Mytinybaby’slifewas saved by a raincoat
TINY Ryleigh Christy was born with five holes in her heart which was likened to a sieve. But doctors have mended them in a complex operation with the same material that raincoats are made from.
Valerie Christy thought everything was perfect when her baby daughter Ryleigh was born. But just three days later the newborn’s life was hanging in the balance.
Valerie, who lives in Dundee, says: “She was a healthy weight when she was born and nothing had shown up during my pregnancy so I didn’t think there was anything to worry about.”
But at just three days old, the tot was in intensive care with doctors unable to discover what was wrong with her.
Ryleigh was born in May, weighing 7lb 5oz and Valerie, 38, recalls: “From the moment she was born I knew that things weren’t right, but the doctors had no idea what was wrong with her. She was breathing so fast, her chest was going up and down and she was taken into intensive care in the early hours of one morning.
“It had all happened so fast, I didn’t know what was going on. When I went to her cot at 6am she wasn’t there. The cot was empty. Then the nurses told me she had been taken to intensive care because she had developed further complications.
“It was the most terrifying experience of my life, but I knew that I needed to be there for her.
“I wasn’t prepared for seeing my tiny baby lying there covered in wires and tubes. It was devastating seeing her fighting for life.”
Ryleigh was transferred to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. After a number of scans and tests, doctors discovered that Ryleigh had been born with a ventricular septal defect and multi atrial septal defects, meaning she had multiple holes in her heart.
An atrial septal defect is when there is an abnormal opening between the upper two chambers of the heart. It means that a large amount of blood leaks from the heart’s left side back to the right side, then this blood is pumped back to the lungs.
When the baby is still in the womb there is normally an opening between the upper chambers of the heart allowing blood to bypass the lungs. This opening usually closes around the time the baby is born.
Such conditions can mean a higher risk of heart failure or stroke.
Valerie says: “It was a relief to know
Valerie knew something was wrong with her baby when she was born that there were finally some answers as to why she was so poorly, but it was terrifying when the doctors told me how many holes Ryleigh had in her heart. She was so tiny and her heart was the only the size of a walnut, yet she had five holes in it. I was worried that she wasn’t going to survive.
“The doctors told me she would have to have an operation, so I had to hope and pray that she was strong enough to survive.”
Ryleigh’s only chance of making it was open heart surgery to mend the holes in her heart.
She had the risky operation when she was just 11 weeks old, and doctors mended the holes with the waterproof fabric Gore-tex.
It is used in heart operations because it’s very elastic and has a honeycomb
Little Ryleigh had an operation at 11 weeks to fix five holes in her heart structure to it that allows the patient’s pacemaker fitted to regulate her heart, own cells to grow in and around it. and she still has heart block too – an
Valerie says: “It was such a relief when abnormal rhythm – which the doctors the operation was over and she had are treating her for. She has to go survived it. The doctors have done a back to the hospital once a month wonderful job in mending her heart and for check-ups.
I am so grateful to them.” Valerie says: “She has been through
Ryleigh regained consciousness so much but she is such a little after the operation, but the sound fighter. I call her my warrior of Valerie’s voice agitated her so princess. much that she had to be “She has two large scars sedated again. on her chest, which some
Valerie says: “It was heartbreaking people say is a shame, to see her in so but I don’t see it that much distress. All I wanted way. I see them as scars to do was pick my baby up to be proud of, as it and take her home. But it shows how strong she was impossible. She had has been and how far been through so much, I she has come to just had to hope that she survive. was strong enough to “I’m planning to get battle on through.” tattoos done of the
Ryleigh then also same scars so she won’t survived two infections that be alone. And to tell her she contracted while in that I’m so proud of her hospital. She has now returned for what she has done. home with Valerie, although she “When I look at her now, is still being monitored by the I feel like the luckiest hospital. She has had a mum alive.” Ryleigh’s getting stronger
She was so tiny and her heart was only the size of a walnut yet she had five holes in it. I was so worried...