Prior to Chad’s admission to CHOP, his parents noticed some changes in behavior and other suspicious symptoms beginning in late January. Jennifer and Chad knew something was wrong and contacted both Chad’s cardiologist and GI doctors.
Both responded and wanted him brought in through the ER as soon as possible. Once there, it quickly became clear that Chad’s heart was failing. After two weeks of cardiac medication and monitoring, a cardiac catherization was performed. The doctors were astounded by the pressures in Chad’s heart and lungs and quickly informed his parents that surgery was needed to place a heart pump to improve Chad’s heart function and ultimately save his life. After several surgeries and numerous complications, Chad was fitted with a special device called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The LVAD is a unique device that requires a lot of care and attention and is used to help manage heart failure by pumping blood to the rest of the body.
Chad spent 111 long days in the CICU, much longer than any of his previous hospital stays, which Jennifer said, had never been more than 3 weeks. “He was very sick; if you had both a tracheostomy and an LVAD you had to stay in the CICU. We were not sure what his future was going to look like. When the doctors started talking to us about rehab hospitals, we had limited options. My husband and I never left Chad’s side, so we wanted to go somewhere that would be close to home so that we could continue to stay by his side day-in and day-out and cheer him on through rehab. CHOP recommended Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital located in Marlton, NJ. This location was closer to home which was a huge positive. When we met the Weisman Children’s team, we knew almost immediately this would be a good fit for Chad and the next right step in his recovery. Their willingness to learn and take on Chad’s case despite not having previous experience with an LVAD patient was amazing. We knew our son was going to receive great care.”
Dr. Danielle Burstein, a cardiologist in the Cardiac Center at CHOP shared, “Chad is an amazing young man who unfortunately developed severe heart failure that required an implantable artificial heart pump to save his life. Due to his complicated course, he also required a tracheostomy and a mechanical ventilator to help him breathe after his surgery largely due to the extreme weakness he developed from being critically ill. Despite this, Chad and his parents were unbelievably determined to regain Chad’s strength with the goal of getting back to school and living his best teenage life. We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to partner with Weisman Children’s for Chad’s rehabilitation, which was the most impressive and fast recovery I have seen. Within an incredibly short time, Chad was able to walk again and able to be off the mechanical ventilator and is back at school. It is such a privilege to work with Chad, his family, and Weisman Children’s and see what amazing potential children like Chad can achieve.”
Prior to Chad transferring to Weisman Children’s, a few team members including Weisman Children’s Medical Director, Dr. Connie Domingo, M.D., visited Chad and his family at CHOP. The trip meant a lot to Jennifer and really showed her and her husband the kind of care Chad would receive at Weisman Children’s. “We loved that the team was willing to meet Chad and meet us at CHOP. When they arrived, they were so responsive and caring. It was meaningful to us being in this tough space with Chad, it really alleviated a lot of the stress we were having about his next step.”
For Dr. Domingo it was important to establish a relationship, especially with a case as special as Chad’s. “After this process started, we began talking to the LVAD team at CHOP and meeting with them to learn what his care would entail. Meeting Chad, mom and dad, gave them some peace of mind about transitioning to our facility. As a parent, seeing the new team in person makes such a difference. My goal was to ensure their trust in us and ensure them that we were going to be able to take care of their son. Open communication, transparency, and honesty made the transition from the ICU to our rehab setting seamless for Chad and his parents.”
Once Chad arrived at Weisman Children’s, Jennifer began to notice positive changes in him almost immediately and she was very impressed with the facility and the team that worked with them. “The accommodations were very nice. We had a wonderful experience and loved the entire staff. Chad’s progress was evident from day 1. He made friends with the Weisman Children’s staff and got to hang out with other teens in the teen room. I cannot stress how important that was for him and us aside from his treatment itself.”
Above all else, Jennifer was most impressed with Chad’s therapy time with the team. She was thrilled that everyone from doctors, nurses, therapists, and aides were prepared for Chad, had proper training on his LVAD, took the time to really get to know him, and adapted his hobbies into his therapy treatment plan. This approach got him invested in the rehab process. “They helped get him up, out of bed, and moving each day. The fact that they got to know Chad as a person and utilized the things that he enjoys to reach their goals was something I wasn’t expecting and I believe had a huge impact on how well his therapy went.”
Dr. Domingo however believes that Chad and his parents were just as important for his quick turnaround. “Chad is an amazing kid and even with having this new device with him, he made wondrous strides every day. His progress is a testament to his parents and our team getting him where he needed to be. Every day was truly a miracle. I believe by the time he left our inpatient hospital he was close to being back to where he was prior to getting ill back in March.”
When Chad first came to Weisman Children’s in June, his goal was to get back to school and perform with his marching band in the Fall, something Jennifer is happy to report he was able to achieve after his discharge from Weisman Children’s in August 2021. “Since his discharge he has been doing amazing. At the end of the summer, we were thrilled to see him playing drums with the school marching band at the start of the football season. Now he is back in school and making the most of his Junior year. He achieved his goal, and we are so proud of him.