Two weeks earlier than Olivia Goodwin was born, her mother, Marisa, was given terrifying information. Her daughter could be born with a uncommon, however critical, congenital coronary heart defect (CHD) referred to as full coronary heart block.
“Olivia was born with a congenital coronary heart block. And what which means is that the higher and decrease chamber electrically aren’t talking,” George McDaniel, MD, a UVA Well being Kids’s pediatric heart specialist, says.
Full coronary heart block (or Third-degree coronary heart block) usually wants therapy immediately. “I used to be ready to journey,” says Marisa. But it surely turned out one of many nation’s finest pediatric coronary heart packages was already in her personal yard.
Discovering the Proper Rhythm
Many kids born with coronary heart block don’t require surgical procedure. Docs can undertake a “wait and see” strategy. However for youngsters born with a whole coronary heart block and dangerously gradual heartbeat, surgical procedure usually happens shortly after they’re born.
“I met Olivia at delivery, and so I’ve taken care of her for her complete life. However there’s a large crew behind her,” McDaniel says.
Olivia’s first pacemaker was positioned when she was nonetheless a child. As she’s gotten older, new pacemakers have been positioned to fulfill her rising wants.
Count on the Surprising
CHD impacts 1% of all births. A fetal echo will help you have a look at your child’s coronary heart earlier than delivery.
UVA Well being Kids’s 2024 Miracle Community Champion
With CHD, what each guardian desires is the ‘after’ picture. They need to know what life goes to appear to be as soon as the disaster is over. And that is the picture docs attempt to provide. Whereas Olivia’s situation requires lifelong therapy, her future couldn’t be brighter.
Now 13 years previous, Olivia has many extra identities than simply survivor. Olivia’s an honor roll scholar. A aggressive swimmer. A pianist. “Olivia has a pacemaker. It’s a part of her story. But it surely doesn’t outline her,” her mother says.
“She’s obtained no limits,” McDaniel agrees.
Olivia’s story helps spotlight the intense future kids born with CHD can hope for with care from UVA Well being Kids’s. Watch her share her story in her personal phrases on this video.
View Transcript
Olivia Goodwin: Hello. I am Olivia, and I am 13 years previous.
Marisa Goodwin: I used to be pregnant with Olivia once I discovered about her coronary heart situation two weeks previous to her being born. First time mother. I used to be ready to journey. Inform me the place I have to go. And that is what I will do. And lo and behold, if it wasn’t in my very own yard.
George McDaniel, MD: So Olivia was born with a congenital coronary heart block. And what which means is the higher and decrease chamber electrically aren’t talking. And so she would not have a standard coronary heart price with out some form of assist.
Olivia Goodwin: Mainly, my coronary heart beats too gradual and would not beat on the ordinary rhythm. So I had a pacemaker put in. Each 5 or 6 years that I return to the hospital for a serious surgical procedure, the previous pacemaker’s taken out and a brand new one is put in and generally I get new wires to attach the pacemaker to my coronary heart.
George McDaniel, MD: If in case you have congenital coronary heart block, it’s a lifelong situation. I met Olivia mainly at delivery, and so I’ve taken care of her her complete life. However there is a large crew behind her. We adopted her final yr with echocardiograms and another colleagues serving to out, and we noticed that her coronary heart was starting to enlarge. And when it does, the excellent news is we’ve got choices to assist with that. In order that she was upgraded to what’s referred to as a biventricular pacemaker and he or she responded exceedingly nicely to that.
Marisa Goodwin: The tradition there may be wonderful and so they’ve seen her develop and it turns into a household. The employees at UVA really cares. They take care not solely of the affected person, however of the entire household.
George McDaniel, MD: I feel one of many causes we do what we do is to get to see youngsters blossom and go have regular childhood. If you happen to watch Olivia, you realize, she’s fairly an athlete. She’s a really quick swimmer. And we have form of needed to take care of her pacemaker round that problem. However that is understanding nicely for her.
Olivia Goodwin: I began swimming once I was ten months previous and haven’t left it since.
Marisa Goodwin: Olivia accomplished her first 500 meter freestyle race precisely on the day, virtually to the minute, of her surgical procedure the yr earlier than. One yr to the day she’s swimming the 5 hundred free.
Olivia Goodwin: After I’ve to remain within the hospital for some time and be out of the water, in the beginning, it feels defeating to know that each one you’re employed for has been thrown out the window. However on the identical time, I promise myself that I’ll hold going and I’ll make it again.
Marisa Goodwin: Olivia has a pacemaker. It’s her story, but it surely would not outline her.
George McDaniel, MD: So I feel with Olivia, whereas we handle her coronary heart price, she’s obtained no limits. She’s a incredible instance of what we are able to do for folks.
