Treatment Dilemmas: A Newborn with a Heart Defect
"When my son was born with a severe congenital heart defect, I was devastated and completely unprepared for such unexpected and unwanted news. I remember the cardiologist drawing a very rough sketch of a heart and explaining how it should function versus how Sean’s heart functioned—and giving us the very dire prognosis that Sean would need multiple open-heart surgeries to repair his tiny heart.Sean’s condition is rare, so his local doctor recommended that we seek out a specialist for the initial surgeries. As my husband and I struggled to understand what was happening and how to deal with it, Dr. Lundberg was indispensable in guiding us through that difficult first year.
— She explained what was happening, from basic anatomy to complex medical procedures.
— She researched the treatment recommended by Sean’s cardiologist and talked to colleagues for feedback on both local and distant options.
— She spoke directly with the prospective surgeons about Sean’s case, to get an objective perspective of the options.
— She helped outline the pros and cons of the two main surgical alternatives and supported us as we made our decision.
— Once the surgery was scheduled, she explained how the hospital costs and billing would be handled—what was included, what we would have to pay upfront, etc.
— She advised us on how to advocate for Sean, including a procedure that was not being implemented.
— Most of all, she listened.
Looking back, I am so happy to have had Dr. Lundberg’s support throughout that difficult time. We were completely unprepared to be immersed in the medical world of hospitals, surgeries, and recovery. Her expertise helped us face the uncertainty.”
