Healthy Hearts

Two trips to Vanderbilt Cardiology Clinic this week sent us home with two great reports.

1. Monday, John Parker had his Cardiology check up that occurs every 6 months. The ECO and EKG shows exactly what we thought...John Parker's heart is working perfectly right now. He is growing, eating, sleeping, and playing just as any other kid his age. He is doing just fine without his pulmonary valve for now and there is still blood flow getting through his stent which is placed in a narrow part of his left pulmonary artery. Vanderbilt is now using the procedure which allows us, later, the opportunity to give John Parker a pulmonary valve by cath lab instead of by another open heart surgery. YEAH! He just has to get bigger before needing the valve. We are going to have a lung perfusion scan soon to see just how much blood is getting through the stent. We have had several lung perfusion scans but it has been 2 years so we need updated information to see if the stent can be or should be rehabilitated (or opened wider in the cath lab). That scan consists of an IV of dye/contrast and then images taken. So, JPL is cleared for another 6 months!!!

2. Tuesday, Steven and I returned to have a fetal eco. Yes, isn't it amazing that the technology can look at the new baby's heart the same way they did JPL's, while in utero. There was a 1% chance of John Parker having a congenital heart defect and therefore a 3% chance for one of JPL's siblings to have a congenital heart defect. Odds were still small and we beat them this time. Baby Boy Link #2 has no large heart issues. Our doctor didn't even see any holes. YEAH!!! Can this baby be born with a small hole that is not seen at this time, sure, but the percentage is VERY low and holes are usually a one time fix and go. Now, we have 18 weeks to grow our little boy to full term (fingers crossed) and come home this time with a true newborn.

WE LOVE HEALTHY HEARTS!!!!!!!!