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 Sam
First time parents TJ and Lopeti Brown couldn’t wait to take their newborn son Sam home. With bags packed they waited excitedly for the Doctor’s final okay. But TJ and Lopeti didn’t take Sam home that day, nor the next day, or the day after that. Instead of moving out, TJ and Lopeti moved in and for three long months their days became a blurred mix of good days and bad days, tests, sadness, joy and fear.
The Day 2 check up had detected a heart murmur. By Day 3 Sam had endured his first surgical procedure. TJ and Lopeti were pulled to one side and told their wee son would not live past that first week. But he did. By Day 11 Sam had his second operation. The news was not good. TJ and Lopeti were again told Sam would not make it through. But thankfully he did.
Sam was diagnosed with a heart defect called ‘pulmonary artresia’, a condition where the pulmonary valve fails to develop causing an obstruction preventing the flow of oxygenated blood from his heart to his lungs. At three months old TJ and Lopeti finally took their wee boy home. Three months later they were back for his first open heart surgery.
“Living with that uncertainty every day,” says TJ. “We’re so thankful to @Heart for being there for us from day one,” says Mum TJ. “They didn’t intrude, they were just there whenever we needed it and always will be. They are just like family. I love Heart Children.”
The image of Sam was taken just a few days after open heart surgery. Sam made an excellent recovery and is doing really well. He will face further open heart surgery but for now TJ and Lopeti will take each day as it comes. |
