She's 22 years old. But with deep furrows criss-crossing her face, and dark circles under her eyes, she looked twice her age.
We were discussing her little boy's treatment. It was risky. Very risky.
There's no easy way to tell a mother she may lose her child during surgery.
I cushioned the news as best as I could. But in her eyes, I saw hope turn into fear, worry morph into sheer panic, and then slowly fade away into benumbed acceptance - all within five short minutes.
And then, she spoke the words that would seal Naveen's fate.
"I want him to have a chance, doctor. Let's go ahead with the operation."
- - -
Three days later, I was in the same room. Across my desk sat another young lady.
We were discussing her husband's health. Or rather, the lack of it.
It's just as difficult to tell a wife her spouse may succumb to complications of a congenital heart defect that he's suffered since birth.
Married barely two years ago, she always knew her husband was unwell, but had no idea it was this serious. His atrial septal defect could have been safely repaired today - except he was born 32 years back, when it wasn't so easy to find (or afford) heart surgery.
Now his lung arteries had hardened, the pressure inside them too high to permit a repair of his defect. Only palliation could be attempted. The results were uncertain.
- - -
As I walked up the ramp to the first floor ICU, I couldn't help contrast this sad tale with that of the little survivor I was going to examine.
Naveen's heart defect had been repaired. He sailed through the four-hour operation like a warrior.
His pin-hole sized lung artery was now letting a gush of blood into his lungs. If everything goes well, he will be out of hospital in a week - and is looking at sixty to seventy years more of normal life. Maybe longer.
So much has changed over thirty years.
It set one little boy with CHD firmly on the path to a healthy, bright future... one so different from the bleak reality of the young man I had just examined, who never got this chance.
I feel thankful and happy about pursuing my dream. A dream that made this possible. A dream that you helped make true.
Your support for CHD awareness is ushering in a brighter future for children with congenital heart defects.
Thank you from my heart.
