The story of a brave little heart

The story of a brave little heart
This was my second pregnancy, so everything was very
familiar. At the 21 week scan the familiarity and joy of my
pregnancy turned to unease and concern when the doctor
said, “Baby’s heart doesn’t look normal”. Further
examination was necessary. The physician identified a
problem with the left ventricle, but as the Echocardiogram
showed good flow the physician said that it was only a
slight defect. It was only much later during my pregnancy
that we found out that the heart defect known as HLHS is a
very serious condition. Baby was safe inside the womb, but
would he be able to survive in the world with only half a heart?
The doctors kept us informed of the steps that were going to be taken to treat our little beating heart.
Baby would be eligible for a heart transplant but he would have to fight hard for his life, and the first
operation was scheduled for five days after birth. Very shortly after Krystian’s birth he contracted a
bacterial infection which left him too weak to risk the operation. We had to wait one whole month and, in
addition, it was decided that the Norwood stage was too difficult to perform on our baby - infected with
sepsis - so the doctors decided to perform a much shorter and less invasive hybrid operation. After
surgery, the doctors confirmed that baby was doing brilliantly and that he could be taken to cardiology.
Hope sparkled.
Then baby got another infection and his little chest needed opening again. That night we were told the
most horrible thing any parent could hear, “Baby does not want to live anymore; he is giving up on life;
his heart keeps stopping.” This was only his first operation, and in one night Krystian’s heart stopped five
times. I stood helpless as my baby was being resuscitated. I prayed that my son would not give up. Before
Krystian was taken into the surgery room the doctors prepared us for the worst, i.e. there was little hope
for survival but they would do all they could. When Krystian disappeared behind those operating theatre
doors, we hoped and prayed - that our baby boy would fight, that the doctors were mistaken … Hours
later the doors opened again and our hearts skipped a beat as we saw the doctor in the white coat
walking towards us with a huge smile on his face. With great pleasure he informed us that the drug given
to Krystian had worked like magic, “It’s a miracle”, he said. Our prayers had been answered and his little
heart decided not to give up. He is here with us still.
We signed the agreement for the first catheterization – the first of five – and the last catheterization took
place at the end of October. Three stents have secured blood flow in preparation for the next operation.
The second operation will merge the Norwood and Glenn stages together, combining phase I and phase II.
It is a far more serious but life-saving operation. After all the complications Krystian experienced during
the first surgery, the risks will be much greater for him during this procedure.
After the consultation I wandered around the hospital trying to find a little girl with the same heart
problem as Krystian. I could not find her. She had not been discharged. Terrified for my own son’s future I
talked to other parents in the same wing, and my family did all the research they could. We were directed
to Doctor Malec. We have attended the consultation and have agreed to have the surgery in Germany,
but this operation is very expensive.
It is a miracle that our boy is alive. Krystian’s little heart is a time-bomb that can explode at any time - one
blood withdrawal and it will be the end. We, Krystian’s parents, want to mend this little heart and we
want our miracle boy to live with us for a very, very long time. The heart transplant is an option but the
waiting list is too long. Krystian’s heart will not last that long.
These two parents only ask as much as your heart thinks is ok to donate to stop this ticking bomb.
HELP Krystian!
Before a donation read the instructions below
If You want to help paying any money You have to:
1. Press 'Wesprzyj' (a red button) next to amount which is already collected
2. Press 'Chce przekazac darowizne bez rejestracji' (a red button)
then
3. Kwota wsparcia ..... zl - ZL is a polish value – 100 ZL is a 25 EUR
You have to fill the box with the amount of money You want to pay and then
press next red button 'Oplac teraz'
4. 'Razem chcesz przekazac' means 'In total You want to pay'
to confirm have to press next red button on the right hand side 'Oplac koszyk darowiz'
NEXT
1. ‘Laczna kwota wsparcia’ - amount of money that You want to send
Imie - Name
Nazwisko - Surname
Adres e-mail - Email adress
2. ‘Wybierz sposob platnosci’ - Choose the way of payment
If You want to make a payment You can do it in two ways:
1. using a PayPal
2. using a Debit Card
and press 'Oplac koszyk' at the bottom (a red button)
LAST SITE – ‘Placisz za zakupy w Fundacji SiePomaga’ - Payment for an auccion in a SiePomaga Foundation
Then You have to fill details about Your bank card and press a blue button 'Place' which means 'Pay'
THANK YOU FOR HELPING KRYSTIAN!
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www.siepomaga.pl/serce-krystianka