“She’s crazy about life,” said Hoboken Firefighter Frank Guzman about his 11-year-old niece Jassmine. “She thin and frail, but she’s happy, optimistic, and can put a smile on your face in no time.”
Jassmine was born without an essential ventricle valve in her heart. Just days after her birth, an artificial valve was implanted in her small chest, but it hasn’t stopped an array of medical problems from arising.
Because of her birth defect, young Jassmine has undergone eight open heart surgeries and a number of other invasive procedures, such as angioplasties and the surgical implantation of a pacemaker.
Jassmine’s team of doctors told her family that her heart is beginning to show signs of failing and that a heart transplant will increase her chances for longevity.
Because of the severity of her condition, she has been placed on the top of a list to receive a donor heart. In fact, her father George, who was born and raised in Hoboken, has a special pager that will go off as soon as a matching heart is found, which could occur within a day or many weeks from now.
The family is currently living in Alabama while they wait for a heart so the surgery can be performed at the hospital at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
Most often, the donor heart comes from a healthy person who died in an accident. The heart will be rushed to the hospital, where Jassmine’s chest will be opened, the diseased heart removed, and the donor heart is put in its place. During the operation, a heart-lung machine takes over for the recipient’s heart. Most recipients recover and live normal lives. According to stats supplied by American Heart Association, the survival rate for a year or longer is now over 80 percent.
“The doctors say that she has an excellent chance for success,” said Guzman.
He added that it’s been hard for her. She attended school for a couple of years, but her susceptibility to germs and illness made school an unhealthy location for her and she had to be tutored at home. “All she wants to do is lead a normal life, be able to go to school and play with friends,” said Guzman.
Aside from the hazards of open-heart surgery, the greatest obstacle to healing is the body’s own immune system response. To her immune system, the new heart will be an intruder, and her body will likely reject the heart unless drugs are administered to suppress the immune system. Skillful dosage adjustment is crucial, since a suppressed immune system renders the patient susceptible to infection. Jasmine will need to take reduced dosages of these medicines for the rest of her life.
According to Guzman, Jassmine will be in the hospital for at least six months after the surgery. During that time her parents will be needed for 24-hour care and support. While insurance will cover the cost of the surgery, there are many secondary medical costs.
Also, for several months after the surgery, her parents will not be able to work their normal jobs. Because of this the family is accepting donations to help offset costs.
On Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. the family is holding a charity concert for Jassmine in the Debaun Auditorium on the campus of Steven Institute of Technology. Local performer Vinny Barbo will be performing a variety Broadway songs and the choir from St. Francis Church, which will sing Christmas carols, are scheduled to perform. Tickets for the event are $10 and on sale at the city’s Multi-Service Center at 124 Grand St., at Baron’s Drug Store at 416 Washington St., and Hoboken Integrated Healthcare at 91 Washington St. For more information or to make a donation, call (201) 966-9244 or (256) 883-7637.