When the mother of an eight-year-old girl learned that people at school were saying her daughter looked pregnant, she panicked. Nothing seemed wrong to the mom, but an ultrasound revealed something that left her stunned. An unexpected health problem is always worrying, but when it happens to the youngest member of a family, things can often seem hopeless and unfair. Sydney-based Leia and her husband thought everything was going well with their youngest until they heard strange reports coming from his school. Eight-year-old Jada seemed healthy, her parents admitted she was small and frail, but her stature had always been that way and they never really questioned it. Jada was also the youngest of four children, so they thought her lack of energy was simply due to her inability to keep up with the wild lifestyle of a busy family.
Things changed when kids at Jada’s school started saying she looked pregnant. Leia couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Kids can be naughty, but this seems to be an exceptional case. Even though she herself had not noticed anything strange in her daughter, the mother and her husband nevertheless decided to consult a doctor. Leia and her husband Victor had their three older children quite close together, and Jada came along a few years later, much to the couple’s surprise. Unlike her siblings, Jada didn’t like sports or being active, and when she started swimming, she would turn blue and shiver after only a short time in the water. Jada was small since birth and her mother said she was a tiny thing, like a little stick. However, the girl’s belly began to gradually swell, leading her classmates and other peers to notice that she looked pregnant.
Leia notes, “We didn’t notice it at first because we saw her every day. » Ironically, what would have otherwise been attributed to playground teasing helped save Jada’s life. Leia took note of the children’s remarks, deciding it would be best to investigate the situation further. So, she and her husband took their eight-year-old daughter for an ultrasound. This appointment set in motion events that Leia and Victor never thought they would have to face. The mom of four recalled how the technician performing the ultrasound reacted after completing the procedure and seeing Jada’s stomach. Leia reflected on the ordeal with shock: “We took her to get an ultrasound, and the man who did it, well, his face widened. » The sonographer referred them to their doctor, who revealed that the swelling in Jada’s stomach was due to enlargement of all of her organs.
Following the doctor’s disastrous verdict, the family rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. Jada and her family spent an entire weekend in the hospital, desperately hoping there would be a solution to her condition to reduce the swelling in her organs. The hospital staff prescribed her diuretics, but due to the enormous amount of water accumulated in her organs, Jada lost a huge amount of water. Leia recalls: “They gave her diuretics and Jada lost five kilos of water. » A nurse stayed with them because losing so much water put her at risk of cardiac arrest. Finally, the following Monday, the hospital found a specialist who could examine Jada’s case.
The transplant specialist spoke to the family to clarify the situation, explaining that his daughter suffered from restrictive cardiomyopathy. Leia noted that the diagnosis felt like a slap in the face. The diagnosis meant Jada would need a heart transplant, news that would shock even hardened adults. The medical staff responsible for Jada conducted a series of complex tests to prepare for the necessary procedure, which included echocardiograms. Leia and Victor traveled to Melbourne to meet the team who would operate on their daughter. The parents arrived in the capital Victoria, still thinking their daughter had a few years ahead of her.
After meeting with the surgeons, doctors and nurses assigned to Jada, the two men realized how dire the situation was. Leia’s little girl had immediately been put on a list of patients most in need of a new heart. The Melbourne team carried out many more tests and told both parents they needed to proceed with a transplant as quickly as possible. However, for the time being, the family had to return home. Three months later, the team had found the perfect heart for Jada and Leia received a call asking them to return to Melbourne. The family got on a plane and Leia remembers holding the sweet old lady’s hand the entire flight. Leia said: “It was exciting but so surreal. »
Leia, Victor, and Jada went straight to the hospital after landing, where a nurse escorted them to the room. The surgeon introduced himself to the family and the team proceeded with the operation. Fortunately, there were no complications and the surgeon returned to see the parents with the good news that everything had gone well. After the surgery, Jada was transferred to the intensive care unit, where nurses monitored her during her recovery. A few hours later, her parents were allowed to see her and Leia remembers: “We entered the intensive care unit a few hours later. Nothing can prepare you for this. I felt like I was leaving my own body. I was numb. She lay there, lifeless. It was terrifying. »
Although the transplant was a success, Jada experienced some minor setbacks during her recovery, which kept her in the hospital longer than expected. While the young girl recovered under the caring eyes of hospital staff, Leia and Victor stayed in accommodation provided to them by HeartKids. The donor heart was an almost perfect fit for young Jada. She also received a visit from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who gave her a Sphinx cat. Jada had chosen the hairless cat because her mother had allergies and because she had read that this breed often suffered from heart problems, which Jada could relate to.
As Jada continues to undergo regular checkups to ensure the new heart is not rejected, Leia happily revealed that the latest test showed zero percent rejection, which left many with hope to the family. Although the tests can be intimidating and anxiety-inducing, Jada has the support of her cat Penelope. The ordeal also took a toll on Jada’s parents, but Leia said things were finally starting to come together. The mother has learned to expect the unexpected and is happy to see her daughter living an ordinary life. She exclaimed: “Jada is healthy and strong now. We feel so blessed. »
