Girl becomes first child in Central Texas to receive mechanical heart device

AUSTIN, Texas - At just 11 years old, Grace Jennings has been through more than the average child.

“I adopted Grace from China, and she had a heart defect then, so it's been lifelong,” said her mom Jamie Jennings.

Grace was born with a congenital heart defect that has required multiple surgeries throughout her life. There have been times where she has lost all of her energy.

“I was walking to the bus and I couldn't take it anymore, so I collapsed,” she said recalling one episode when she was sick.

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In September, she was admitted into Dell Children's in heart failure, and even suffered a cardiac arrest.

“Her heart was in a condition that it just couldn't maintain her circulation,” said Dr. Charles Fraser, MD at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.

“They did tell me they didn't think she was going to make it,” said Jamie Jennings. 

Doctors recommended a mechanical device called an LVAD that would be implanted on her heart. 

“At the time it was kind of "this is it" or nothing pretty much,” said Jamie.

Grace became the first pediatric patient in Central Texas to have this operation. 

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“It's a little mini heart pump that replaces the majority of her heart's pumping function. This is a device that's available for adults but not very frequently placed in children and particularly in children with Grace's complex set of heart problems,” said Fraser.

She has spent the last three months recovering in the hospital.

“She wants to go back to school, she wants to start back with orchestra, she plays viola and guitar,” said Jamie.

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Grace is a musician and wants to get back to doing what she loves, playing and writing music. She even wrote her own rendition of a song she loves.

She will be discharged just in time for the holidays...it's a miracle near 51st street.

“My child is here, she wasn't supposed to be and I am so grateful,” said Jamie.