The case of this little girl is one in a million…
A little girl who suffered a “broken heart” underwent a remarkable procedure to repair it, and her mother is grateful to the doctors who saved her life.
On August 27, 2019, Leah Sharpe was diagnosed with atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD).
According to The Daily Record, the four-year-old child suffers from a rare heart condition that causes holes to form between the left and right sides of her heart.
Her mother, Lauren Koch, has now expressed her gratitude to the great doctors who repaired her daughter’s broken heart in just four days.
The 25-year-old mother said she knew nothing about AVSD, a syndrome that accounts for 4% of all cardiac abnormalities found in children.
According to Lauren, Leah had a hole in her heart, which a doctor discovered after hearing a murmur in her chest and sending her for an emergency scan. “It was like the feeling of having a lump in your throat just before crying, but not being able to do it. I felt it for about a week. I was completely speechless and at a loss for actions.”
The valves that control the flow between the heart chambers often fail to mature normally in people with AVSD, which can lead to severe complications.
There are brain injuries, kidney and lung problems such as pneumonia if left untreated. AVSD can lead to death.
A mother from Dunbar said, “I never undertook any research on AVSD. Leah’s heart problem can manifest in several ways, and the possible consequences are countless. I have read stories of babies who didn’t even make it out of the hospital alive.”
Leah was initially under observation, and doctors have since told Lauren that Leah would need open-heart surgery to protect her from any future problems.
It was stressful but also a relief to know what would be done to help Leah, according to Lauren.
Leah underwent open-heart surgery the day after her admission to the Royal Infirmary for Children in Glasgow on Thursday, March 24, 2021.
The seven hours her family spent waiting for the unexpected were spent trying to remain optimistic and avoid thinking about the worst-case scenario.
Lauren described how stressful the tense wait was for her and Leah’s extended family. Lauren continued, “We just wanted it to be over and done with.”
Then, when we finally learned that the procedure was a success, Leah surprised the staff by recovering so quickly.
Leah recovered rapidly and was discharged just four days after being hospitalized. As a result, her grateful mother is now indebted to the medical team that helped save her daughter.
It’s truly incredible what children can endure at such a young age.
“However, you also have to trust your healthcare professionals and nurses. We are extremely lucky to have the NHS and what it is capable of.”
“If I didn’t have this trust in them, I don’t know what I would do. They are amazing.”
Leah is doing well and is currently taking a break from nursery to rest. The four-year-old, described as “very shy but also mischievous at the same time,” wants to return to school after the summer vacation.
