One visit to a specialist and diagnosis, which any parents don’t want to hear. Diagnosis, which boost the avalanche of many difficult decisions to make, deciding about a life of Julia. Your baby was born with a serious heart defect…

On September 2014,  there was the first visit to a cardiologist. Little heart of 4 month Julia beats like a bell, without any murmurs, doctor said. Pediatrician of our baby emphasized on every visit that she hears a slight heart murmurs, so we were confused… Right after the New Year, when the weight of Julia begin to fall day by day, mouth started to bruise and she was flooded with cold sweat, we were concerned and we decided to check her heart once again. We didn’t want to wait anymore, so we went to a private visit to the same cardiologist in the same city. January 2015: ‘Why nobody inform you about that, during the childbirth?’ This time cardiologist heard murmurs very well. Diagnosis was: heart defect in the form of common atrioventricular canal. We were returned to home in tears, with the list of hospitals and cardiologists and cardiac surgeons list…
 

How hard it is to acknowledge that baby, who only recently developed very well under mother’s heart, who provides a lot of happiness every day, requires an immediate heart surgery. We would give away our hearts, to protect her from surgery, if there would be a possibility to do that. In an instant, carefree moment turn into the fight for our daughter’s heart, and together with avalanche of many difficult decisions to make, having an impact on the future life of our little ones. From January we were in travel between Krakow and Poznan.

I Krakow we get a response, that defect which born our little daughter with, should be operated within 2 months, but we have to be aware, that newborns have priority in surgery… Words ‘We will figure it out somehow’ didn’t calm us down. In Poznan we got to know, that we can wait with surgery up to six months. Just few days ago, we didn’t know much about heart diseases… That after one of visit at doctor, we had to face the decisions determine about our daughter’s life: In which hospital, which one specialist we have to choose, when and what dose of medicines we have to apply. So many questions, doubts to not harm our baby and so little time to make the most important decisions. In the way from Krakow to Poznan we got a response from professor Malec.

Little heart of Julia becomes weaker day by day, so that she is less active and loose her weight. The surgery is necessary. We have barely 2 months. When in Poland only begins a long struggle with a health services, which allow to perform a surgery rescuing Julia’s little heart, professor Malec has written down all treatment plan and right after paying the entire amount, he will be ready to operate our baby. Correction of heart defect and heart valvuoplasty, all of this are essential to minimize the quantity of complications and it will be done during one surgery. We do not doubt the ability of Polish doctors, although we still find ourselves obsessing why nobody noticed the loss in our daughter’s little heart during the pregnancy. Unfortunately, the system of polish heart service is structured so that our daughter, despite the fact that she should be operate in 2 months, she was entered in queue without end… Professor Malec in few hours after read medical record, accurately described the planned operation and appointed the term, so important in this case…

She smiles weaker and weaker, to sit lacks her power for a long time … Her little heart wane. Together we can defeat the barrier which is lack of money, to save little heart of Julia. Enlarging our hearts, like branchy oak, covering Julia’s heart sure shelter.

Actualization: we know the term of surgery of Julia’s little heart : May 5,

2015 