Christine at her school dance at age 15 (right) and her current age (left Photo) at age 16
Christine's 'Chosen' Story
Christine's Little Bamboo Hut
Adoption referral photo Age:3
VSD, if left untreated, can eventually lead to pulmonary vascular disease and other complications, so we knew we had to get her to the States and into surgery as soon as possible. Knowing this before she was adopted, we consulted with the pediatric cardiologist at our Army Medical Center. He helped us considerably, by requesting and evaluating her medical data, and then setting us up with a date for the surgery to be performed at the Children's Hospital. Six weeks after her arrival she was in for surgery.
Photo taken by another adoptive parent
Christine (Li Hua) was adopted from the country of China when she was a three-year-old and she was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition known as Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) when she was admitted to the orphanage. It is characterized by a hole of varying sizes between the left and right ventricles of the heart chambers.
Here medical reports from China stated, "Left ventricule is enlarged. Interventricular septum is thicker than normal. From the short axis of the heart base and the cavitary cross-section picture, a 5mm echo deletion is detected. The pulsed colored Doppler shows horizonal shunt blood flow from the left ventricle to the right ventricle, in the area of the interventricular septum. Functions of all valves and speed of valvular blood flow are normal."
We asked our adoption agency to find out more information about Li Hua's daily routines and if she had any
obvious symptoms of VSD. The orphanage director reported there was no evident bluing of the lips and no clubbing of the fingers. We watched a 5 minute video taken of her shortly after awaking from a nap, and she was fussy and withdrawn. After crying a few minutes, an orphanage staff picked her up and a look of breathlessness [see photo on right] crept over Li Hua's face for a minute. The agency staff that videoed and visited with her noted she was small for her age compared with the other children in the orphanage. Her daily habitis of waking, eating, playing and sleeping were no different than the other children. One caregiver did note that she breathe heavier than the other children while sleeping. While visiting Li Hua, other adoptive parents noticed she was a bit shy but would warm up and was friendly once she had a little time to know them. Some described her as 'healthy looking' and 'on target' compared with other children. Another noted she was very attached to the caregivers.
Her physical exam report was done when she was two-years-old and her weight was 12kg and height was 80.5cm
To compare kg to pounds multiply kg's X 2.2lbs. To compare cm to inches divide cm by 2.54. Head cm was 47 and ches cm was 52. Everything on her physical exam report was normal with the exception of her Lungs, which stated, 'IV degree SM'. We had an xray which showed an enlarged heart and the heart doppler they sent had missing leads, requiring us to request a new doppler for our pediatric cardiologist to review. After reviewing the new doppler, which arrived 10 days later, our doctor felt her heart was enlarged, telling us she may have already suffered heart damage and to prepare our family for possibly taking in a dying child.
Expecting a long and potentially dangerous surgery, we checked into the hospital and registered to stay at a Ronald McDonald House nearby. Our daughter was remarkably composed, considering the fact that she was so timid when she was first brought home. We were given a page and told the surgery could take 3-5 hours. Christine was given medicine while I held her to help her relax and I easily handed her over to the surgical nurse without her being upset and watched as he walked into surgery with our daughter in his arms.
The surgery went very fast. She was in and out within an hour, and the surgeon explained that it was very routine. When we got the call 45 minutes into surgery, we became alarmed, thinking something went wrong. We were so relieved to hear that everything went well and quickly. We were told if it were a small hole, it would be stitched, but larger are covered with a gortex patch. Hers was large and patched.
The day before she was scheduled for surgery, we celebrated Christine's Baptism in our church, combined with a conjoined birthday celebration for both Christine (whom wasn't home in June when she turned 3) and her sister Josepha, turning 2, who's actual birthday was the day of Christine's surgery.
My husband went between taking turns with with our daughter in ICU and caring for our other children. While I was on duty with her, I noticed she was having difficulty breathing. I immediately brought this to the attention of the ICU nurse who contacted the doctor. X-ray's were taken and revealed that during surgery, her lung had been punctured. I was told this wasn't uncommon, considering how small of an area the surgeon had to work with children. Chrstine was put under again and chest tube was inserted into her right side to relieve pressure in her lungs making it easier for her to breath until they healed.
When our daughter was considered stable, she was transfered to the pediatric ward to continue her convalescence from the surgery. Christine was more wakeful now, but continued to need Mom or Dad to hold her tiny hand between the bed railings every minute. Again, while I was on duty with Christine, a 2nd incident occured. The nurse had asked if I might not like to hold Christine on my lap and when she placed her there, I immediately saw that Christine was in distress and breathing was difficult. The staff was unsure what was wrong, seeing that her tube was still connected to her side correctly. The x-rays showed nothing. Minutes seemed like house as I watched our little girl struggle and gasp for air with a panicked look in her eye. The doctors and nurses checked the machine connected to her chest tube and found a blockage in the tube itself. They unblocked it and inserted a 2nd tube as a back-up. Three days later, Christine was ready for discharge. She had been up, out of her bed, using the bathroom, and taken by stroller to the dining hall for a full meal.
We were sent home with heart medication and stressed to keep Christine's activity level low. Try and keep a three-year-old with a new heart still!! Her operation was considered a complete success and our daughter was given a prognosis for a normal, healthy life with no complications. Leaving the hospital, 5 days after admittance, I noticed that Christine's tiny shoes no longer fit her feet! Her feet had already grown!!
At her six-week check-up at our military medical center the doctors were amazed by the wonderful surgeon and how well our daughter was doing. Christine bounced back with a zest for life that is beyond compare.
Christine, age 7, photo taken for a modeling agency
We hope she is an inspiration for prospective adoptive parents of children with heart disease. Initially, we were scared, not knowing what her prognosis might be, but have learned through our experience with our daughter, that children with heart defects can lead a normal and healthy life.
You would never know now that our daughter once had a heart defect other than the large scar running down the middle of her chest. She has made steady gains in her delayed development and is living a happy, healthy life. The slow shuffle, I like to call, 'the orphanage shuffle' she had before the surgery, has been replaced by a bouncing, skipping gait. Christine spent 3 full years in developmental pre-school before entering Kindergarten as a six-year-old. Today she is the healthiest child in our family of 7. She is seldom sick, loves sports and is an excellent swimmer. Christine has struggled with language, which affects her expressive and receptive speech. Starting in Kindergarten, she qualified for speech after being tested and found to be 3-years-delayed in both expressive and receptive language skills. Her articulation is normal. She received speech throughout elementary school. By middle school, she was struggling, and we hired a private tutor from a reading associated business that worked with Christine for 2 years until she graduated from their program. She graduated from middle school with a 3.8 GPA and Honors. Christine is now a high school freshman and still finds it difficult to write her thoughts out clearly on paper. She works very hard in school, seeking help when needed, asking for extra-credit work, and working long hours on her homework at home. She aspires to be a vet-assistant, because of her love for animals.
Song and images of Moon Festival. The legend in ASIA
is that the Moon connects families no longer together.
Back to 'Tomorrow Is A Gift'