Lacey will wear a backpack that carries the machine that keeps her alive. (Source: WAVE 3 News)
Posted: Apr 03, 2015 7:41 PM
Updated: Apr 03, 2015 7:58 PM
By Kasey Cunningham
By Janelle MacDonald
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – Home is something that’s easy to take for granted when you’re there most days. But when you’ve called a hospital home for more than two months home takes on a whole new meaning.
The independence of a 7-year-old is not unexpected coming from Lacey Miller.
“Lacey is a spitfire. She’s a firecracker really,” her mother, Jessica Harmon said.
A firecracker on the move. Lacey has a long to-do list, which is remarkable considering where she’s been.
“Lacey’s a little girl who presented to the hospital very sick, in bad heart failure,” said Dr. Joshua Sparks.
Harmon said one day Lacey was in school, then all of a sudden things changed.
“Her heart failure had gotten so bad that her heart was unable to sustain not only her other organs but ultimately long-term survival,” added Dr. Mark Slaughter.
Doctors at University of Louisville Hospital and Kosair Children’s Hospital tried medicines, but they didn’t work.
“She got sicker and sicker and eventually ended up on a life-saving machine called ECMO, which saves lives but it’s only useful for a temporary, short period of time,” said Dr. Sparks.
Read more via (http://www.wave3.com/story/28719366/7-year-old-in-need-of-heart-transplant)