Katherine
Fichtner
Rock Island, Washington
Katherine Fichtner has been beating the
odds since her conception. She came as a complete surprise
to her parents Verna and
Dale, who already had two grown children. Still, the pregnancy
progressed normally until her due date in October 2005, when
the OB-GYN noticed the baby’s heart rate was dropping.
Verna was sent to the hospital, her labor was induced, and
Katherine was born late that night. Almost immediately, it
was clear something was wrong. Katherine didn’t give
a healthy cry; she could only whimper. When a chest X-ray
revealed a very enlarged heart was crowding her lungs, Airlift
Northwest flew Katherine to Children’s Hospital & Regional
Medical Center, where she was treated for a heart valve disorder.
She was placed on a ventilator in the ICU for 10 days. Today,
Katherine is getting stronger, but she remains in the care
of a cardiologist, neurologist, geneticist and physical therapists. “She
has some things to work on, but she is very happy,” reports
Verna. “We feel lucky to be chosen as her parents.”
From
Central Washington Hospital (Wenatchee, WA) to Children’s
Hospital & Regional Medical Center (Seattle, WA)
(More
patient and partner stories here)
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