Stay at the Hospital

My name is Natalie Jean Mardell Pheil, I was born at 2:38 AM on September 9th. You can read about my birth here. I was born with 2 heart defects, Tetrology of Fallot and Pulmonary Artresia. I had my first heart surgery at 36 hrs old. Now I'm having my big surgery at 9 months old. 

I was supposed to be at Children's Hospital in Seattle for only 10 days. I ended up staying 28 days.

Right After Surgery [Larger View]

Because the right side of heart was very stiff they kept my chest open for 10 days after surgery. They thought if I didn't do well they might have to put me on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to do the work for my heart and lungs. They never needed to. You could look thru the plastic membrane and see my heart beating.

Open Chest [Larger View]

After 8 days I still wasn't doing as well as I should so they did another Cardiac Catheterization on me. They put a large stint in my right Pulmonary Artery  and widened the old Stint in my Left. After I'm 2 years old they'll put a large stint in my left one too. I'm too small for that now.

After Catheterization [Larger View]

After 10 days they finally closed my chest.

Right After My Chest Was Closed [Larger View]

I stayed in Prenatal Intensive Care Unit for another 12 days. I couldn't keep food down. I went down to the regular Pediatrics floor and stayed 6 days after that. I was finally released.

Here is My First Day Home [Larger View]

I still having a hard time keeping food down. Every time I drink from a bottle it comes right back up. Because of the surgery I have paralysis of the right side of my Diaphragm. I have to work really hard to breathe and burp. They say that will heal.

I'm still having problems from the trauma of being in the hospital. I wake up at night crying because I think I'm still there and they are going to do stuff to me.

10 years ago I probably wouldn't have survived. Because of Drs Permut, Cohen, Jones, Stevensen and Lewin, my nurse Practitioner Barb Miller, my nurses like Carlotta and Suzanne and all the Fellows that over saw my care I'll have a full and happy life. I still only have 3 valves in my heart and I will need angioplasty every couple of years for the rest of my life. But other than the scars my heart defects are virtually gone.

Hopefully I'll be able to drink from a bottle soon and won't have to be feed thru a tube anymore.

I also need to thank my Godmother Kimberly who came over and took care of my pets for the 28 days.

Godmother Kimberly [Larger View]

Also or neighbors who took care of house an yard the whole time we were gone. I'm hoping to have a fun summer in the pool.

In the Pool  [Larger View]

On the bright side. By the time I'm ready for college, mom and dad will probably have paid off my medical bills. You've heard of the 6 Million Dollar Man, I'm the Million Dollar Baby.