What we don’t go through for our children! On this day, a Pennsylvania mommy celebrates what she thought might not ever come, her first mother’s day. Stacey Doyle delivered her first born son, Owen, last May. The days that followed were a mixed bag of emotions.

What should have been the happiest time in her life became a scary journey. Stacey developed cardiomyopathy after the delivery and went into cardiac arrest. She received 2 VAD, ventricular assist devices, and was put on the wait list for a heart.

It was touch and go while her husband cared for their newborn son at home. He was marveling in the birth of Owen, while exhausting himself in the thoughts of losing the women he loved.

Well, their prayers were answered when only a few days later Stacey received her heart.

But the call was no joke, and within hours, she received a new heart, donated by the family of a 28-year-old man who died suddenly, just one day before his own child was born.

I get chills just thinking about it. Sometimes good does come out of tragedy. Because of the selfless act of this man’s family, a mommy got to celebrate mother’s day!

via 6ABC Philadelphia

Post from: Blisstree

A Hearty Mother’s Day Celebration

After CPR by his father, being taken via 911 to the closest hospital and then airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, life saving decisions had to be made.

Doctors determined his heart had failed and diagnosed the problem as dilated cardiomyopathy. They suspected a virus that Joseph contracted a year ago had caused his immune system to attack and destroy his heart muscle. Gradually, his heart grew bigger and weaker until it finally stopped.

Joseph was put on a standard heart-lung machine, which is not used but for a couple of days to sustain life. There are no ventricular assist devices for children, but there was one pump that could save the young boys life.

The German built pump called the Berlin Heart, which is specifically designed to keep children alive while awaiting a transplant. Although not approved in the United States, it is being used in Europe. After many days of paperwork to file for a “compassionate release” by the FDA, the Berlin Heart was flown from Germany to Charleston.

The Berlin Heart allowed Joseph to grow stronger until nine days later, when he received the heart transplant he needed.

Technology blows my mind! Thank goodness for this cutting edge pump, it saved a 5 year old’s life.

via ABC News

Hsien Hsien Lei PhD

Post from: Blisstree

The German-Built Berlin Heart Saves A US-Born 5 Year Old Boy’s Life