life, it is a true miracle she is alive today.

 

I want to help bring awareness to families to be an advocate for their new babies and insist that their hearts be checked. I am astounded that our daughter was checked and given the okay by so many doctors. We would have lost her had it not been for that sixth doctor.

 

Story by Ria’s mother, Stacy – Minnesota