Brooklyn Jefferson was born on January 23, 2016, at 9:41 p.m. She weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz and measured nineteen and a half inches in length. Overall, Brooklyn appeared to be a healthy child. When I took her to her 3-month check-up with the pediatrician, the doctor confirmed that Brooklyn was healthy and looked good. At that appointment, she weighed only 7 lbs. 1 oz and was drinking just 2 ounces of breastmilk every 2 hours. Thankfully, Brooklyn’s great-grandmother was at the appointment; she insisted that the doctor check Brooklyn’s breathing and refused to leave until it was done.

Brooklyn’s oxygen levels were at 80. The doctor examined her breathing and exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, she should be blue by now!” The doctor referred us to Children’s Hospital for a chest X-ray. After the exam, her doctor called us to inform us that they found a hole in Brooklyn’s heart and that she needed to be admitted to the hospital.

Once she was admitted, the doctors tried to supplement her breastmilk with formula to help her gain weight. The nurses measured her milk intake and monitored her output. Unfortunately, there was no progress in helping her gain weight because she was burning calories while drinking from a bottle. A week and a half later, she required emergency open-heart surgery. 

After the surgery, Brooklyn began to thrive and gain weight. She is now a brilliant 8-year-old who enjoys playing soccer and being an artist. Occasionally, she experiences chest pain, but we understand that heart defects are a lifelong journey. Brooklyn now has a baby sister who shares the same heart defect and has undergone the same surgery, with matching scars.