THE father of a nine-year-old New Lodge girl has thanked the local community for their thoughts and prayers after she underwent a series of operations for a rare brain aneurysm.
Anna McQuade (9) was admitted to hospital on August 9 before being transferred to ICU on August 12.
Last Thursday (August 19), she underwent surgery for the first of a number of operations after doctors here took advice from Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and specialists in Sweden about her very unusual condition.
On Wednesday morning, Anna underwent her second stage of surgery and remains critically ill in hospital.
The St Patrick’s Primary School pupil had complained for a year and a half about a neck pain.
Speaking to the North Belfast News, dad Daniel Teggart explained: "Anna was brought to A&E on Monday, August 9.
"She has had quite bad neck pain for over a year now. After multiple trips to the doctors with the same issue we just kept being told it was due to home-schooling and bad posture while at a table. She was given painkillers and sent home.
"After some time they eventually got her scheduled in for physiotherapy and more trips to the hospital but still no answers.
"Fast forward to that Monday. The weekend before she was in the worst condition we have ever seen her, not wanting to play with her sisters, be on her tablet or phone or not even wanting to watch TV, nothing.
"Thankfully enough this time, the hospital took it more serious and gave her an x-ray and she was then admitted to a ward for observation.
"The next day an MRI was done and we got the news that she has an aneurysm on the back of her neck which is causing pressure on one of the vessels that connect to her brain.
"She has been in ICU on a ventilator and feeding tube as she can't eat or drink ever since.
"The surgeries will hopefully help control of the aneurysm and maintain blood flow. It is a very rare case and not common in a child so young so there are so many more risks than that of an adult."
Last week’s surgery did not go as well as doctors would have liked, and Anna was admitted to theatre once again on Wednesday morning. The latest MRI scan revealed she has fluid in her brain which may need drained as it is causing pressure.
She has also started involuntary movements which could be epilepsy or an involuntary movement disorder.
Daniel said it is now a waiting game.
“Anna is having the second stage of the surgery on Wednesday morning,” he explained. “They are hoping to place in more stents and coils around the aneurysm in a hope to stop blood flow to it which will hopefully cause it to clot and start to shrink.
“It is a waiting game now. We just have to take things day-by-day.
"To anyone, friend or family that may or may not know, I’d just like to thank everyone and anyone who has been keeping her in their prayers and wishes and would like to ask you to continue to do so please.
"I am honestly not even coping in the slightest but staying strong for my beautiful little girl
"Thank you to everyone and anyone who is keeping her in their thoughts and we all hope she is back to her happy, healthy self in time to come."
A GoFundMe page has been set up and has so far raised £2,415 for the family at the time of writing. You can donate here.
