Like most high school seniors, 18-year-old Kelly Portillo was looking forward to her senior prom. But unlike her peers, Kelly’s anticipation came to a full stop when she learned she would need open-heart surgery the same week as her special night.
Having been born with discrete membrane subaortic stenosis, a congenital heart disease, Kelly has had many open-heart surgeries throughout her life. She understood that the chance of having another surgery was imminent, but she didn’t anticipate the inopportune timing.
Being the resilient warrior that she is, Kelly accepted that her prom dreams weren't going to come true. But when Kelly’s cardiac care team at Atrium Health Levine Children’s heard about the timing issue, they went above and beyond to ensure she didn’t miss her special night. The team not only put Kelly’s family’s mind at ease while she was in surgery, but they also helped Kelly recover so she was able to go home just four days after surgery.
While the team made the process as comfortable as possible, recovering from open-heart surgery is no small task. Kelly journaled the experience, detailing how she felt and what transpired in the days following her surgery. She says her doctors and nurses helped her feel encouraged even when she was mentally and physically drained. They gave her a heart-shaped pillow to clutch for comfort and walked by her side as she did laps down the halls to help her body recover.
At one point, when Kelly’s chest tube and bandages were removed, she was overcome with fear.
“The moment I looked down, I was terrified to see my sternotomy scar,” Kelly says. “I started panicking. I called for my nurse, Morgan, and asked her why it looked like that. She told me the scar was beautiful and everything was okay. That was the biggest comfort I’ve ever felt. I will always cherish that.”
On the fourth day after her surgery, Kelly rang the bell signifying it was her time to return home.
“Everyone clapped and cheered,” Kelly says. “Leaving the hospital after having my open-heart surgery made me feel relieved that everything went well. Thanks to God for the medical team.”
Kelly’s care team came to her room to wish her well, but they weren’t done caring for her just yet. They also told her they wanted to send her off in style. They secured Kelly’s prom tickets, picked out a dress and made appointments for her to get her hair, makeup and nails done. But most importantly, they helped her feel stronger and more confident to proudly rock her scar at prom.
The impact of the care she received at Levine Children’s is something Kelly will continue to carry with her. As an incoming college freshman, Kelly plans to become a non-invasive cardiovascular technician, no doubt inspired by the heart team that has been by her side her whole life.
