Aadil’s mum, Soraya, told us the story of her family’s journey through her little boy’s heart surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH).
In November 2010, our almost three-year-old son Aadil underwent surgery for a pre-existing condition at Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH). At his pre-op check up, it was discovered that Aadil had an irregular heart beat and an echo was conducted before he was to be discharged at the end of the day.
Results revealed that Aadil had Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), a congenital heart defect also known as a ‘hole in the heart’. It was horrifying for us to find out that Aadil went into the RHH in the morning for a small operation and by the evening was diagnosed with a heart defect that would require major surgery.
Discussions around Aadil’s ASD symptoms made sense to us. He was not a very active boy for his age and would always love a lie down throughout the day. While his appetite was poor compared to his sister at the same age, we attributed it to him being a fussy eater.
Within two weeks, our family met with the adult cardiologist at RHH who confirmed the ASD diagnosis. He also confirmed that since the dimensions of the hole were large, Aadil would now require heart surgery at the RCH in Melbourne. We were scheduled to meet the RCH cardiac team, headed up by Director of Cardiology, Dr Michael Cheung.
We were placed on the surgery wait list and received news that Aadil’s surgery was scheduled for May 2012.
We did a lot of research about the new RCH facility and the recovery process for children undergoing heart surgery, but we were so concerned about emotionally preparing Aadil for what he would undergo.
We made the trip to the RCH from Hobart, where Aadil underwent heart surgery to correct the defect in his heart.
Meeting Aadil the first time in ICU after the surgery was the most emotional time in our lives, looking at him with all those tubes and plugs. But when he opened his eyes the first time, we thanked God for looking after Aadil. Within a day, Aadil was moved to the Koala Ward; the cardiac ward. He was very fortunate to have some amazing nurses to bond with and he began to understand his condition, his limited mobility and how he looked with all the tubes, etc. When he began to feel very down, we were unsure how to help him. A teacher from the RCH Education Institute was called. While she was unable to sit with him at the time, she handed him an iPad which kept him mentally busy and certainly helped his mood.
Aadil left the RCH just four days after his surgery. After staying in Melbourne for a few weeks for observation, we were able to return home to Hobart.
Aadil made an extremely quick recovery and gradually regained his immunity. Looking back to before his surgery compared to now, it’s like having a different boy. He’s a lot more active, always busy and always hungry! For me, the things we celebrate are his weight gain since his surgery and the way his scar has healed. Aadil starting kindergarten this year was the highlight for our family. It’s amazing how he’s changed.
Despite a challenging time for our family, we look back on this experience fondly.
During his stay at the RCH, from his initial check-ups and consultations to surgery and recovery, Aadil’s journey was blessed with so many amazing experiences and outstanding people. The RCH is so child-focused, from the animal enclosures to the volunteers that help you do crafts and draw while waiting for appointments and tests, to technology aids to keep the kids busy. Anytime Aadil sees meerkats on the television or in a book, he automatically talks about seeing them at the RCH.
It has been a remarkable journey. You really learn about each other and about yourself. Our experience was extremely positive, especially with the wonderful people and staff around us. We thank everyone involved for nurturing Aadil and helping us to get through a difficult time.