Searcy, Arkansas
Jacob, 6, was flown to ACH immediately after birth when doctors detected a
congenital heart defect.
Jacob was born with a condition known as tetrology of fallot with absent pulmonary
valve. This heart defect also damages the lungs and upper airway.
He underwent two open-heart surgeries, and when it was determined that he was
not breathing on his own, doctors performed a tracheostomy to assist his breathing.
According to Shari, Jacob’s mother, the operation occurred on September
11, 2001, a day that will remain in her memory forever.
“My September 11 was quite different from everybody else’s,” Shari
says. “That was the pivotal day when they could do no more – they
had to put Jacob on life support.”
Jacob relied on a ventilator to help him breathe for three years. Today, he
is a happy, healthy child who talks non-stop and enjoys playing with trains
and watching the movie “Cars.”
“The best thing about our experience with ACH was the care we received,
and continue to receive, in the clinics – a big part of ACH that is often
overlooked,” says
Shari.
Jacob continues to visit ACH for check-ups in the cardiology, pulmonary and
ENT clinics. As Jacob outgrows the plastic parts that were used to repair his
heart, he will require surgery again.
Shari is grateful to ACH for the excellent care her son received.
“We were so lucky to not have to go out of state for Jacob’s medical
care,” says Shari.
“We knew that Jacob was getting the best care in the world, right here
at home.”
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