Sherry Kissic doesn’t need any more proof that prayer works. She says her 2-year-old grandson, Dylan, is up and walking around his hospital unit in Little Rock, Ark., after regaining the ability to speak."I know prayers are being answered because he is doing real good," she said. She learned Wednesday that Dylan was walking through his unit, complete with his Berlin Heart on a cart beside him. Facing heart failure, Dylan was the first toddler to undergo the risky procedure.
The Berlin Heart is a mechanical simulation of a heart and is carried on a cart with a laptop computer that monitors its function.
Things weren’t always looking so bright for Dylan. While undergoing the procedure on April 3, one of the tubes pumping blood to his heart was damaged, causing him to have a stroke. The stroke damaged three parts of his brain, and Dylan was unable to speak for a while after the procedure.
After a grueling round of physical and occupational therapy, though, Dylan is now talking and walking. His mother, Lisa, is by his side, Kissic said.
Dylan’s heart trouble began at the age of 2 weeks when doctors discovered he had congenital heart disease. Despite various operations, including stints and a tissue transplant, Dylan’s heart just wasn’t strong enough to support his body.
In the fall of 2005, doctors decided Dylan needed a new heart and began procedures to place him on the donor list. Several months later, Dylan is near the top of that list and continues to await a donor heart.
His grandmother said the temporary solution is working well, though.
"He’s doing so well, I’m amazed with it," she said. "I just want everyone to continue to pray for Dylan because he needs it."
