SEATTLE – A 7-month-old baby who was born with a rare birth defect has received a life-saving heart transplant after going into cardiac arrest twice. Lincoln Seay came to the world with Heterotaxy Syndrome, a disorder that caused his heart to form on the right side of his body and not the left. He is still in the hospital but should be released in a few months.
His parents, Mindy, 35, and Rob Seay, 37, said that the baby has more energy and is now able to stay up for hours. Before the transplant, Lincoln was so fatigued that he fell asleep every half hour, his dad said.
Lincoln Seay was forced to go through multiple surgeries in order to keep the blood flowing and his weak heart pumping. He had been waiting since November for a heart transplant and doctors told his parents that it could take up to 90 days for a pediatric heart to become available, as reported by the Seattle Times.
Mindy and Rob received a last minute call from Seattle Children’s Hospital last Thursday evening, on day 89, just when the baby’s heart was about to give out and doctors feared he was running out of time.
The baby has fought a tough battle
The Seays, who have three other children, ages 16, eight and six, live in Anchorage, Alaska. Lincoln was born in Oregon at Portland’s Legacy Emanuel Medical Center due to his heart condition and his parents temporarily relocated to Seattle so that the baby would have the best shot at survival.
Even after multiple surgeries, Lincoln’s little heart was still not working properly and at 7 months old it started to give out. His dad Rob told ABC News that the baby had a cardiac arrest and doctors were able to revive him after his color had turned purple.
Lincoln’s transplant surgeon, Dr. Michael McMullen, director of heart transplantation at Seattle Children’s Hospital, said he thought the baby was about to die on them, but a heart became available just in time four days after Lincoln went into cardiac arrest.
“It was a whole roller coaster thing,” expressed Mindy Seay, as reported by ABC News. “I was shocked, I was elated, I was sad for the other family. I had every emotion you could think of.”
But when Lincoln was being prepared for his transplant in the operating room, he went into cardiac arrest for a second time, according to McMullen. Doctors were able to get him on the heart bypass machine quickly. The surgeon said they did a two-hour-job in 12 minutes and doing CPR.
Lincoln’s miracle could mean hope for other families
Mindy said the baby’s color turned pink and vibrant and that Lincoln woke up with tons of energy. Rob told ABC News that his son was pulling his beard and was grabbing at his face, not knowing what he wanted to do with all that energy coming from his new heart.
Lincoln remains in the hospital, but McMullen said his parents will be able to take him home in the next few months. Rob and Mindy Seay expressed they are anxious to take their son with them and that they want to help other families in a similar situation by sharing the story of Lincoln’s miracle.
“We hope his story gives other families hope and raises awareness about organ donation,” Lincoln’s mom said.
Source: ABC News