All heart
Just wanted to put a plug in for Heart Kids Victoria. Close friends of our have just lost their 2 week old baby to a heart condition called Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The Better Health Channel explains what this is:
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
The incidence of hypoplastic left heart syndrome in Victoria is around one in every 4,000 births. In this condition, the entire left side of the heart, including valves and blood vessels, is underdeveloped. Without prompt treatment, the baby is likely to die within days or weeks of birth. Symptoms include a grey complexion and severe breathing difficulties.
It’s an absolute tragedy but the positive aspect is the wonderful support Heart Kids Victoria have given to our friends - putting them in contact with families who have gone through the same thing, visiting and calling them regularly and providing them with ongoing support and information.
They also told us that the doctors and nurses at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne were absolutely wonderful and this was all through the public health system. We’re very lucky.
It is great there is such good health support in Australia. I think Melbourne is one of the top cities for quality of life.
I like the new blog design - it looks very professional.
Sean’s half brother was born with that condition. What a shame for your friends.
I agree with Ian, the health system in Australia is streets ahead of some other western nations including Britain. I found the cost of basic treatment in the US was prohibitive, too.
I was telling Anne-Mette and Peter about this very heart breaking event and they said their little Linda didn’t make it either. She was born with serious complications to her heart and was operated on as a new baby. They were interested to hear about the syndrome you explained so I’ll be able to give them the information.
Heart Kids Victoria is an such a wonderful service for parents in their time of need.
You will be a great support to your friends as they cope with their grief.
Yes someone else I know through work also had a baby in the last 6 months with the ‘right’ heart version of the condition. Luckily he has come through the first 2 operations well and is going fine.
I think we do have a great health system compared to a lot of others countries and it is affordable for most people to access.
It was really sad, but I think it helped them that they were able to have 2 weeks with their son. They showed us some photo’s they had taken of him during those 2 weeks and he really did have a personality. I think the doctors and staff at the Royal Children’s hospital are amazing. We are so lucky here to have these doctors and hospitals available as they are world class!
I heard the other day that Australia now leads the world in IVF treatment and endometriosis breakthroughs etc. The hospital you were at in Melbourne sounded like the Wesley where Judah was born. It’s so comforting to have “top men (and women) working on it” as they say in the comics. That’s why we drove twenty minutes to a proper hospital on Saturday and didn’t risk the old Redcliffe house of horror!!!
Yes I think you do have to pick where you go carefully. I was lucky to be referred to an excellent specialist who then recommended Masada hospital which was fantastic last year. It’s good if friends or family can recommend someone but if they can’t, I find you’re often going in blind when it comes to medical stuff and it’s not always easy to change to a different specialist because they’re so busy and you need the referral.