Dear Friends,
In 2009, I was blessed with healthy triplets - Logan, Maddyn and Mackenna. Besides the amazingly chaotic experience of raising three kids at once, life was normal. However, when Maddyn was 6 years old, a simple virus began a fight for her life.
Anyone with kids has experienced the common cold. The irritability, the change in schedule of being out of school, sleep deprivation, and trips to the pediatrician. Maddyn initially seemed to have the common cold. After a few days and several trips to the doctor, we knew that something wasn’t right. Maddyn still had a fever, shallow breathing, rash, and her complexion became pale. We decided to take her to the ER. We didn’t know at the time that Maddyn’s health had taken a serious turn.
As soon as we made it through the doors of the ER, it became a scene out of the television series. Medical professionals from all areas of the hospital were gathering around trying to determine what was causing her to be sick. Her heart rate was extremely fast yet couldn’t pump the blood through her body. It was soon determined that Maddyn had Myocarditis, simply defined as inflammation of the heart muscle. She was hooked up to over a dozen machines and we were signing paperwork for her to be put on the heart transplant list. It was decided that Maddyn needed ECMO treatment, which is a 24/7 manned machine that uses a magnetic pump to circulate blood through an artificial heart and lung then back into the bloodstream. While Maddyn was put into a medically induced coma, she had two additional heart surgeries. Her heart was completely drained and rested for a few days. We were terrified and had no clue what was going on.
After a few days on ECMO and innumerable prayers from around the world, the medical team decided to do a “trial run” and turn off the ECMO machine to see how Maddyn’s heart functioned. The outcome was truly an answered prayer. Her heart was completely fine and functioned as it should. What we didn’t know, is that a tiny blood clot had formed in her heart. When they first took her off the ECMO machine, the blood clot went straight to her brain, causing a massive stroke to the right side of her brain. The heart, which we had been so worried about for several days, was miraculously healed. We were then introduced to the neurology team of experts. Her hospital room was made into a make-shift operating room where the ECMO machine was surgically removed from her neck and she was being prepped for brain surgery. The doctors performed surgery to remove the clot, as well as a significant portion of her brain.
Throughout this fight, Maddyn never gave up. Whenever another setback or complication arose, she fought harder and we prayed harder. After 75 days, we were able to take Maddyn home and have all the triplets home together again. Maddyn’s journey was far from over. Thanks to her wonderful physicians, nurses, and therapists, all working with God’s hands, wisdom and grace, Maddyn is still recovering. Thank you to the community that prayed, supported, and encouraged my family through this journey. Maddyn is a happy 10-year-old in 5th grade. Thankfully, she is doing well.
We need your help. I am honored to serve as the Open Your Heart Chair for the American Heart Association’s 2020 Iredell Heart Ball campaign. I would like to invite you to attend the event on Saturday, February 29 at The Venues at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in Mooresville. I would also like to personally ask you to help support this cause by pledging your gift today by CLICKING HERE.
Please join my family in the fight to save lives and end cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Sincerely,
Brent Ussery, AlarmSouth
2020 Iredell Heart Ball Open Your Heart Chair
