A virus attacked the heart of a baby just a few weeks old, leading to a two-month long battle. Little Tessa Dubé was finally able to leave the hospital just in time to celebrate her first Christmas with her family.
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Tessa was born at the Rimouski regional hospital on September 29. The little one was in great shape and the family returned home within days of the birth. However, the newborn quickly caught a virus that caused myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.
“It was an endo enterovirus that she caught. It probably happened the first night when we arrived at my house. Our oldest had a little cold and probably the virus was strong, and it led to myocarditis,” explains mother Véronique Pelletier.
Tessa Dubé, still a baby, was born in perfect health, but caught a virus a few days old which caused significant problems with her heart. She was released from the hospital on December 13, just in time to return to Rimouski and celebrate Christmas with her family in Quebec.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Alerted by Tessa’s weight loss, a nurse performed additional tests. A lumbar puncture detected meningitis, which led to the child’s hospitalization.
“The next day, she had a heart ultrasound and that’s when the cardiologist decided to transfer Tessa by ambulance plane to the CHUL,” explains Tessa’s mother. At that time, the parents did not know what the child was suffering from. It was October 6.
“He immediately saw that something was wrong with his heart. It was in intensive care here that we understood that [c’était grave]. We had a whole welcoming committee,” continues the mother.
Sébastien Dubé, Tessa’s father, has made numerous trips back and forth between Quebec and Rimouski, in order to offer his eldest a presence at home and support his partner and little Tessa with the best possible support.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Lots of back and forths
The parents were able to learn what was happening with their newborn.
“There, it was less fun,” adds Sébastien Dubé, Tessa’s father, who has traveled back and forth between Quebec and Rimouski, in order to manage his business and offer a semblance of a normal life to Tessa’s big brother.
The week that followed was trying for the parents. Tessa had arrhythmia, seizures and a massive pulmonary hemorrhage. All this within a few days of life.
Doctors had to install an extracorporeal membrane to promote oxygenation, commonly called ECMO. The chances of Tessa surviving without harm were about one in three. Those of dying from it were also one in three.
“ECMO is a matter of life and death when you get there,” explains the mother. I went out to go to the bathroom and threw up, it was always bad news.”
Help welcome
The little family was able to count on the help of the En Cœur foundation to get through this big ordeal. The presence of volunteers helped parents not to fall into isolation. The foundation also supported them financially, paying hotel costs and providing cafeteria vouchers.
Tessa and her parents, a few hours before leaving for the long-awaited return home to Rimouski.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Tessa was finally released from intensive care the first week of December. The family returned home on December 13, just in time to cut down a Christmas tree, decorate it and get some rest.
The family will have to remain isolated for some time, in order to reduce the risk of Tessa coming into contact with viruses. So it will be a quiet holiday.
“But at least we know that she will live,” breathes, gratefully, Tessa’s father.
“I’m not that religious, but I’ve never prayed to the good Lord like that. It could well be that I go to midnight mass, it’s certain that I have thanks to give,” Sébastien Dubé, father of Tessa.
