At her 16-week scan, docs gave Zofia Fenrych heartbreaking information.
Her unborn little one had a critical coronary heart defect, and the recommendation was to terminate the being pregnant.
However Zofia, 41, and her accomplice, Rob, 50, determined this wasn’t an possibility for them.
As an alternative, their little woman, Dorothea was born in June 2022, and he or she started an epic battle for survival.
Regardless of enduring coronary heart surgical procedure – and a cardiac arrest that lasted for over an hour – the now four-month-old survived in opposition to the chances.
‘She fought so exhausting to be right here with us and wish to present individuals to by no means hand over,’ stated proud mum, Zofia.
Zofia and Rob, from Sussex, who have already got two-year-old Bathsheba collectively, have been overjoyed to seek out out they have been anticipating their second little one in October 2021.
However the couple’s pleasure turned to dismay when a 16-week scan revealed their daughter had hypoplastic left coronary heart syndrome (HLHS) – the place the left aspect of the organ is chronically undeveloped.
Rob stated: ‘I had a dream we have been having a child woman and acquired the being pregnant take a look at for Zofia – we have been so excited.’
Zofia, a homeopath, added: ‘However docs strongly urged us to terminate the being pregnant as a result of her defect was horrible.
‘Nevertheless it was by no means an possibility for us – we fell in love together with her and couldn’t hand over on her.’
The doting pair have been decided to see the being pregnant by and commenced wanting into remedy choices.
They spoke with a specialist foetal heart specialist who stated their child’s coronary heart could possibly be rebuilt when she was three days previous.
However one other blow was dealt when the 24-week scan revealed Dorothea additionally had a blockage in her coronary heart.
The one possibility was to endure an in-vitro operation that might improve her possibilities of survival from 5 p.c to 87%.
The pair set to work fundraising for the surgical procedure – which was solely out there in Texas, USA and price £2.5 million – however have been unable to boost the massive amount of cash.
So, at 29 weeks alongside, they have been determined to seek out different remedy.
That’s when Rob, a former U.S. serviceman, contacted Royal Brompton Hospital – the UK’s largest coronary heart and lung specialist medical centre – who agreed to function on their child when she arrived.
Rob stated: ‘It was essentially the most difficult case they’d ever seen.
‘However stated they’d give it a go and we remained hopeful.’
Child Dorothea arrived on June 7, 2022, and Rob says the surgical procedure to reconstruct her coronary heart almost didn’t go forward as a result of she had ‘no likelihood of survival’.
Rob defined: ‘The night time earlier than surgical procedure, we have been advised the docs have been cancelling the op as a result of she wouldn’t survive.
‘The matron stated she would have organ failure and be mind lifeless, however we begged them to go for it.’
Lastly at seven days previous, tiny Dorothea was taken into theatre.
Rob stated: ‘We managed to get the hospital to overturn the choice, and we prayed she would pull by.’
Dorothea spent 11-hours in surgical procedure as docs ‘re-wired’ the veins and arteries to operate from the precise aspect of her coronary heart.
To everybody’s delight the operation was a hit however hours after returning to the ward, she suffered a cardiac arrest.
Zofia stated: ‘Medical doctors got here flooding in and attempting to deliver her again.
‘They have been doing CPR for over an hour.
‘It was terrifying however one way or the other she clung on, and so they managed to deliver her again.’
Dorothea spent the subsequent six weeks in intensive care together with her chest cavity open and hooked-up to a ECMO machine – which works like and synthetic coronary heart to pump blood across the physique.
Regardless of all the chances stacked in opposition to her, she grew robust sufficient to maneuver to a daily ward and are available off the ventilator on twenty sixth August 2022.
She might want to endure one other operation on her coronary heart at six months previous which Zofia and Rob are presently fundraising for, however they’re eager for Dorothea’s future.
Rob stated: ‘She appears like a wholesome child, and we will’t imagine how far she’s come.
‘No physician or nurse can imagine their eyes after they see her.
‘Royal Brompton did what no different hospital dared and we’re endlessly grateful.
‘We’ve got essentially the most superb little woman who is prospering – she’s our miracle.’
Zofia added: ‘Seeing her right here and thriving has made all of it price it.
Rob stated: ‘We actually admire what we’ve got and are so grateful to everybody right here – the docs and nurses have been so form to us.
‘Dr. Guido Michielon who operated on her was an absolute angel who has saved so many kids’s lives.
‘We by no means misplaced hope and by no means misplaced religion and it exhibits the ability of affection.’
MORE : Three-legged cat rescued ‘hours from demise’ in Ukraine turns into common at Birmingham pub
MORE : Lady turns into surrogate mum for good friend who can’t carry kids as a result of most cancers