Máximo’s CDH Story
On October 3, 2022, at 32 weeks of pregnancy, we were told that my son Máximo had a left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH): part of his liver and stomach were moving up into his chest and compromising his lung. The specialists warned us that he would likely need surgery at birth.
On November 20, 2022, at 38 weeks, Máximo came into the world. To everyone’s surprise, the ultrasound after birth did not show an active hernia, but it did reveal an elevated diaphragm that limited his left lung. He spent 11 days in the NICU, closely monitored to see if he could breathe with essentially one lung and feed on his own. He succeeded, and we were discharged home with close follow-up.
At 7 months old, on June 22, 2023, he underwent his first thoracoscopic surgery: his diaphragm was reinforced and lowered to give more space for the lung. We thought everything had been resolved.
On June 26, he was discharged, but as soon as we got home, he developed a persistent high fever. We rushed him back to the emergency room, where a CT scan confirmed the presence of the diaphragmatic hernia, through which part of his stomach had moved up into his chest.
On the morning of June 27, still with a fever, he was taken to the operating room for emergency open surgery: the stomach was reduced back into place, the diaphragm was repaired, and a chest tube was placed. After days of fever, antibiotics, and constant monitoring, we were finally able to return home on June 30.
Máximo still carries a scar on the left side of his chest, a visible reminder of his battle and his surgeries. He also has to see a pulmonologist and a surgeon every 6 months to monitor that everything is stable: that the hernia remains closed, the diaphragm stays in place, and all his organs remain where they should be. Each follow-up is a mix of nerves and hope, but also a reminder of how precious his progress is.
Today, at almost 3 years old, Máximo is a child full of life. His smile reminds us that miracles do exist and that every CDH child is a true hero.
