Sharon Springs mom writes first children’s book after son’s medical battle

SHARON SPRINGS, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — A Sharon Springs mom’s idyllic dream of welcoming her first baby into the world turned traumatic after her son was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and other complications from birth. His resilient spirit and recovery from every medical challenge inspired her to reach out to other parents through writing a children’s book based on his diagnosis.

From the outside, Chase Hotaling is like any other little boy — full of life. But on the inside, Chase is functioning with half of his heart providing blood and oxygen to the rest of his body. His mother, Jyline Varin, explained, “They let me know he only had half a heart, and we would be delivering that day, and we were rushed over to Albany Med.”

At four years old, Chase has grown leaps and bounds. But his jumps for joy come with a little extra effort. “If he’s running around, his lips will turn blue; his hands will start to discolor.”

“He’s missing the whole right side of his heart that normally pumps the blue blood from your veins out for oxygen,” said Dr. Neil Devejian, Chase’s Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

Chase also had to deal with another complication.

“A pouch not connected to the lower portion goes to the stomach, so he couldn’t eat,” added Dr. Devejian.

In order to live, Chase needed three major surgeries. The first came a few days after he was born. A few weeks after his first surgery, Chase suffered cardiac arrest.

“My world was just flipped upside down,” said Varin. “Watching your child be sick, you can’t do anything for them is a parent’s worst nightmare.”

Chase spent six months in the pediatric intensive care unit and underwent open heart surgery when he was just one month old.

“I didn’t want to tell anyone. I didn’t want anyone to know,” his mom explained.

But as he recovered and smiled again, his mother’s heartbreaking isolation slowly healed. Varin knew this was a journey worth sharing. “Through this journey with Chase, the things I remember from our worst days with him, I can remember every sound, every little detail,” she added.

Those little details are now illustrated through the pages of her first book: “The Little Blue Lion.” Based on her son’s diagnosis, just like Chase, the little lion born blue needed his heart repaired. It’s a book as much for children as it is for the parents. “I want to be able to reach all these parents who are also struggling. You’re not alone,” shared Varin.

Chase, well aware of his heart’s condition, will be back in the hospital in April. “We are in a better spot now but still walking into we have another open heart surgery. This one, by far, will be the hardest,” Varin said. “I decided this is a miracle. I just think back when we were in the midst of all this, if I had read a book like this, it would have given me a little bit of hope.”

Hope for happier outcomes and that a little boy can still jump as high as his heart desires. Chase’s next major surgery is scheduled for April. His pediatric surgeon told NEWS10 it should make his oxygen saturation better. Chase’s mom also hopes to make a donation of the children’s book she wrote to the hospital during their stay.

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