Yasmin was diagnosed early in the womb with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), which is a hole between the ventricles of her heart. This condition allows deoxygenated blood to circulate to the body rather than going to her lungs. As a result, Yasmin experienced difficulties growing while in the womb and required high-risk monitoring.

Yasmin was born weighing 6 lbs 10 oz. She continued to struggle with weight gain, averaging only about a pound a month, and at one point, she was in the negative percentile for growth. Until she was eight months old, Yasmin only consumed about 2-4 ounces per feeding. Developmentally, she was also behind; she began rolling over at 5-6 months and sitting up at 8 months. Yasmin finally crawled around ten months but experienced excessive sweating while drinking from her bottles and crawling, needing frequent breaks to catch her breath. She started walking at 15 months.

During this time, Yasmin faced numerous illnesses, including pneumonia, rhinovirus, and COVID-19 simultaneously. It seemed she would recover from one illness only to catch another shortly afterward. She also dealt with hand, foot, and mouth disease, pneumonia again, and an ear infection, which was further complicated by a yeast infection from her medication. Despite keeping her home from daycare for weeks, she constantly picked up minor illnesses.

Determined to get Yasmin the help she needed for her health, her mother pursued surgery for her VSD closure, even though her doctors initially suggested that she could live with the condition and might not require surgery. Her mother was exhausted from the endless cycle of illnesses, poor weight gain, and numerous doctor appointments. So, her mother challenged the doctors and requested a second opinion. Eventually, Yasmin’s case was presented to the surgeons and the hospital president, who agreed that surgery would benefit her.

Yasmin underwent surgery on September 17th and stayed in the hospital for about six days. She returned home on blood pressure medication and another medication to help manage the excess fluid around her heart. Since then, Yasmin has been on two different antibiotics to prevent infection to her chest incision. Although her mother was told she could stop taking the blood pressure medication after her follow-up appointment on October 11th, her cardiologist recommended continuing it until her three-month follow-up due to elevated blood pressure.

Now, Yasmin is on the path to healing and recovering from surgery. She is gaining weight at a steady rate, her appetite has increased, and she no longer tires quickly or needs to take frequent breaks. During Yasmin’s surgery and recovery, her mother learned about Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation (OHHF), which provided immense support. They helped me feel understood and like family, offering assistance beyond the hospital stay. They encouraged me to care for myself and to do my best for Yasmin and my other three children. OHHF helped with rent, bills, furniture, and other necessary supplies for our home.

Our family is profoundly grateful to everyone at OHHF, especially Mia. Although this journey has been challenging, Yasmin’s family wants others to know they should always have hope and faith, believing that anything is possible. Yasmin remains a happy child even during her sickness. It’s okay to seek help and to talk to others.