Ga. Baby with Rare Condition Needs Prayers after Open Heart Surgery
A Cumming, Georgia baby, who underwent a high-risk open heart surgery earlier this month in Boston, is in need of prayers. Her family said according to doctors, her “prognosis is not looking good.”
Mary Beth Scott’s parents call her a miracle baby. The family traveled to Massachusetts to receive treatment just before Christmas; however, the 8-month-old’s struggle started before she was born after being diagnosed in utero with critical congenital heart disease. She was born on May 12 with a number of heart complications.
Due to her complex heart, the newborn was taken straight to the NICU and at just one week old she was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. Her mother, Allison Christopher, told FOX 5 during Mary Beth’s first admission at Egleston she contracted a MRSA bloodstream infection which resulted in endocarditis.
She stayed at CHOA for eight weeks. Then, she was home for almost a month before returning to CHOA for a second time. Her mother said during her daughter’s second admission she had a cardiac catheterization and her first open heart surgery. Following Mary’s Beth’s open heart surgery she went into cardiac arrest for 40 minutes, which caused some brain damage. She was placed on ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). The baby wasn’t acting like her normal “bubbly” self and not long after she was transported to the inpatient rehab unit where she stayed for three weeks. She crashed during rehab and had to be taken back to the cardiac ICU, but after two long months she was finally able to go home.
Mary Beth was home for almost a month before she headed back to the hospital.
“She was unable to have a surgery called the Glenn because the line placed to treat her MRSA bloodstream infection and endocarditis occluded her left innominate vein,” Christopher told FOX 5’s Katie Muse.
In early November, her cardiologist discovered Mary Beth had a very rare life threatening condition and sent the family back to Egleston. Her mother said there isn’t a cure; just a life long battle with open heart surgeries, extended hospital stays and eventually a heart transplant.
“We were told that Mary Beth’s pulmonary vein stenosis was very severe.”
Her parents got a second opinion from Boston Children’s Hospital and learned surgeons could help Mary Beth by performing a high risk open heart surgery, which took place several weeks ago. It’s the only hospital that has accepted Mary Beth’s case since her diagnosis. Her mother said the surgeon was able to open up all four pulmonary veins and removed the cor triatriatum that he believes was causing the PVS in her left pulmonary veins.
Mary Beth has been recovering in intensive care, where she continues to fight for her life.
“Her pressures aren’t changing for the better with all the medications and she is still retaining fluid. All the swelling in her little body is working against her and they have not been able to close her chest because of this,” Christopher shared on Facebook Saturday. “Mary Beth’s liver and kidneys are also taking a hit from all the medications and inadequate blood flow.”
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My beautiful miracle baby! Continuing to pray for a miracle. We know it’s possible because you are looking at a miracle…
Posted by Mary Beth’s Heart Journey on Sunday, January 24, 2016
“Mary Beth has been through so much in her short 8 months and has always done things in her own time. Slow and steady wins the race! Take as long as you need sweet girl! We are all praying for you daily and can’t wait to see that big beautiful smile!” Christopher said.
Her family is praying for a miracle.
“I do not want to lose my baby and don’t know how I could even begin to explain to her brothers and sisters that their baby sister is not going to make it,” Christopher said. “I want my daughter to look back at this journey and see all the amazing people that fought and prayed for her!”
Meanwhile, Mary Beth’s parents have three other children to look after and all of the medical bills are piling up. A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family pay for medical expenses.
If you would like to donate, click here. You can also follow Mary Beth’s Heart Journey on Facebook.