A U.S. Marine and his wife got a chance Monday to thank the doctor that saved their baby's life by performing a complicated surgery just days after his birth.
Elijah Diaz-White was born with a rare heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he only had half a heart.
“It was troubling. We were a little afraid, but we just decided to put it in God’s hands and he took care of it,” said Elijah’s father Devin White, who is stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
At just three days old Elijah underwent a complex procedure called a Norwood operation at the hands of Dr. Daniel Dibardino, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon at Rady Children’s Hospital.
“We have re-routed everything in and around the heart to be able to function with the half that he was born with,” said Dibardino.
Adding to the stress, the couple lives miles from their families’ home in Colorado.
But the new parents said the doctors and nurses and the Naval Medical Center and Rady Children’s Hospital stepped right in to fill the void.
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“They threw a party for my son. We did a lot, and they were able to be the support system for my son,” Elijah’s mother Ali Diaz said.
To date, Elijah has been through two surgeries, but on Monday, the 7-month-old went to the hospital for a happy occasion: a reunion with Dibardino.
“To have him already go through so much for a little baby and be doing so well, that is the best part of the job,” said the doctor.
And this surgeon’s job isn’t quite done. Elijah will need one more surgery sometime between age 3 and 5.
In the meantime – little Elijah will be doing what babies do – including resting up a bit.
“He learns so fast, He’s so happy, he’s a really good kid,” said Diaz.
The success rate for these surgeries is very high, in part because unlike a heart transplant, there is no risk of rejection of the tissue.
Elijah appears to be feeling pretty well, even if he did take a snooze during the reunion.
