Taylor and Jeff Tomlinson wanted nothing more than to be parents. After years of fertility treatment, they finally heard the words they had been waiting for – Taylor was pregnant with a baby boy. Taylor’s pregnancy was without complications until an anatomy scan at 28 weeks. It was then that Taylor and Jeff learned their son, whom they had named Jax, would be born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a complex congenital heart defect affecting 5 out of every 10,000 babies.
Taylor and Jeff began researching pediatric cardiology programs in the Chicago area. Through their research, they met with Dr. Luca Vricella, chief of pediatric cardiovascular surgery at Advocate Children’s Hospital.
“We heard from other families how great Dr. Luca and his team were,” said Jeff. “After meeting with him, we knew that’s where Jax would get his care.”
Jax was born on October 15, 2022, and had regular checkups with his cardiologist every two weeks. The night before his 8-week checkup, Taylor and Jeff noticed Jax was crying more than usual. When they saw his cardiologist the next morning, they learned Jax’s oxygen levels were dangerously low and were sent to the closest emergency room. While they knew Jax would need surgery to repair his heart defect eventually, they did not know their son would need lifesaving care so soon.
The Advocate Children’s Hospital transport team brought Jax to Advocate Children’s Hospital - Oak Lawn where he was admitted into the Busking Family Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU). The following day, Dr. Vricella performed a nearly four-hour surgery on Jax’s strawberry-sized heart.
“Every child requires a personalized approach to their care,” said Dr. Vricella. “It’s my job to design that care and not only repair the heart, but to give that child the highest quality of life after surgery. The sky is the limit for kids like Jax – they can do everything kids do to bring them happiness.”
After surgery, Jax spent a week in the hospital with Taylor and Jeff by his side before coming home, just in time for his first Christmas.
The Tomlinsons say Jax’s recovery has been nothing short of amazing.
“He has more energy, he’s eating better, almost sleeping through the night and his scar is barely visible. We are so grateful for Dr. Luca and the amazing team of PCICU doctors, nurses and staff who saved Jax’s life and gave him the best care,” they said. “Jax is the strongest and bravest little heart warrior and we’re beyond thankful to have him home, healthy and happy.”
Help kids like Jax
This February, we’re celebrating American Heart Month and heart warriors like Jax. The top-ranked pediatric cardiology team at Advocate Children’s Hospital performs more cardiac surgeries annually than any other program in Illinois.
Join us in celebrating American Heart Month by making a gift to support the pediatric cardiology program at Advocate Children’s Hospital.