One Nashville family has endured more than most.
But after more than a dozen surgeries their toddler Zoey may almost be finished living in hospitals.
“We didn't know she was going to live this long,” said Tori Goddard, Zoey’s mother. She’s cheerful as she thinks back at what her daughter has overcome.
At just three years old Zoey Jones has gone through surgery 13 times. And Tori remembers them all. She points out what she calls Zoey's battle wounds, the scars covering her small body.
“It’s devastating,” Tori said, about the ultrasound when she first found out there was an issue, “this is your child and when we were pregnant I didn't even know kids, babies could have heart problems.”
Zoey was born with major heart and breathing problems, far worse than doctors predicted. Local surgeons were at a loss.
“They said her only chance of survival was a heart-lung transplant, which they don't do here,” Tori said.
So Zoey and Tori traveled to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio. There a team of doctors changed everything.
“We found that if we temporarily blocked some of the flow from one of her prior operations that the pressure in her arteries actually came down to a very safe level,” said Dr. Derren Berman, who operated on Zoey.
Plugging the blood flow meant she no longer needed new lungs. And a series of heart surgeries may mean she can also keep her heart.:
“It’s called a G- tube and that's how she gets fed and it goes straight into her stomach,” Tori explained all the medical equipment Zoey needs on a regular basis.
She still has lots of obstacles. Zoey's on 17 different meds and had several strokes and cardiac arrests.
But she's also had milestones.
“They told us that she would never walk and she’s getting strong enough now that she’s walking by herself,” said Tori.
Zoey is tottering around like any toddler, especially for the 15 minutes a day when she's not connected to her tubes and machines.
“We’re free!” Tori said, unhooking her, “let’s put your valve on.”
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Mom helps Zoey practice with her vocal chords by coughing and laughing to help her get used to making sounds again, which was restricted by her tubes.
“I’m really hopeful she'll be able to go to school one day,” said Tori.
Because there may be problems with her heart, but it turns out little Zoey has more heart than most
She heads back to the hospital in Ohio this week for what her parents hope is her last heart surgery.
She has a Facebook page where you can follow her progress called“Zoey’s Warriors.”
