Young Heart Transplant Recipient Keeping Doctors In Awe Of His Progress A Year Later
WESTWOOD (CBSLA.com) —A year ago, a three-week old baby underwent a life-saving surgery as second youngest child ever to get a new heart at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA.
Today, Dravyn Johnson is a living medical miracle, keeping doctors in awe of his progress as a happy, healthy, and thriving toddler.
"A lot of babies, typically when they have a big procedure like this, they can have a lot of issues with feeding, neurological issues," said Juan Alejos, a pediatric cardiologist.
The 13-month-old was born with only one pumping chamber as opposed to two. The new heart was only the size of a strawberry when transplanted, donated by one very generous family.
"The gift of life is not something that people just give every day and she, or they as a family did an amazing thing," said Nicole Eggleston, Dravyn's mother.
Dravyn will have to have another heart transplant typically in about 15 to 20 years, but Eggleston says she doesn't focus on that.
She now volunteers with the American Heart Association and says that not a day goes by that she isn't aware of how far her baby has come.
"I don't take a day, a second, a breath for granted, ever," she said.