The news these days seems to revolve around the coronavirus. Who has it? Which country is leading with the number of cases? How much will it spread? What are the dire statistics if social distancing requirements are not adhered to? When the world seems to have nothing but bad news to share, it is a welcomed change to have some good news pop up here and there to change the dire scenery, if only for a moment.
Rachel Campos Duffy of Fox News and Fox Nation gave birth to a daughter on October 1, who had some serious health problems upon delivery. Valentina StellaMaris Duffy was born one month early, with Down syndrome, and had two holes in her heart. The family did not know what to expect of the situation, or how much time they would have with the little one, which led Campos Duffy's husband, former Representative Sean Duffy, R-Wisc. to step down from his seat to be with his family.
The doctors told the family that Valentina would have to have surgery to repair the holes in her heart, but it could not be done until she weighed 10 pounds or was six months old. The six-month mark came and the family was off to Chicago for the little one to undergo life-saving surgery.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the family chose to drive from Wisconsin to Chicago early in the morning rather than risk being exposed to the virus in a hotel room.
The open-heart surgery took three hours to complete. The time must have been excruciating for Campos Duffy and Duffy to sit through, but it was all worth it because the surgery was a success. Valentina's heart was pumping the way that it should be and there was no leakage from the holes or any valves in her heart.
Now that Valentina is on the road to recovery, there is sure to be a lot of celebrating going on in the Duffy household. And though the world may be quarantined currently, that is not going to stop the household from being full. Valentina is the youngest of nine children, who range in age from 3 to 20, which means there will be plenty of people to welcome the little fighter home and make sure she is well taken care of.
Source: Fox News, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel