Childbirth at NYU Medical Center, located in Manhattan on First Ave. and 34th Street, is an everyday occurrence; but for Susan Cardillo and her husband, Albert, the birth of their son, Louis, was truly a "Miracle on 34thStreet."
Here's her story:
Surgery at 18 Months
Susan was born in 1968 with a congenital heart defect affecting about 1 out of every 100 children born in the U.S. At 6 months she underwent her first cardiac catheterization followed by her first open-heart surgery at 18 months to repair her aorta. She did well until she turned 5 years old and then started becoming very weak She underwent a second surgery to repair a hole in her heart and aortic stenosis. Two days later she threw a blood clot in the chest and was rushed into surgery again. A week later this very brave little 5-year-old child's condition had worsened. She had developed endocarditis and pediatric heart failure. It was a miracle she lived through all of this, and what was thought to just be a one-week hospital stay, in fact, turned to be over six weeks.
For almost a year the incision wound from the surgery stood open in her tiny chest. Her body rejected any and all foreign bodies, such as sutures or staples for holding the wound closed. Her father used little sulphur sticks on the wound trying to promote the skin's healing. It seemed like an impossibility, but Sue finally healed from the surgery, and actually did well until she turned 16 years old.
Surgery at 16At 16 Susan had become so weak that her cardiologist sent her once again for a third cardiac catheterization. The diagnosis.aortic stenosis. This time her cardiologist sent her to Stephen Colvin, M.D., Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU, internationally recognized as a leader in congenital and valve repairs. Susan underwent an operation to repair a ventricular septal defect. She recovered quickly from the surgery, however, she could not attend school and was tutored at home the entire school year. Basically for the next 16 years she was fine.
She was checked regularly by her cardiologist, married her husband Albert in 1996 and in August 1997 she gave birth to her first child, Stephanie. Her first pregnancy was uneventful. Along with her regular obstetrician check-ups, her cardiologist would perform an echo every month. She delivered the baby naturally, and mother and baby were healthy.
Surgery at 32 and 15 Weeks PregnantSue continued to work and became pregnant at 32 years of age in May 2000. That's when some major problems started. She began having a lot of pain and back cramping. She thought it was just her pregnancy. However, one night she came home from work with a high fever, around 104. Sue was admitted into the hospital with endocarditis and tests revealed she also had an aortic aneurysm. Once again, Dr. Stephen Colvin performed open-heart surgery on Sue, who at this time was 15 weeks pregnant with her son.
The possibility of complications for Sue's baby was tremendous. First of all, Sue's body temperature was cooled to about 28 degrees. This is routine for heart surgery patients, but for the developing fetus in her womb, this lowering of Sue's body temperature, meant that the baby's would be lowered as well.
In addition, Sue was placed on the heart/lung machine during the operation that meant that not only was her blood bypassing her heart, but the baby's blood would also be supported by the heart/lung machine. To further complicate the procedure, the anesthesia and other drugs administered during the course of the operation posed a potential threat, which might have had some unknown abnormal affects on the development of the fetus.
It was a surgical procedure that very few surgeons in the world attempted. However, Dr. Colvin performs surgeries of the highest risk and complexity every day at NYU.
Susan and the baby came through the surgery with no complications!!! She was able to carry the baby to full term and on Jan 23, 2001 Sue gave birth to Louis, a completely healthy. whole 7lbs. pound boy... truly a miracle!
Today, Sue continues to be followed regularly by her cardiologist and Louis is growing by leaps and bounds.
She is a beautiful, caring, dynamic 33 year old mother, who was not only given a second chance at having a normal life, but whose son would possibly not be here today if it were not for Dr. Colvin. Sue endearingly says of him, "Dr Colvin is the closest thing to God's hands."