Toddler faces third major surgery to correct heart defect

MARBLEHEAD – With big blue eyes and a feisty nature, 2-year-old Luna Velandry is a happy, beautiful child.But behind her enchanting smile is a girl with a complicated medical condition that has made her a resilient fighter.Luna’s mother, Sabrina, who is from Marblehead but now lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Paul, was dealt a heartbreaking blow when she was 21 weeks pregnant, when told their baby had a series of severe heart defects, including Dextrocardia, which means her heart is located on the right side of her chest instead of the left. Despite that revelation, Sabrina was determined to fight for her baby.”It sounded unimaginable that her heart was on the wrong side of her body and that it was all twisted around,” she said. “It was a pretty dark time, but we kept saying this baby is going to be the best thing that ever happened to us.”Born in March of 2008, Luna checked it at exactly 7 pounds, and underwent open-heart surgery at just two-days old to regulate blood flow to her lungs, the first of many steps to correct her other rare condition, Double Inlet Right Ventricle.Then at 6 months old, she had another surgery, referred to as the Glenn Operation, where the superior vena cava was rerouted into the single ventricle, in essence redirecting oxygen-poor blood from the top of her body to her lungs.With those surgeries under her belt, Luna was able to grow and thrive into a robust and happy toddler. But she has since outgrown the intricate procedures that have been done and now requires a third major surgery to complete the process of rerouting her circulatory system. Today, when Luna tries to run and play with her big sister, Sienna, age 4, her toes and lips take on a blue tinge and she gets winded due to the low oxygen levels in her blood.”Luna’s anatomy is one-of-a-kind and as rare as it gets,” she said. “I’m honestly so thankful for the cardiologists who have helped her because this surgery is going to buy her many, many healthy years.”In preparation for surgery scheduled for Thursday, Luna recently underwent a sedated echocardiogram and a catheter at Children’s Hospital in Boston.With all of the surgeries and constant battling with her insurance carrier, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Velandry, who owns her own business, Sabrina, Inc., said mounting bills have put a massive strain on the family’s finances.Even moreso now that Paul was recently laid off from work as an architect, adding to the stress of coping with Luna’s advanced medical care.”We had been doing OK, but our insurance has been getting progressively worse over the years,” she said. “And after years and years of expensive care, premiums and paying claims out of pocket, debt is starting to accrue.”A fund-raiser was recently held to benefit Luna and her family, and to date, more than $9,000 has been raised, which Velandry said is helping to defray new costs and eliminate prior bills, such as monthly Synagis injections at $3,000 a pop to prevent respiratory infections.Now that Luna’s battle is nearing the end, Velandry said her new goal is to inspire hope in other parents enduring the same situation, by one day creating the “Luna and We” grant foundation to benefit single-ventricle children.”I want Luna to be a beacon of hope to others,” she said. “She’s an absolute joy, and is spunky, coy and just the cutest little thing.”To make a donation, mail a check to the “Luna and We Fund – 5802” at Citizens Bank, 134 Pleasant St., Portsmouth, NH 03801. A paypal donation can also be made by visiting the “Luna and We” Facebook page.To follow Velandry’s blog, visit: http://lunaandwe.blogspot.com