Posted on 10/30/2019 7:34:31 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Though Allison Longest had a normal pregnancy, soon after she gave birth to her son, Zachary, on December 16, 2013, she and her husband noticed that something was wrong.
“He wasn’t eating very well, and after looking into it, the doctors at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health discovered that he had a heart murmur,” the 39-year-old from Indianapolis told Runner’s World. “But it was minor, and no one was that worried about it.”
Two weeks later, Zachary was brought in for a heart check-up on Christmas Eve. To the surprise of his parents, the doctors diagnosed him with heart valve disease—a congenital heart defect that can require surgery depending on severity—and recommended immediate heart surgery.
Since having the cardiac operation as a baby, Zachary is now 5 and thriving. He plays sports and lives a relatively normal life, though every six to nine months, he has to visit the hospital to undergo an echocardiogram and EKG to monitor any changes to his heart as he grows.
“What’s unique about kids with heart disease is that they don’t look sick. They look normal and healthy, besides the scar on their chest,” said Longest.
While Zachary is currently able to be active and do almost everything a healthy kid can do, that will change as he gets older.
“When he hits puberty, his heart will grow, and he will have to get valve replacement surgery,” said Longest. “We really encourage him to play sports, and go all the things now, that he won’t be able to do later.”
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
Good for her...and my granddaughter is running,her third.
Once the elite runners pass one starts to see many,many people in wheelchairs,blind people and amputees being helped in one way or another along the route.It's really amazing to see.
Brings to mind Team Hoyt. Father Dick Hoyt has been the arms and legs for his son Rick for 40 years.
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a27135864/rick-hoyt-not-attending-boston-marathon/
A beautiful video and tune here
My Redeemer Lives - A true Ironman story (Team Dick and Rick Hoyt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts8F6dV_0uM
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