
Shortly after he was born in early 2008, Trevor King was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome, a condition that could cause sudden cardiac death. He may be the youngest patient ever to get a pacemaker-defibrillator, a device that sends an electric shock to the heart when it detects a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm.
But in the months following his birth and diagnosis, Trevor's mother Rhonda began participating in an online community for patients with Long QT and their families, and she began to question whether he had been correctly diagnosed. Here's the first part of her story of deciding to seek a second opinion for Trevor:
Below is Part II of Trevor's story, as Mrs. King describes what happened when she and her husband arrived in Rochester, Minn. to see Dr. Michael Ackerman:
After getting a third opinion to confirm the revised diagnosis, as Dr. Ackerman had advised, the Kings returned to Mayo Clinic in December 2008 so Trevor could have hand surgery and so the pacemaker-defibrillator could be removed.
I shot this video on a Friday afternoon in October after receiving a call from Dr. Ackerman, who said he had a family at Mayo with an interesting story relating to Long QT syndrome, and who were willing to share it.
If you would like to share your Mayo Clinic story, recording it on video while you are on one of the Mayo Clinic campuses may be one option. See the Share Your Mayo Clinic Story link for details on the various ways you can participate.
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