Today I took four-year-old Sergei Titov and his mother, Kristina, to see Dr. Levchuck at Saint Francis Hospital. Sergei is a very active four-year-old who likes to play with trucks. Even more than playing with them he likes to take them apart. During the forty-five minute wait at Dr. Levchuck's, Sergei managed to remove the bumper and various other car parts. Sergei is afraid of doctors. We had to calm him down for his echocardiogram by reassuring him that they were only going to listen to his heart and not do anything else. The technician, who is used to dealing with scared children, allowed Sergei to play with the probe. That calmed him down. He then managed to remain relatively patient throughout the twenty minute procedure -- he only tried to get up off the table twice. Afterwards, we met with Dr. Levchuck, who confirmed Sergei's diagnosis: a large PDA (patent ductus arteriosus), a condition in which a blood vessel fails to close normally after birth. Dr. Levchuck reassured Sergei's mother that everything would be fine. Dr. Levchuck will correct the heart defect on Wednesday, February 9, 2011. Sergei will have to go for pre-op testing (electrocardiogram, blood work, medical history) prior to being hospitalized.
Executive Director Michael Yurieff