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Lake Barrington teen doesn't miss a beat
By Janice Youngwith
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
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| Haley Mallon visits with Dr. Ira DuBrow, a pediatric cardiologist, at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge. |
Thirteen-year-old Haley Mallon puts her heart and soul into every serve as she faces opponents across the tennis court, especially since competing last month in her first United States Tennis Association match.
The Station Middle School eighth-grader has the heart of a champion, say her parents, Paul and Colleen Mallon of Lake Barrington. However, they say it's her heart that is most worrisome.
Born August 1994 at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington, Haley was just 16 hours old when a nurse first noticed signs of "blue" baby distress. Ensuing tests and the ultimate diagnoses left family members reeling.
"We were told Haley had a serious congenital heart defect known as tetralogy of fallot along with two holes in the wall between the heart's ventricles," recalls Haley's dad. "After being transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, we also learned of the need for ongoing surgical intervention to improve Haley's blood flow."
According to the American Heart Association, babies born with tetralogy of fallot share four common challenges often including a ventricular septal defect; a narrowing at or beneath the heart's pulmonary valve; a larger, more muscular right ventricle; and an aorta that lies directly over the ventricular defect area.
Resulting blueness, they say, could occur immediately at birth, in infancy or later in childhood. Like Haley, these "blue" babies may have sudden episodes of severe cyanosis with rapid breathing or may become unconscious. During exercise, older children may become short of breath or have fainting spells.
The Mallons learned that most children with tetralogy of fallot have open heart surgery to close the ventricular defects and remove obstructing muscle bundles before they reach school age. Long-term outlook following surgery varies depends on severity of the defect and the amount of pulmonary narrowing.
In Haley's case, surgeons recommended the placement of a special shunt to help streamline the heart's blood flow. By making a connection between Haley's aorta and pulmonary artery, some blood from the aorta was able to flow to the lungs for oxygen, reducing cyanosis and, it was hoped, affording Haley time to grow and develop. However, just three days after surgery, the shunt crimped and open heart surgery was required to clear obstructions.
"Just before her first birthday, Haley's heart needed yet another open heart repair," recalls her dad, Paul. "This time surgeons closed the ventricular septal defect and again cleared blockages."
Haley sailed through her toddler years but required an additional open heart procedure to place an artificial pulmonary valve just weeks before kindergarten. The athletic 5-year-old didn't miss a beat and by fall was back to playing soccer and swimming.
As Haley grew, doctors warned the Mallon family that Haley's pulmonary valve eventually would need replacing.
"That day arrived sooner than everyone had hoped," her dad recalls. "By age 12, we learned the valve had calcified and replacement was imminent. It was the first time Haley was fully aware of what open heart surgery meant."
At Haley's request, surgery was planned late December, 2006 during her winter school break.
"She told the doctors she wanted to be out of the hospital in just a couple of days and she was, arriving home on Dec. 22 in time to join her sisters Allison, 16, and Ashley, 10, for Christmas," recalls her dad. "Recovery meant strict isolation. Haley did miss a couple of days of school in early January as her chest bone healed. We worried about possible re-injury in the crowded school hallways."
The Lake Barrington community rallied around Haley, with a number of families from Countryside Elementary School donating money for a giant bear to help Haley heal. Additional funds were designated toward the purchase of more than 40 teddy bears for other pediatric heart patients at Lutheran General Hospital.
"Haley enjoys distributing the teddy bears during her checkups and reaching out to children and their families facing similar heart surgeries," her dad explains. "As an athlete and healthy teen, she willingly shares her story and helps to ease fears for other pediatric patients."
The vivacious teen also is a junior board member of Alpine Children's Charity, an organization of northwest suburban children dedicated to helping raise money for both juvenile diabetes and pediatric heart research.
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