A Reason to Hope: Living With CDH A Reason to Hope: Living With CDH Four-year-old Eli Stevenson is like most other kids his age in many ways. He started preschool and loves learning math he’s Four-year-old Eli Stevenson is like most other kids his—age inalready many a whiz,He tackling even might need a calculator for. ways. startedproblems preschool andadults loves learning math — he’s already He’s often found with a toy in hand and is especially attached to a whiz, tackling problems even adults might need a calculator for. his Rescue Bots. Eli’s and moms, Debbie and Jennifer, He’sTransformers often found with a toy in hand is especially attached to say he’s a happy, silly child, who doesn’t know he’s different from his Transformers Rescue Bots. Eli’s moms, Debbie and Jennifer, others. in onesilly way, he is.who doesn’t know he’s different from say he’sBut a happy, child,
others. But in one way, he is. Eli was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), which means holecongenital in his diaphragm allowed other Eli was that bornawith diaphragmatic herniaorgans, (CDH), including which his stomach, spleen and colon, to move into his chest, preventing means that a hole in his diaphragm allowed other organs, including his lungs fromspleen developing fully.to Doctors firsthis noticed pregnancy stomach, and colon, move into chest,the preventing was unusual when Jennifer was 18 weeks along, and after his lungs from developing fully. Doctors first noticed the pregnancy additional scans, EliJennifer was given 50% chance of survival. was unusual when wasa18 weeks along, and after additional scans, Eli was given a 50% chance of survival. “We were terrified”, Jennifer recalls, “but we were determined to give him best possible chance.” “We werethe terrified”, Jennifer recalls, “but we were determined to give him the best possible chance.” Jennifer and Debbie were initially referred to a hospital in Boston for prenatal butwere quickly learned that one the country’s Jennifer and care, Debbie initially referred to a of hospital in Boston bestprenatal resources forbut treating children with right here in for care, quickly learned thatCDH onewas of the country’s Colorado. The Colorado Fetal Care Center at Children’s best resources for treating children with CDH was right Hospital here in Colorado. The Colorado Fetal Care Center at Children’s Hospital
Colorado is one of just a few comprehensive maternal fetal care programsisinone theof world a dedicated CDH program Colorado just aand fewhouses comprehensive maternal fetal care with somein ofthe theworld country’s best survival rates. When Jennifer programs and houses a dedicated CDH program and foot in survival the hospital two weeks after that withDebbie some offirst thestepped country’s best rates. When Jennifer initial scan, they met with multiple specialists, including Kenneth and Debbie first stepped foot in the hospital two weeks after that Liechty, MD, a renowned pediatric fetal surgeon and co-director initial scan, they met with multiple specialists, including Kenneth of the Colorado Fetal Care Center. fetal He provided their first Liechty, MD, a renowned pediatric surgeonone andofco-director nuggets of hope.Fetal Care Center. He provided one of their first of the Colorado nuggets of hope. “[The doctors] confirmed he had a left-side CDH and said they thought it was confirmed manageable. went there, we said never looked “[The doctors] he Once had a we left-side CDH and they back,” Jennifer says. “We knew this where we were supposed to be.” thought it was manageable. Once we went there, we never looked back,” Jennifer says. “We knew this where we were supposed to be.” Eli was delivered on April 27, 2017, surrounded by a whole team of specialists. As soon as he born, they snapped into action, Eli was delivered on April 27,was 2017, surrounded by a whole team working hard to him— process ultimately took of specialists. Asstabilize soon as he wasaborn, theywhich snapped into action, two hours. Once stable, the team was ablewhich to take x-rays of took working hard to stabilize him— a process ultimately Eli’s body, revealing thatthe his team heartwas had able migrated under hisofright two hours. Once stable, to take x-rays armpit, a risk that could lead to a pulmonary hypertensive crisis. Eli’s body, revealing that his heart had migrated under his right At just 4 days old, Eli underwent his first surgery with Dr. Liechty armpit, a risk that could lead to a pulmonary hypertensive crisis. aimed correcting CDH. It was success. At just at 4 days old, Elihis underwent hisafirst surgery with Dr. Liechty aimed at correcting his CDH. It was a success.
