Charlene and Graham Hutchison family They were extremely happy when they learned they were waiting for their first baby. Five months later, they learned a message that changed their lives at the ultrasound control. Parents remained overwhelmed when they told them that their The child has The rare combination of two serious heart errors – only 1 person in 200 million people worldwide has it – and also only 15 % chance of survivalinforms the diary.
The couple was taken aback. “We felt the whole world falling on our shoulders,” He said Graham, an Edinburgh accountant. “Charlene couldn’t stop crying and I had to lean on the pillar and start screaming. The word ‘destroyed’ couldn’t capture as we felt. But our child was a gift. We were convinced that we had to give him the best chance of life.
A father who takes care of three stepchildren with Charlene says that when they sent them for a second examination, they felt bad. During the meeting, doctors told them that Their unborn baby had interrupted aortic arc (IAA) and transposition of large arteries – Both rare cardiac errors that are unlikely to be treated.
“The change in the atmosphere was palpable. They told us that surgeons were unlikely to operate his heart so that they could function properly. It was not clear what his life would look like after birth – and whether he would survive at all. The fear of what happened was absorbing. When I look back, I’m not sure how we did it all. But we tried to continue our normal life for our children, ”he explained.
Graham and Charlene paid a 4D scan in the 32nd week of pregnancy to see their son. At this stage all would The treatment options were fatally dangerous, so they suggested their termination of pregnancy. They did not give up hope and agreed that the baby would undergo an exhausting 18-hour heart surgery just a week after his birth on March 21, 2024.
He stayed in the hospital for more than six months until he was finally released home. Now Albert celebrated their first birthday and is expected to get better – But it required emotional and financial tax. The spouses are financially poor due to insufficient support from employers and government.
It was even more difficult to cope with Albert’s state. “The life of our child hung on the hair for hours and then for days, weeks, months – That’s something I think we will never completely overcome. We just believe that Albert doesn’t remember any of this, ”Graham continued.
“Since then, he has had many respiratory problems, but we are enthusiastic right now. For the first time to take him home was undoubtedly one of the best moments of our lives. He is still fed with a probe overnight, but he can move and talk like any other child of his age, ”Dadko concluded.
