my heartkid - Real Mum story on MoM

10 Comments

My son Zachary was born on 28/10/08. He was tiny and was born hypoglycaemic (I had gestational diabetes). He was placed in the Neonatal unit and despite me breastfeeding every 3 hours he failed to thrive. An arrogant Paediatrician told me that there must be something wrong with my breastmilk and refused to let me take him into my care until I agreed to bottle feed him and see a Paediatrician weekly. I was devastated, felt like a failure but agreed so I could have my baby with me. As he got older he continued to fail to thrive and doctors were puzzled. At approx 4 months I noticed he had a repeated dry cough and requested the Paediatrician check him out for lung problems. It was only after the fourth time I requested it, that the Paediatrician listened to his chest. He then found one heart murmur and then a second heart murmur. We were rushed to WCH to have echocardiograms and other tests. The tests showed he had 2 serious heart conditions including so many holes in his heart that his lungs were being flooded with blood-which was the reason for the cough. He was hospitalised immediately, put on medication (as they discovered his blood pressure was 200 and at dangerous levels) and within weeks we were flown to Melbourne’s Royal Childrens Hospital for him to have open heart surgery. He recovered quickly and is now a vibrant energetic kindy boy

Posted by angel_mon, 3rd March 2013

10 Comments

- - Ellen said
  - 11 Jul 2021
    7:45 am
That must have been a hard time ! Glad your boy did well in the end ! xx

- - june11 said
  - 17 Jul 2016
    6:16 pm
Firstly, why didn’t he request a sample of your breastmilk and have it tested. If they could do it 50 years ago, and another case of I know of 18 years ago they should have done yours. Had you baby been checked properly they may have picked that up before you left hospital….it was probably quite obvious at your/ his 6 week checkup too. WCH is like a lot of hospitals – some drs. you really have to persist with. Perhaps even check with your local GP if possible. They can send a referral / request through via fax.

- - mom81879 said
  - 07 Nov 2015
    6:38 pm
Oh my god, how scary! How close you came to possibly losing him. Scary that those you trust to know what’s going on medically can get it so wrong. They’re human after all I suppose,must their mistakes are such big ones

- - dannsbuild said
  - 26 Sep 2015
    3:13 pm
Thank you for sharing this. Very interesting reading!

- - mom103936 said
  - 24 Jun 2015
    3:47 pm
That is a good story. You must trust your instincts.

- - mom113055 said
  - 04 Apr 2015
    12:35 pm
good story

- - mom113055 said
  - 26 Mar 2015
    9:28 pm
it s a great top story

- - 191joannes said
  - 07 Mar 2015
    11:16 am
So happy this story turned out good trust your instincts always.

- - mom57522 said
  - 11 Jan 2015
    11:14 pm
What a terrible doctor! Big pat on the back for you mum! Sounds like your boy is now healthy and so much fun.

- - aussiemum said
  - 10 Apr 2014
    8:19 pm
What an horrific start to childhood (and motherhood). Good on you for trusting your instincts and not letting the doctors ignore you. I’m glad that your son is ok.