When I was 26 weeks pregnant with my first child, Kim, I was told that something was wrong with the anatomy of her heart during a routine scan. I was quickly referred to pediatric cardiology for an echocardiogram and they told me my fetus had been diagnosed with L-TGA (Levo- Transposition of the Great Arteries with ventricular inversion), a VSD (a hole between the bottom two chambers of her heart), and pulmonary stenosis (thickening of the tissue inside her pulmonary artery). This diagnosis is given to less than 1% of babies born.
Kim went 7.5 years of her life without intervention, having a baseline oxygen level of ~85% (a normal, healthy individual should be around 98-100%) when healthy, but this quickly dropped when she was fighting any illness. Illnesses would require supplemental oxygen and often hospitalization, with a combination of preventative steroids, vaccines, and respiratory treatments in between.
As Kim?s body grew, it put more pressure on her heart which struggled to keep up with her increasing activity levels. When Kim turned 7, they put an oximeter on her finger and had her run laps around the cardio office- the oximeter showed she was quickly dropping from her baseline of ~85% to as low as 42%! She was physically incapable of enduring activity due to declining oxygen. It was time for surgical intervention.
July 2024- Kim underwent a 12-hour surgery at Boston Children?s Hospital to repair her heart, and insert a pacemaker device. She now can play soccer, do cartwheels, and keep up with all her peers- with nearly no limitations. She is why.