Happy Heart

As most of you know, today was another trip back to the cardiologist.  We had not been since September.  We were actually supposed to go in December, but had to cancel that trip due to the flu, so it got rescheduled to today!  I was hoping and praying that we would get good news!  I was nervous as to how Lia would behave too, because if you read the blog about our home health nurse, you know that Lia likes to cry when anyone comes near her with a stethoscope, thermometer, rubber gloves, white jacket....you get the idea.  So I was especially worried how she would do sitting through the EKG, chest xray, and echocardiogram.

As I predicted, she SCREAMED through the EKG, and when when they took her into another room for her xray, I could hear her screaming from the other room.  I was dreading the echo.  The longest of all the tests.  As we laid Lia down on the table for her echo, I warned the tech that this was probably going to get loud.  The tech said "Yeah, the ladies in xray already told me Lia was crabby today!"  Sweet.  Thanks xray ladies!  Lia began to cry almost immediately when we laid her down, and as I sat there and held her hands, stroked her forehead, and sang to her, she began to calm down, stopped crying, and just laid there and looked around.  It was an act of God.  She continued to just lay there for the ENTIRE echo.  When it was all over, the tech looked at me and said "that might have been the best echo I have ever done on an infant!"  Way to go, Lia!

After her echo, we went back into a room and waited for the cardiologist to come talk to us about what he saw.  I'm going to bullet the information:

• Her right ventricle is enlarged, but this is common after a full repair.  When her surgeon fixed her pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of pulmonary artery) it was basically a trade for a leaky valve and leaky patch that the surgeon used during her repair.  The leaking is causing her ventricle to be enlarged.
• If you had to pick between stenosis or some blood leaking out of the heart, you would want the leaking, but if you could have neither, that would obviously be the best, especially in the long run.  Her cardiologist talked to us about possibly having 2 elective valve-replacement surgeries via catheter rather than one invasive surgery, requiring us to open her chest again and go back on bypass.  The first one would be sometime around the age of 6-8 and then another one when she was in her late teens or early 20s.  The man-made valve will not grow with her heart, which would be why we would need to do it more than once.  A lot to think about....
• Her chest xray revealed once again that her diaphragm is no longer collapsed! PRAISE GOD.
• She weighed in at a whopping 19 lbs.!  Shes even starting to get some wrist-rolls.
• This is what I am most excited to tell you....we don't have to go back for another 6 months!  Yes, 6 months.  Our next appointment is in July.  But that's not even the best part.  If Lia continues to have good weight gain, good breathing, good skin coloration, etc., she doesn't have to have another echo for a YEAR.  365 days.  PRAISE THE LORD!!
• On a side note, I had been warned by some heart moms that Lia probably wouldn't be able to have pierced ears.  I asked for myself today, and although I didn't get a straight "no", after hearing what her complications could be IF she were to get an infection, it's enough for me to say no.  Although I'm sad, I know I would never be able to live with the guilt of something going wrong, possibly requiring more surgery, just because I wanted her to have pierced ears.  I had mine done as a baby, and had wanted to do hers too.  Oh well.  Good thing she looks like a girl! 

Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes today!  This nervous Mamma really appreciated them!  I was reminded again today, as I am everyday, that God is so good, and Lia is a fighter!

February 7-14 is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week.  We get to go to Governor Brandstad's formal office next week to witness him sign the CHD Awareness Week proclamation!  We are very excited!  Be warned:  You'll be seeing lots of CHD stuff posted from me over that week! 1 in 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect!

Screaming through EKG.  Please take note:  You can barely see her scar!  It is healing soooo nicely!

Beginning of echo.  Crying.

Starting to calm down

Hey Dad!  This isn't so bad after all!

Cupcakes to celebrate Lia's good news!

Healthy girl!!

Lia and Great Grandma B.