'Thankful to be home': 'Teen Mom' star Cory Wharton gives update on daughter Maya after open-heart surgery
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Selfridge and Cory Wharton have finally taken their newborn child home. The 'Teen Mom' star is updating fans about Maya's health struggle in recent weeks and what lies ahead for the 7-month-old.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the 'The Challenge' star said that his daughter Maya Grace had been released from the hospital following open-heart surgery earlier this month. "I have some GOOD news to tell you all. WE finally got released from the hospital ❤️🙏🏽." The baby was born with a cardiac defect and has undergone many surgeries since birth. Cory also has a daughter, Mila Mae, with Taylor and a daughter, Ryder, with ex Cheyenne Floyd.
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"I'm so thankful these past two weeks have been very up-and-down and have felt like a nightmare at times. But I always try to stay positive and being at the Children's Hospital for two weeks & seeing some families who have been up there for months or years and some maybe won't leave the hospital," said the father of three children. "I'm very thankful that we got released today.🙏🏽❤️." He stated that the child underwent a "successful Glenn procedure," but that "during recovery, Maya had other plans."
The post included multiple photos of the father-daughter duo. The first photo showed them having fun outside, with Maya laughing and wearing a polka-dot suit with a pink headband. In the photo, Cory was staring lovingly at his daughter. Another snap showed them in the hospital. The reality star and his young daughter both had serious expressions on their faces as they looked right into the camera. Maya was breathing through an oxygen tube and sucking on a pacifier. Cory made a funny expression while resting his head on his daughter in a third photo. Maya's cheeks looked to be somewhat puffed out. Another photo showed the infant girl alone in what seemed to be a hospital bed. She looked up at the camera and snuggled up on a fluffy blanket with several tubes attached to her.
Cory also posted a selfie of her following one of her operations. She was observed sleeping with tubes going from her nose and limbs, as well as other equipment attached to her head. Maya snuggled with a plush animal as she lay in bed in another snap. A similar photo showed her happy while holding a little furry companion to her bosom. Another shot in the set showed Cory cradling his happy newborn girl. She was dressed in purple with a yellow bib. Despite the circumstances, the child looked to be in excellent spirits.
In one of his photos, the MTV star posed with his tongue out, cuddling close to his delighted infant, revealing Maya's incision. Cory squeezed her cheeks in a last shot as she lay on her bed, resting.
A Glenn surgery "involves removing the first shunt and connecting one of the large veins that returns blood to the heart (the superior vena cava) to the pulmonary artery," according to the Mayo Clinic. "Maya's oxygen levels were lower than the doctors wanted it to be. 6 days after her Glenn she ended up back in the operating room for a Cath lab procedure to hopefully fix what they thought was the problem," he shared. "It turned out that there was nothing to fix, which was great but it didn't fully explain the oxygen levels being so low."
"Trying to get her off the ventilator the second time around was a lot harder. After this roller coaster ride of emotions, I'm just happy & thankful to be home 🙌🏽," added the former 'Teen Mom' star," added the former 'Teen Mom' star. "Again just want to say thank you to everyone who supported us and prayed for us during this time, sorry if I didn't get back to your messages, I was a little stressed out 😰 love you all ❤️ What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and that's what this did!"
Taylor provided her own narrative of Maya's journey so far in this, adding a few specifics. "Maya will be going home on oxygen for now. We have to get reassessed in a few weeks once her lungs are healed from everything she went through," the mom of two explained. "Not what we were expecting for recovery but being in childrens hospital for 2 weeks I am absolutely blessed that I get to take my child home. It's very eye-opening to be here," Taylor shared.
"Cory and I had so many ups and downs with Maya it was the most stressful thing in I think both of our lives and I will remember this forever," she stated. "That all being said, Maya's heart surgery is working amazing! She has one big one left but please god not for a few years 🙏🏼." "My heart goes out to any parents going through ANYTHING with their child's health. You'll never know until you're watching your own child struggle," she noted in the end. "I love you so much Maya Grace but never do that again please 😂 We love your new beauty mark 🫀thank you everyone for your prayers they were definitely heard 🙌🏼."
When Maya was three months old, the 'Teen Mom' star opened up to his fans about her health problem online.