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A 6-year-old woman and her kindergarten teacher have one thing very particular in widespread: matching scars from their open-heart surgical procedures.
Kennedy Vogt is a student at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida, the place her teacher, Carlene Honor, additionally underwent coronary heart surgical procedure.
The faculty deliberately paired them up — making a bond of “heart twins” that goes far past the classroom.
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Vogt was simply 5 years previous when a visit to the emergency room for flu and pneumonia led to the shock prognosis of a gap in her coronary heart concerning the measurement of a nickel.
“It’s a rare congenital heart defect that affects the structure of the heart while it’s formed during pregnancy,” Dr. Matthew Zussman, a pediatric heart specialist at CreationHealth for Children, who can be the woman’s physician, advised Fox News Digital.
Kennedy Vogt (left) is a student at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida; she had surgical procedure at age 5 for a coronary heart defect. Her teacher, Carlene Honor (proper), additionally underwent coronary heart surgical procedure. (American Heart Association)
“Specifically, Kennedy had what’s known as an atrial septal defect, which causes a hole in the upper heart chambers and increases the amount of blood flowing through the lungs,” he went on.
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While the defect doesn’t often trigger issues throughout childhood, it could actually result in coronary heart and lung illness in maturity if it goes untreated, the physician mentioned.
The prognosis was a shock to the household, as Vogt — an lively, comfortable baby and aspiring gymnast — had not displayed any warning indicators.
Open-heart surgical procedure was vital to shut the outlet in her coronary heart as a consequence of its location.
Honor and Vogt examine their matching scars from open-heart surgical procedure. “I wanted her to know that she can have a normal life just like anybody else, even with a scar,” Honor mentioned of her younger student. (Kristin Green-Vogt)
“The operation involves making an incision along the breastbone, connecting the patient to a heart-lung bypass machine and patching the hole,” Zussman mentioned.
In May 2023, Vogt underwent open-heart surgical procedure at CreationHealth for Children in Orlando.
“It was definitely hard, but everyone was wonderful and the surgery went smoothly,” mentioned Kristin Green-Vogt, the woman’s mother. “Everything went as perfectly as that situation can go.”
“I just thank God for modern medicine,” she added, referring to her daughter’s surgical procedure scar as “a badge of honor.”
After simply three days within the hospital, Vogt was again to her regular actions, practising cartwheels and going to high school.
“The thing people don’t realize about kids and open-heart surgery is how resilient kids are,” Zussman mentioned. “What takes an adult patient months to recover from only takes kids a few days, and that was definitely true in Kennedy’s case.”
Bond past the classroom
At Lake Island Preparatory School, Vogt shaped a quick reference to Honor, who lives in East Orlando along with her husband, a retired Air Force member.
Carlene Honor has been instructing for 13 years.
Five years in the past, Honor had a coronary heart assault whereas attending a women basketball recreation on the faculty.
Teacher and student embrace on the American Heart Association Heart Walk in Nov. 2023. (American Heart Association)
“I stood up to hug someone and then just kind of passed out,” she advised Fox News Digital. “But I was very blessed to be at Lake Highland when it happened.”
Fortunately, one of many fathers of a cheerleader on the recreation occurred to be an CreationHealth physician, and there was an automatic exterior defibrillator (AED) accessible.
“It was simply God’s timing,” Honor mentioned. “Everything lined up to save my life.”
“I thank God that He allowed our paths to cross.”
After present process quintuple coronary bypass surgical procedure, she made a full restoration — and is now feeling wholesome and sturdy.
Looking again, Honor acknowledges some warning indicators she missed, akin to shortness of breath and fatigue.
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“I tell everybody now: Listen to your body,” Honor mentioned. “From that point on, I made a commitment to myself to do better when it comes to my health.”
Since the surgical procedure, Honor has misplaced 70 kilos. She is now extra disciplined about strolling on daily basis and maintaining with physician’s appointments.
“She’s so independent, so self-sufficient — just a great all-around student,” Honor mentioned of her heart-surgery buddy. “I consider Kennedy and her mom to be family.” (Kristin Green-Vogt)
As quickly as Honor heard about Vogt’s surgical procedure, she mentioned she was anxious to fulfill her.
“I wanted her to know that she can have a normal life just like anybody else, even with a scar,” she mentioned.
Honor described Vogt as “amazing within herself.”
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“I thank God that He allowed our paths to cross,” she mentioned. “I get to teach a variety of students, but she is just remarkable. She has a great personality — very outgoing, lively, super funny, somewhat of a perfectionist, but very easy to love.”
At first, Honor assumed she must handle Vogt, however she rapidly realized the woman didn’t must be “handled with kid gloves.”
“She’s so independent, so self-sufficient — just a great all-around student,” she mentioned. “I consider Kennedy and her mom to be family.”
“Pediatricians are often the first line of defense in diagnosing heart defects, so it’s important that children have regular check-ups.”
Vogt’s mom described her daughter and teacher as “tough cookies.”
“This was just a speed bump for them,” she advised Fox News Digital. “They’re happy to share it and I hope help other people, but it’s not their full story.”
Student and teacher are described as “tough cookies.” This previous November, the pair did the native American Heart Association Heart Walk collectively, together with over 15,000 individuals from the Greater Orlando space. (Kristin Green-Vogt)
In Nov. 2023, Vogt and Honor did the native American Heart Association Heart Walk collectively, together with greater than 15,000 individuals from the Greater Orlando space.
Vogt was named the ambassador of the occasion; she kicked off the stroll in a purple tempo automobile.
“It was amazing,” mentioned Vogt’s mom. “For me personally, it was like closure. Everybody rallied around us. It just was really special.”
Heart illness in youngsters
While congenital coronary heart defects are essentially the most widespread sort of beginning defect within the U.S., they’re nonetheless pretty uncommon, affecting solely about 1% of births, or about 40,000 youngsters per 12 months, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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“Kennedy was diagnosed with an even rarer atrial septal defect, which only accounts for about 20,000 medical cases a year,” mentioned Zussman, Vogt’s physician at CreationHealth for Children.
Since Vogt’s surgical procedure, she’s had common visits for ultrasounds and for medical doctors to hearken to her coronary heart — and Zussman mentioned the workforce is “ecstatic” about how effectively she’s doing.
CreationHealth for Children in Orlando, Florida, is without doubt one of the premier youngsters’s well being care networks within the U.S. (iStock)
“During her last appointment a few weeks ago, I actually told Kennedy and her mom that we probably only have one appointment left before she’s ready to transition to just seeing her pediatrician again,” he mentioned.
“That’s a testament to our incredible team of congenital heart disease experts and elite pediatric cardiovascular surgeons at AdventHealth for Children.”
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The reason for congenital coronary heart defects shouldn’t be totally identified, the heart specialist famous, whereas different kinds of coronary heart illness that develop later in life are sometimes brought on by life-style habits.
Every baby is totally different, and some don’t show clear-cut signs of coronary heart defects.
While congenital coronary heart defects are the commonest sort of beginning defect within the U.S., they’re nonetheless pretty uncommon, affecting solely about 1% of births. (iStock)
“I can think of children we’ve treated who were balls of energy — playing, happy, showing absolutely no signs that anything was wrong with their heart,” the physician mentioned.
That mentioned, there are some warning indicators dad and mom ought to pay attention to, Zussman famous.
“Those include shortness of breath; fatigue; swelling of the legs, feet or belly; abnormal heart palpitations; and trouble physically keeping up with friends and classmates,” he mentioned.
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“Pediatricians are often the first line of defense in diagnosing heart defects, so it’s important that children have common check-ups,” Zussman suggested.
“If you’re concerned about a possible heart issue, trust your instincts and ask for a referral to see a cardiologist.”
For extra Health articles, go to www.foxnews.com/well being.
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