Zion Harvey's forearms were heavily bandaged but his hands were visible as he flashed some big smiles Tuesday at a hospital news conference. He demonstrated his still-delicate grip and described waking up with new hands as "weird at first, but then good."
The boy, from the Baltimore suburb of Owings Mills, Maryland, received the transplant earlier this month at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, though doctors did not publicly disclose the nearly 11-hour operation until this week.
A 40-person medical team used steel plates and screws to attach the old and new bones. Surgeons then painstakingly reconnected Zion's arteries, veins, muscles, tendons and nerves.
"He woke up smiling," said Dr. L. Scott Levin, who heads the hand transplant program. "There hasn't been one whimper, one tear, one complaint."
Zion, a bright and precocious child Levin described as having "a maturity that is way beyond his 8 years," contracted sepsis as a toddler. The resulting multiple organ failure forced the amputation of his hands and feet; by age 4, he needed a kidney transplant, receiving the organ from his mother.
Leg prosthetics have allowed Zion to be very active, including walking, running and jumping. He learned to use his forearms to write, eat and play video games and has been attending school.
Physicians hope he'll now be able to achieve more milestones, including his goals of throwing a football and playing on the monkey bars.
"It was no more of a risk than a kidney transplant," his mother, Pattie Ray, said. "So I felt like I was willing to take that risk for him, if he wanted it, to be able to play monkey bars and football."
Several adults in the U.S. have received double-hand or double-arm transplants in the past few years. Hospital officials in Philadelphia believe Zion is the youngest person to have the surgery, which requires a lifetime of immune-suppressing drugs to ensure the body doesn't reject the new hands.
Zion already had been taking anti-rejection drugs because of his donated kidney, which made him a good candidate for the hand transplant, doctors said.
Doctors say Zion will spend several weeks in physical rehab at the hospital before returning home. Two rows of relatives attended the news conference, and they stood to be recognized at Zion's request.
"I want to say to you guys, thank you for helping me through this bumpy road," he said.
The donor's family chose to remain anonymous.
Children's Hospital said it would not hold Zion's family liable for any costs beyond that which may be covered by medical insurance.
Source: AP
74 comments:
saw it in daily mail!
Awww such a cute....
God is great! Happy 4 him.
Such a cute little man.
Wow.... It's sad that a little boy like this has had to be in and out of hospital for most of his young life. But thank God it will soon be a thing of the past. He can grow up like his mates now.
Awwww cute lil boy tnk God 4 him
*lib's namesake*
*Dries tears* Too touching. And we have hands and legs, we take them for granted
Lil man is so happy....
Lucky boy.
If your God is impotent, my God is potent. He's omini potent. If ur God is tasteless, my God is sweet and miraculous. Thank you Master Jesus. Engr Emy
Aww they should do for that igbo woman that her hand was chopped off
Oh mine! So touching! I thank God for the boy's life. This is incredible. For the surgeons to have reconnected Zion's arteries, veins, muscles, tendons and nerves, after the transplant, is just a miracle. May God be praised!
Oh mine! So touching! I thank God for the boy's life. This is incredible. For the surgeons to have reconnected Zion's arteries, veins, muscles, tendons and nerves, after the transplant, is just a miracle. May God be praised!
Oh mine! So touching! I thank God for the boy's life. This is incredible. For the surgeons to have reconnected Zion's arteries, veins, muscles, tendons and nerves, after the transplant, is just a miracle. May God be praised!
such a brave child, wish him a quick recovery.
Thank God for the boy,I wish him all the best in life.
Such a cute boy am happy for him and for his. Mum too!
EHYA..DS HND TRANSPLANT WIL D HND B GROWIN??CUZ IT LUKS YOUNGER,...TOMJERRYSWIT
Eeya this fine boy
Eyah i feel touched, is well little one, de Lord is ur strength.
Is well little one, de Lord is ur strength.
Nawaaa oooo!!! It is well with u
Eyah.dts amazin tnk u Jesus
#nothankyoui'llratherbeselfmade
"He woke up smiling," Awwww!! He's so cute!!...#IT IS WELL!
Eya...such an adorable agile young man
Wow
awwwwwwwh! cute boy. your body will not reject your hands in Jesus name. Amen.
wow i thank God for your life boy
Cute boy thank God for his life!!!
Good for him
Happy for him
Waoooo may God see him through.loosing a hand at this age is like loosing a child at tender age.
#sad indeed#
Waoooo may God see him through.loosing a hand's at this age is like loosing a child at tender age.
#sad indeed#
It's at moments like this that it really does feel good to be a doctor
God be with you my boy! You are blessed.
Oh how I love to see people smile ...awww so lovely ...very lovely...so sweet I mean like seriously he is not handicap aqain ...qood lor u know what I have been askin of u plss put a smile on mi face
***Adams***
Linda`s cuttie
Happy boy...gudnews
So touching
Chai,happy fr hm.
Awww...such a cutie
Thank God for him.
Awwwww, congrats to him. Linda take note!
Jah bless him
Hmmmm
a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said..
.
Nna this people are just bad i swear....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
So happy for him...cute boy
Am so happy for him
eh yah
this is an awesome news.. i'm thrilled. i can't stop shading tears of joy for this little man.
Choi! America is way far from us.....jesu!!! See as dem tak chage the guy hand like say na phone casen
Awwwwwwwwwwww.........I don't even know wat to type!! Goose pimples! God keep u child & heal completely!! Wish I could give a tight hug!! #HappyKid!!!!!
Very handsome boy
God bless u boy
These are the kind of projects all these doctors & surgeons should be using their talents & skills for, not them Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner kind of 'science projects'.
These are the kind of projects all these doctors & surgeons should be using their talents & skills for, not them Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner kind of 'science projects'.
Lucky boy. Thank God for the knowledge given to the medical personnel. Thank God for everything.
Sweet little handsome graceful lovely smart miracle child... Keep smiling baby.. Cos ur father in heavenz got ur back.. I love u lil boy.. God bless you 😚
Wow that is amazing!!! Didn't know they could do that!
Lucky babe
Oh gosh such a cute ke? Dis boy u need a proper education
Turned out well. Thank God
LIB addict
And he is so cute
Awwwww so apy 4 him
Omg! I love his smiles... Cutie lil man! Thank God for his life, I see him going places. God bless the doctors and Remain Blessed dear lil cutie man.
Omg! I love his smiles... Cutie lil man! Thank God for his life, I see him going places. God bless the doctors and Remain Blessed dear lil cutie man.
This kind of surgery can only be successful in western world. Its a bravo in technology
Sad to see the young cutie in pain but thank God he's regaining strength
Woooow! Science!
Pattie God has done it for little Zion. i could still remember those days before the illness when little Zion will come to the bank (BOA) owings mills running around the bank. thank God for his mercies over him.
IB OSOH
Pattie thank God for Zion. he has done it finally. I could remember those days before the illness when Zion will come to the bank (BOA) running around the whole bank. I thank God for his life.
IB OSOH
Wow. Science.
but pls educate me, which kind of infectious infection can cut someone's 2 hand? pls i need to be educated on this.
CUTE BOY MAY HE LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY
So happy dat d tin ended successfully
Lmao
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