Otis Bieundurry's happy nature
continues to shine despite his challenging
start and ongoing difficulties in life. Otis was born with
circulatory
collapse caused by Hypoplastic Left heart Syndrome (HLHS). The
condition is
the most severe form of congenital heart defect for which there is
no cure. In
children born with HLHS there is severe under-development of
structures on the
left side of the heart. Babies with this condition are extremely ill
and
without urgent complex surgery would not survive.
At 10 days of age, Otis was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH)
in
Melbourne for life-saving heart surgery, with further operations
required in
the first three months of his life. RCH is the only cardiac centre
in
Australia providing this service. The Department of Health, in
conjunction
with Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH), flew Otis, and
his parents
Karla Foster and Nelson Bieundurry, to Melbourne. Older brother
Isaiah and
sister Tallulah also accompanied the family for the three months he
needed to
be in Melbourne.
"The Department of Health have been excellent", Otis' mum Karla
Foster
said. "Princess Margaret Hospital staff were really helpful,
particularly Dr
Jenny Sokol, who was amazing in giving us lots of information
regarding
options when Otis was sick initially," Ms Foster said.
Now eight months old, Otis has had three operations so far and will
need
further procedures, care and management of his heart in the future.
With
plenty of love and support from his family to help him, he has
triumphed over
the most difficult stages of HLHS.
Ms Foster was very grateful for the support of other parents and
families
affected by HLHS and cited the Australian HLHS Information Network (AHIN)
and
the 'Hearts of Hope' websites as being particularly helpful in
assisting her
family to cope with this condition. The AHIN website can be accessed
via links
available on the Hearts of Hope website at:
www.heartsofhope.iinet.net.au/homepage/home.html
*Note: There were some errors in the article particularly the
one re: RCH being the
only hospital in Australia (Brisbane also performs the Norwood
procedure) and also that Otis has had three surgeries when he
has had only two.
