Mahoney Miracle
Donation protected
In their words...
~At my 20 week ultrasound we found out we were having a girl!
We also found out that there was an abnormality with her heart. We were sent to Sanford for a fetal echo. (Patrick was in Spain leading a student trip). That is when she was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). The planning began for Genevieve to be born at Sanford, start a medication that would protect her heart until being flown to C.S. Motts Children’s in Ann Arbor Michigan for her first of 3 open heart surgeries.
I prayed and believed that God just wasn’t done making her heart yet. Every month we had another fetal echo. Every month I believed the Dr. would come back and say “wow, it’s a miracle, her heart is perfect” They never did. But I never stopped believing!
A few appointments into Doctoring at Sanford we were given devastating news that Genevieve had a rare genetic disorder that is not compatible to life. We refused to believe this lie from the devil! We didn’t tell anyone about the diagnosis. No one would be speaking that over her. The next months were spent fighting off firery darts from the devil. Fighting to hold onto the faith that our God is mighty and does make all things new!
Fast forward to October 12th. I was busy making plans for my long term substitute. A song came on my Kim Walker-Smith titled Still Believe. I stopped what I was doing and laid hands on my baby and prayed the song over her as tears fell from my eyes. I felt light as a feather, I felt the pain lift from my heart, I felt the weight I was carrying lift off my chest. My body tingled and I heard a voice whisper to my heart “She’s ok, I’m done now”.
Three hours later my water broke and we were off to Sanford to meet the baby that we were told would be born purple, possible not able to breath on her own with a life threatening heart defect.
I laid there as they prepared me for C-section. Praying. Blasting the song Miracle by Kari Jobe, weaping as I sang “his life is flowing through your veins”. Minutes later I heard my miracle cry (she wasn’t supposed to be able to do that). Then I was her BRIGHT pink cheeks and RED lips as they wisked her away for examination. Seconds later the Dr. said, “she looks great, go give her to her mom”.
My baby was alive and I was looking into her squishy little eyes blinking at me.
The next step was to perform an echo on her. The cardiologist came back with the most amazing news. “Your daughter DOES NOT HAVE hyperplastic left heart syndrome”
Yep, God finished making her heart that night and I got to feel a miracle happen in my body.
They did see a large VSD and small ASD. They hoped they would close on their own. Of course I believed that they would. I mean if God made her a left heart He could close a hole!
We spent 39 days in the Sanford NICU due to a bladder infection and a weak swallow resulting in the need for a Gtube to be placed for feedings.
The cardiologist continued to monitor Geneveive’s heart. The VSD remained and was large. The also noticed she has some pulmonary hypertension. Her open heart was essentially protecting her lungs.
It was decided that surgery would be necessary to close her VSD. We were off to Michigan for surgery from one of the top heart surgeons in the nation. We said good bye to our other babies with the thought we would be home in 2 weeks.
Surgery went perfectly. God’s hands guided Dr. Ramano’s to give our girl a strong heart. But that hole that was protecting her lungs was now taken away. It would be vital to support Genevieve’s lungs until the hypertension could be controlled.
So here we are almost a month later. Geneveive is doing great. She is slowly weaning off of lung support. She is melting the hearts of all who meet her! Sometimes I worry they will keep us here because they love her so much they don’t want to let her go.
We miss our other babies and we look forward to being a “normal” family again soon.
~At my 20 week ultrasound we found out we were having a girl!
We also found out that there was an abnormality with her heart. We were sent to Sanford for a fetal echo. (Patrick was in Spain leading a student trip). That is when she was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). The planning began for Genevieve to be born at Sanford, start a medication that would protect her heart until being flown to C.S. Motts Children’s in Ann Arbor Michigan for her first of 3 open heart surgeries.
I prayed and believed that God just wasn’t done making her heart yet. Every month we had another fetal echo. Every month I believed the Dr. would come back and say “wow, it’s a miracle, her heart is perfect” They never did. But I never stopped believing!
A few appointments into Doctoring at Sanford we were given devastating news that Genevieve had a rare genetic disorder that is not compatible to life. We refused to believe this lie from the devil! We didn’t tell anyone about the diagnosis. No one would be speaking that over her. The next months were spent fighting off firery darts from the devil. Fighting to hold onto the faith that our God is mighty and does make all things new!
Fast forward to October 12th. I was busy making plans for my long term substitute. A song came on my Kim Walker-Smith titled Still Believe. I stopped what I was doing and laid hands on my baby and prayed the song over her as tears fell from my eyes. I felt light as a feather, I felt the pain lift from my heart, I felt the weight I was carrying lift off my chest. My body tingled and I heard a voice whisper to my heart “She’s ok, I’m done now”.
Three hours later my water broke and we were off to Sanford to meet the baby that we were told would be born purple, possible not able to breath on her own with a life threatening heart defect.
I laid there as they prepared me for C-section. Praying. Blasting the song Miracle by Kari Jobe, weaping as I sang “his life is flowing through your veins”. Minutes later I heard my miracle cry (she wasn’t supposed to be able to do that). Then I was her BRIGHT pink cheeks and RED lips as they wisked her away for examination. Seconds later the Dr. said, “she looks great, go give her to her mom”.
My baby was alive and I was looking into her squishy little eyes blinking at me.
The next step was to perform an echo on her. The cardiologist came back with the most amazing news. “Your daughter DOES NOT HAVE hyperplastic left heart syndrome”
Yep, God finished making her heart that night and I got to feel a miracle happen in my body.
They did see a large VSD and small ASD. They hoped they would close on their own. Of course I believed that they would. I mean if God made her a left heart He could close a hole!
We spent 39 days in the Sanford NICU due to a bladder infection and a weak swallow resulting in the need for a Gtube to be placed for feedings.
The cardiologist continued to monitor Geneveive’s heart. The VSD remained and was large. The also noticed she has some pulmonary hypertension. Her open heart was essentially protecting her lungs.
It was decided that surgery would be necessary to close her VSD. We were off to Michigan for surgery from one of the top heart surgeons in the nation. We said good bye to our other babies with the thought we would be home in 2 weeks.
Surgery went perfectly. God’s hands guided Dr. Ramano’s to give our girl a strong heart. But that hole that was protecting her lungs was now taken away. It would be vital to support Genevieve’s lungs until the hypertension could be controlled.
So here we are almost a month later. Geneveive is doing great. She is slowly weaning off of lung support. She is melting the hearts of all who meet her! Sometimes I worry they will keep us here because they love her so much they don’t want to let her go.
We miss our other babies and we look forward to being a “normal” family again soon.
Organizer and beneficiary
Julia Seykora
Organizer
Owatonna, MN
Patrick Mahoney
Beneficiary