'I've been waiting': 8-year-old receives heart transplant before the holidays

1 month ago 4

ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. SKYLAND HAS BEEN IN NORTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR 236 DAYS, AND FOR 201 OF THOSE SHE’S BEEN WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET A NEW HEART. AND NOW, JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, SHE’S READY TO GO HOME. AT JUST EIGHT YEARS OLD, SKYLAND HAS BEEN THROUGH MORE THAN MOST KIDS HER AGE. VERY SAD, BUT NOW I’M HAPPY THAT I GET TO GO HOME. GOING INTO THE HOSPITAL FOR WHAT HER MOM, CAITLIN WILLIAMS, THOUGHT WAS A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, THEY WERE TOLD THAT SKYLAND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH END STAGE HEART FAILURE. SHE HAD HOURS TO LIVE. THEY TOLD ME THAT SKYLAND WAS THE SICKEST PATIENT AT THAT TIME. ON THE ICU. SHE HAD HOURS, IF NOT DAYS, IF NOT HOURS TO LIVE. WORKING TO KEEP SKYLAND ALIVE. DOCTOR SARA WILKINS. SKYLAND. CARDIOLOGIST, MADE THE DECISION TO INSERT AN IMPELLA, A TEMPORARY HEART PUMP, MAKING HER THE YOUNGEST AND SMALLEST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO RECEIVE A PUMP LIKE THIS. IT WORKED REALLY WELL TO KIND OF HELP, I THINK, SAVE HER LIFE, TO GET HER TO TRANSPLANT. THROUGHOUT HER STAY, SKYLANDS FAMILY NEVER GAVE UP HOPE VISITING HER DAILY, KNOWING THAT ONE DAY THE CALL WOULD COME. IT’S PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING WE’VE EVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE IN LIFE IS THE WAITING. THE WAITING IS VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT EACH DAY BRINGS. AND ON NOVEMBER 22ND, SKYLANDS HEART ARRIVED. I’VE BEEN WAITING A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. IT’S GIVEN HER SUCH A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE THAT I COULD HAVE NEVER DREAMED WAS POSSIBLE. BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE, SHE WAS SO CLOSE TO DEATH. AFTER JUST 18 DAYS OF RECOVERY. SKYLAND IS UP AND WALKING AROUND AND READY TO GET BACK TO THE THINGS SHE LOVES DAI

Skylin, 8, from New Albany, is set to celebrate Christmas at home after receiving a lifesaving heart transplant. Skylin has been a patient at Norton Children's Hospital for 236 days and spent 201 of those waiting for a new heart.Skylin's mother, Kaylyn Williams, initially took her to the hospital in April for what she thought was a respiratory illness. Instead, they were told Skylin was suffering from end-stage heart failure. "She had hours to live. They told me that Skylin was the sickest patient at that time on the CICU (cardiovascular intensive care unit). She had hours, if not days, if not hours, to live," Williams said.Sarah Wilkens, Skylin's cardiologist, made the critical decision to insert a temporary heart pump, making Skylin the youngest and smallest person in the world to receive such a device. "It worked really well to kind of help, I think, save her life — to get her to transplant," Wilkens said.Throughout Skylin's hospital stay, her family never lost hope. They visited her daily, holding onto the belief that the call for a new heart would eventually come. "It's probably the hardest thing we've ever had to experience in life is the waiting. The waiting is very, very, very difficult because you never know what each day brings," Williams said. That long-awaited call came on Nov. 22 — when Skylin's new heart arrived. "I've been waiting a very, very long time," Skylin said. "It's given her such a better quality of life that I could have never dreamed was possible. Because when we first got here, she was so close to death," Williams said.After just 18 days of recovery, Skylin is now up and walking, eager to return to the activities she loves. Skylin will be starting rehab at Frazier Rehab Institute, which she is expected to complete just before Christmas.This holiday season, Skylin and her family say they have much to be thankful for, celebrating the gift of life and the generous heart that made it possible.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Skylin, 8, from New Albany, is set to celebrate Christmas at home after receiving a lifesaving heart transplant.

Skylin has been a patient at Norton Children's Hospital for 236 days and spent 201 of those waiting for a new heart.

Skylin's mother, Kaylyn Williams, initially took her to the hospital in April for what she thought was a respiratory illness. Instead, they were told Skylin was suffering from end-stage heart failure.

"She had hours to live. They told me that Skylin was the sickest patient at that time on the CICU (cardiovascular intensive care unit). She had hours, if not days, if not hours, to live," Williams said.

Sarah Wilkens, Skylin's cardiologist, made the critical decision to insert a temporary heart pump, making Skylin the youngest and smallest person in the world to receive such a device.

"It worked really well to kind of help, I think, save her life — to get her to transplant," Wilkens said.

Throughout Skylin's hospital stay, her family never lost hope. They visited her daily, holding onto the belief that the call for a new heart would eventually come.

"It's probably the hardest thing we've ever had to experience in life is the waiting. The waiting is very, very, very difficult because you never know what each day brings," Williams said.

That long-awaited call came on Nov. 22 — when Skylin's new heart arrived.

"I've been waiting a very, very long time," Skylin said.

"It's given her such a better quality of life that I could have never dreamed was possible. Because when we first got here, she was so close to death," Williams said.

After just 18 days of recovery, Skylin is now up and walking, eager to return to the activities she loves.

Skylin will be starting rehab at Frazier Rehab Institute, which she is expected to complete just before Christmas.

This holiday season, Skylin and her family say they have much to be thankful for, celebrating the gift of life and the generous heart that made it possible.

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