Beyond The Next Day

Surgery is unavoidable for most children with congenital heart disease. Given that every operation involves risk, you can imagine how emotional parents are when they sign the Consent of Operation form in the hope that their child will have a better life in the future. This is the story of how Matthew Cheung's family dealt with the situation.
          
          Some 14 years ago when Matthew was just 5 days old, he was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart condition - Pulmonary Atresia and Ventricular Septal Defect (PA-VSD). This terrible news plunged his parents into the depths of despair. It was only after two by-pass surgeries in 18 months that they finally came to terms with their son's condition.
          
          Matthew looks like any other boy even though his heart condition limits his physical activities. ‘We have travelled to many countries for holidays and tried to a have a normal family life,’ says Mr Cheung, who always lived in hope that as medical knowledge developed, Matthew would eventually be able to undergo further surgery that would help his heart to function normally.
          
          After 12 years of waiting for “the cure”, the call from the hospital finally came in early January. Mrs Cheung recalled the tremendous anxiety she felt when told that the operation could be as soon as the following week. When informed that it was classified as a high risk operation, Mr and Mrs Cheung started to hesitate about whether to proceed.
          
          ‘That’s not quite what we were expecting’, said Mr Cheung. The fact is this surgery could only improve, not cure, Matthew’s heart condition. Furthermore, the success rate was much lower than they expected. There was only a one in three chance of improving his son’s condition and there was also a risk it could deteriorate later on.
          
          But the doctors believed that this was the best time for the operation, and Mr Cheung didn’t want to lose the opportunity of giving his child a chance for a better life. But then there was another twist. The day of the operation was also Matthew’s birthday. His parents realized that there was a chance it might also be the day of his death. Should they go ahead?
          
          In despair, Mrs Cheung sought advice from all around her. She asked parents who had been in a similar position and also consulted CHF social workers. But it was after a conversation with a CHF volunteer, a mother herself, who told her that no one could escape death, that Mrs Cheung started to realize that they had little choice.
          
          But what made the decision easier was Matthew’s own positive attitude. His parents realized that the physical limitations imposed on him by his heart condition put him under a great deal of stress. His mother heard him say: “I’m not gonna think too much, I’ll take a chance.” Finally, the whole family was agreed. All worries and anxieties were put to one side and Mr and Mrs Cheung agreed to sign the consent form.
          
          Today, Mr and Mrs Cheung can smile again. Matthew is recovering well after the surgery. Although he will face further high risk surgery a few years later, as Mr Cheung says: ’We can’t see beyond the next day.’ They have chosen to seize each day of their lives.