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But as the days passed, it became clear that Scarlett’s condition was far more complicated than anyone had anticipated. She had developed severe pulmonary hypertension, and despite all efforts, she wasn’t responding to treatment. The doctors explained that, after six weeks on ECMO and three failed attempts to remove the machine, they didn’t think Scarlett would ever be strong enough to survive without it.
It was devastating to hear those words. The thought of losing our little girl was unbearable. She had been fighting for her life since the moment she was born, and it seemed as though we were running out of options. But Scarlett wasn’t ready to give up, and neither were we. In desperation, I began researching and discovered Dr. Kays at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. After reviewing Scarlett’s case, Dr. Kays agreed to accept her as a patient, though he was honest with us about the severity of her condition. He told us that Scarlett was extremely sick and that he wasn’t sure if he would be able to help her, but he was willing to try.
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