Sometimes when you look at how kids handle an illness you are in awe of their strength and optimism. That’s the way I felt when I read about Levi Silva, who was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Levi Silva was born with transposition of the great arteries and he has had to endure multiple surgeries during his lifetime. He is only in his 20’s and he went through his fourth open heart surgery in 2020. Yet, it seems like he has had a positive attitude especially through his last surgery at Johns Hopkins in Maryland.
Certainly a support system is invaluable when facing life-threatening surgeries and illness. Fortunately for Levi, he had his family with him and he felt comfortable with the staff at Johns Hopkins hospital. Choosing the right surgeon and staff is important, especially for kids. Levi Silva no longer hears a heart murmur. He plays sports, attends school and is positive about his life ahead. There is something resilient about kids that helps them to endure challenges early in life. Parents have tremendous anxiety when a child is going into surgery, but when the staff is confident and compassionate it lessens the fear. I think it is a good idea to do a lot of research when choosing a hospital.