They didn’t aware there was a problem until they got her home. Sloan, their baby, was born healthily and in good condition, but by the time she was two months old, Sloan’s parents had started to gain a little weight, particularly around her tummy.
Their infant was growing properly and eating regularly. However, as her large tummy grew larger and larger, her parents started to worry more and more. Sloan’s four-month checkup was conducted in the hospital by Sarah and Chris instead of the family’s normal pediatrician.
Sadly, the doctor discovered a heartbreaking finding and informed a couple of some bad news that no parent wants to hear. The unfortunate news would surely be heartbreaking for most parents, and some would even attempt to find a way to accept it, but this pair wasn’t going down without a fight.
Chris and Sarah were filled with concern as they brought Sloan to the Children’s Hospital. They were aware that their daughter’s tummy wasn’t developing normally, but they also hoped the doctor would provide a comforting prognosis.
Instead, their daughter was found to have biliary atresia, a rare liver condition that obstructs and damages bile ducts. If the condition is not treated, the bile accumulates in the liver, which finally bursts under the strain. Sloan’s little existence has reached a major obstacle.
“We thought we were bringing her in for peace of mind, but it was devastating,” Sarah said. Everything we feared really happened. Sloan left the hospital and went back home, but she had to go again right afterward. The family was admitted once again to the hospital’s critical care unit only one week after the first diagnosis.
The little child had a limited window of opportunity to get the liver transplant that would have saved her life. Sarah and Chris contacted as many people as they could about their situation in the hopes of finding a donor since neither of them matched their daughter’s blood type, O.
Living donors and transplants are subject to extremely rigorous regulations. The donor must be a friend or family member who is prepared to give their organs for free. The donor must be in good physical and mental condition and must undergo a psychological examination. Jake, a close friend of the family, spotted the family’s need for assistance on social media and posted about it on Facebook.
At that moment, an unexpected hero appeared. Given that he was used to saving lives, the stranger was a wonderful fit in more ways than one. Steve, Jake’s brother, stepped in to save the day. Steve has served in the American Army and as a police officer for 18 years.
He is in excellent health and is 40 years old. Until now, he had not required medical attention in more than ten years and had never had to spend the night in a hospital. The physicians quickly excised a portion of Steve’s liver after he passed a battery of tests.
After removing around 20% of the organ, they reinserted it into Steve’s body. Little Sloan, whose life Steve was going to rescue, had never even seen Steve at that time. “Thankfully, I was in an excellent position here.
When my wife and I discussed it, it was really a no-brainer: “If you can save the life of a 4-month-old baby, you should do it,” Steve adds. Thankfully, both operations went well. Steve’s liver will mend as it is one of the few organs in the body that has the ability to do so. Sloan’s new liver will become stronger as she matures.