The family of little heart warrior, Davis Allred, is especially thankful this holiday season.
Only 10 days after Davis was born, his mother, Rachel, thought his breathing seemed labored. Being a new mom, she wondered if she could be over reacting, but followed her intuition by taking him to the Emergency Department at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
At Erlanger, he received an echocardiogram by cardiologist Dr. Wesley Davis. Considering that Davis was a newborn, his heart was about the size of a strawberry and his valves as thick as 5-6 hairs. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect of the aorta that would require emergency open-heart surgery immediately. His parents waited an excruciating six hours during Davis' surgery to learn that the operation had saved his life.
The Allreds would later learn Davis also had mitral and aortic valve stenosis. Not even three weeks passed before Davis began to experience labored breathing, and they learned a different area of the aorta had narrowed. His team of doctors worked collaboratively to determine the best treatment options for Davis and, ultimately, Davis persevered through a second open-heart surgery.
Two months after Davis’ birth, The Allreds returned home with bright hope for his future. They are grateful to Dr. Wesley Davis for his early diagnosis and being able to rely on him during Davis’ long recovery from open-heart surgery.
Davis continues to reach all his milestones and enjoys talking, playing hide and seek, playing with his dog, and digging outside in the mud and rocks. His family is thrilled with his amazing recovery.
“I never felt alone in our suffering. I felt a part of the Erlanger community. The healthcare professionals here cared about my son’s recovery and our emotional well-being as we navigated many unknowns. I am thrilled that Davis is thriving thanks to the care we received,” says Davis' mother, Rachel.
The Allred family is giving back to support Erlanger and they hope you will consider joining them in lending encouragement and support to other families in need by donating to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger this holiday season.
Your gift will help:
- Purchase unique, child-specific medical equipment
- Transform our pediatric facilities
- Enhance specialty programs, like Child Life, that help your child through their hospital experience
- Expand our teaching and training programs, helping educate the next generation of great pediatric specialists
To make a donation, click here.
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