3-year-old braves surgery
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
His dark blond curls are unruly, blue eyes piercing and his giggle is infectious. He’s a fairly typical three-year-old — he makes a mess of his bedroom, runs until he falls asleep in a heap of exhaustion and makes frequent trips to check on the new baby growing in his mommy’s belly.
Everything is normal for Nicklaus Driscoll except for a jagged cardiac surgery scar that zig-zags its way up his tiny chest.
For someone of less than 30 inches tall the Siloam Springs toddler has a story that can tug at the stingiest of heartstrings.
His story, and the bravery of his doting family, are heralded as the reasons that Driscoll was asked to be the spokesperson for the 2008 American Heart Association Siloam Springs Heart Walk.
“ His family expressed interest in helping organize things, ” said Jennifer Lightle, regional director for the American Heart Association. “ The research that has been done through programs like this led to saving his life. ”
On Oct. 18, at 11 a. m., a mile long heart walk, made up of volunteers and supporters of the event, will leave from Siloam Springs Hospital in support of heart research and medical awareness. Beginning at 8 a. m. a Health Fair on the hospital campus will be available to event attendees and passersby.
“ Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer for men and women in Arkansas, ” Lightle said. “ This walk is tailored to educate people. ”
On Thursday a Team Captain Kick-Off event is planned at Siloam Springs Simmons Foods beginning at noon. Lunch will be served and people are invited to attend to form walking teams, donate to the cause and sign up for the upcoming heart walk.
“ The whole point of the kick off is to get people excited about this, ” Lightle said. “ We want to see everyone out there, it’s going to be a lot of fun. ”
While a murmur had been identified early on in Nicklaus ’ medical care, the extent of his heart disease wasn’t uncovered until last year. In November, Driscoll was diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
Less than a month after the initial prognosis, his parents, Sarah and Jared Driscoll, found themselves caravaning with family and friends to Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock where the youngest member of their family underwent open- heart surgery to repair two holes and leaky heart valve.
“ I took him to his pediatrician in Bentonville for a cough, ” said Sarah Driscoll. “ The doctor said his murmur didn’t sound good and he sent us for an EKG. We had to wait the weekend which was horrible. ”
When medical staff delivered the stark diagnosis of Atrial Septal Defect, Ventral Septal Defect and Mitral Valve Prolapse, the family was devastated, Discoll said.
“ He had no symptoms, ” Driscoll said. “ That made it really hard because they were opening up our little boy and we couldn’t see anything wrong with him — he was normal. ”
More than 15 friends and family convened in Little Rock on the day of Nicklaus’ surgery for support.
Prior to the surgery, customers from Inner City Salon, where Sarah Driscoll works as a stylist, began leaving larger than usual tips to help take some of the financial sting off of the young couple.
Her own co workers and Jared Driscoll’s co workers at River City Materials in Rogers were equally supportive, she said.
“ I had a customer who I hadn’t seen in a year come in and give me a check for $ 100, ” Sarah Driscoll said. “ It was amazing, our family, friends and people throughout Siloam were so good to us during all of this. ”
In May, just after his third birthday, Nicklaus was issued a clean bill of health at a six month surgical check-up. He will not need to be checked again for one year.
“ His heart has a cleft, it will always leak and as he grows it could reopen and they might have to go in and close it again, ” Sarah Driscoll said. “ I just remember how hard of a ride home it was from Little Rock — it was our worst nightmare. ”
There is a five to 10 percent chance that Driscoll will have to undergo another surgery in the future.
“ We attended a luncheon last week for the American Heart Association and told our story, ” Sarah Driscoll said. “ It was so funny, he stood up and pulled his shirt up and showed everyone his scar. ”
For additional information on Driscoll and how to sign up visit the American Heart Association Web site at www. heartwalk. kintera. org / siloamspringsar.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
