'My heart is beating really fast’

Sophia Brooks is an active teen who enjoys being on the go and spending time with friends. A skilled artist and an A student, Sophia loves to ride her bike and jump on the trampoline.

Yet when she was 13, Sophia was sidelined by a heart condition at a time when her family was transitioning out of regular medical insurance to a health care sharing plan. With no coverage at the time of diagnosis, Sophia didn't qualify for the new plan that excluded pre-existing conditions for three years. With patience, prayer and perseverance, the Brooks family, from Savannah, Georgia, was finally able to receive the care Sophia needed at Wolfson Children's Hospital of Jacksonville.

"It was a long journey, but I'm grateful God led us to Wolfson Children's," said Frankie Brooks, Sophia's mother.

Racing heart

The journey began when the Brooks family was attending an Easter weekend celebration in Albany, Georgia. Sophia, then age 8, came to her mother and said, "Mom, my heart is beating really fast."

The Brooks family took Sophia to a walk-in clinic where examination and testing revealed Sophia was experiencing an uncomfortable sensation caused by a rapid heart rate. Her heart was beating up to 240 times per minute instead of a normal heart rate of 70 to 110 beats per minute. She was quickly transported by ambulance to the Emergency Department at a nearby hospital.

Surprise diagnosis: Supraventricular tachycardia

Sophia was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and referred to a specialist in her hometown of Savannah. SVT is the most common heart rhythm disorder found in children, occurring in one in every 250 to 1,000 children. Characterized by a racing heartbeat, the condition is caused by an extra electrical connection between the upper and bottom chambers of the heart. While SVT is almost never life-threatening, it occurs suddenly and without warning.

"When you live with SVT, you don't have a normal life," Brooks said.

Sometimes, Sophia's racing heart would slow down on its own during SVT episodes, but most often she would have to go to the ER for IV medications to reset her heart rhythm back to normal. Sophia's cardiologist eventually recommended surgery to correct her heart condition but said waiting until she was 11 or 12 years old was best. And, without insurance, the procedure was costly.

Coping with heart disease

For the next couple of years, Sophia lived with episodes of SVT that caused intermittent symptoms of racing heart, nausea and shortness of breath. As much as Brooks and her husband, Michael, wanted Sophia to have the procedure, they couldn't pay the cost out of pocket. Nonetheless, the family's deep faith gave them strength during this challenging time.

Once eligible for medical coverage – the same time frame of the recommended age for surgery – Brooks scheduled Sophia's procedure at a local hospital. While completing all the paperwork, the hospital estimated close to $105,000 for health care services plus all external fees. Then, one week prior to surgery, Brooks learned the hospital no longer accepted their health care plan. Consequently, Sophia's surgery was canceled. Brooks was devastated but started looking for other options in the insurance provider's network.

"I knew God would heal Sophia's heart," she said.

Procedure mends broken heartbeat

At Sophia's first appointment at Wolfson Children's C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute, a pediatric electrophysiologist reviewed her history of intermittent rapid heart rate and discussed the effective treatments available for SVT.

For some children, the right combination of medications can keep SVT in check, but that wasn't the case for Sophia. She needed a catheter ablation procedure to correct her arrhythmia.

Sophia's parents took her to Wolfson Children's Hospital – which provides care for all children regardless of ability to pay – for her heart ablation procedure. With an ablation, catheters are advanced up through the veins and into the heart. Electrical impulses from the catheters help locate the extra electrical connection, which can then be eliminated. Because it's an outpatient procedure, Sophia was able to go home the same day as her surgery.

Following ablation, perfect health

After two months, Sophia went for her follow-up appointment and was deemed in perfect health. Her family was overjoyed upon hearing the good news.

The Brooks family is extremely thankful to have received the care and support they needed from Wolfson Children's Hospital. In addition, Sophia's surgery was completely covered by the Brooks' Christian health care sharing program, a second blessing.

"Our prayers were answered," said Brooks. "Wolfson Children's helps patients and their families."

Trust your child's heart to Wolfson Children's

Wolfson Children's C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute treats a wide range of heart rhythm disorders ranging from atrial fibrillation to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. To learn more, call 904.202.8550.

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This story was originally published in September 2020.