WPBN: An eight-year-old girl from Indiana was given a new heart as a gift after seven arduous months in the hospital, which allowed her to come home in time to spend the Christmas with her family. Some have referred to this amazing occurrence as a “Christmas miracle.”
In April of this year, Skylin, a little child from New Albany, Indiana, was hospitalized to Norton Children’s Hospital. At first, Skylin’s parents thought she had respiratory failure, but after more testing by doctors, they discovered that she was actually fighting heart failure. The family’s life were completely upended by this startling diagnosis, which revealed that Skylin had latter stages of heart failure and needed immediate, specialist care.
Over the course of her 236 days stay in the hospital, Skylin showed incredible fortitude and tenacity. She was waiting for a life-saving heart transplant for 201 of those days. Because of her serious condition, Skylin and her family faced new difficulties every day. But they never gave up hope.
Skylin’s family finally got the news they had been hoping for—a donor heart was available—after more than six months of prayer and waiting. Following a successful transplant, Skylin has been recuperating under the close supervision of her medical team.
For the young girl and her loved ones, her return home during the holiday season signifies the conclusion of a protracted and difficult journey. In addition to giving Skylin a second chance at life, the new heart also gives her the chance to celebrate Christmas with her family in the comfort of her own home.
Skylin’s family was incredibly appreciative of the donor’s family, whose selfless choice during their time of sorrow allowed for this miracle.
Skylin’s tale serves as a reminder of the amazing impact organ donation may have and the hope it can provide to people in grave need as she continues her recovery. This holiday season will always have a special meaning for Skylin and her family because it is a celebration of life, love, and an incredible Christmas miracle.
“It’s probably the hardest thing we’ve ever had to experience in life is the waiting. The waiting is very, very, very difficult because you never know what each day brings,” Kaylyn Williams, Skylin’s mother stated to WBPF News .
There was eventually a reward for the family’s perseverance on November 22nd, when Skylin’s replacement heart arrived through the generosity of a donor.
After only 18 days of rehabilitation following her transplant surgery, Skylin was up and walking. She had a newfound hunger to try all of the things that she had been missing while she was undergoing treatment. Skylin is a true trooper.
“I’ve been waiting a very, very long time,” Skylin stated to the local outlet.
In the past, Skylin was the youngest person in the world to receive a temporary heart valve, which was done in order to improve her chances of survival. A temporary heart valve was placed into her heart.
I”t worked really well to kind of help, I think, save her life — to get her to transplant,” Sarah Wilkens, Skylin’s cardiologist, stated to the outlet.
Despite the fact that Skylin will be attending treatment at Frazier Rehab Institute, she is expected to complete her treatment in time for Christmas.
“It’s given her such a better quality of life that I could have never dreamed was possible. Because when we first got here, she was so close to death,” Williams stated.
