Heart Class 101

It is good to be home. Well, kind of. If we were staying the night it would have meant that they were able to repair Mavery through the cath. We are home because they could not do that. I have learned way more about the heart than I ever dreamed. Did you know that our heart does more than simply BEAT? I never gave it much thought before but let me tell you, I have learned way more than I wished I ever knew. Simply because I ONLY know all these things because my daughter has a heart condition that is not so minor.

Last night as I thought about today I thought of "worst case", what I thought was this. They will go in and find out there is something major wrong that we had no idea about. BUT I really did not think worst case would happen, of course. I believed that they would fix it and we would be on our way to a healthy heart.

Let me explain again exactly what they were doing just in case I have confused everyone. They were going in through a vein in her leg with a heart catheterization. This is a tube that has a camera on end that they can look around and explore. They are also able to do things like go into a narrow artery with this and enlarge it. They would enlarge it by using a balloon to blow it open, or they would use a stint which is chicken wire basically that holds it open.

We went down to the OR area and they told us that it was going to be quite some time because they found alot of narrowing that needed to be widened. So we were getting ready to return to the waiting area and they said, actually he is done and is coming to talk to you. This seemed odd to me because how did he fix all that narrowing that fast?

He took us in a room and began to show us the films and while it could have been fascinating, it was not so much when it is my daughters heart I was staring at. He points out the aneurysm, which I could tell was large. And I figured that was not so good. Then he shows the arteries that are so narrow, the cath barely fit through them. He did balloon one part, but he said it was just to narrow. He decided that surgery was going to be necessary because of these 2 reasons. Something about he decided the stint was not a very good solution with how narrow the arteries are, and the aneurysm is to large to ignore.

The arteries have to be enlarged because it is affecting her lungs. Her left lung is already smaller, because it is not getting the blood flow it should, because the artery is to narrow. If this is not fixed, she will be living on one lung, she would be winded and tired all the time. If the aneurysm is not fixed, well, lets just say, that is not an option. It must be fixed.

He said surgery does not need to be rushed, but that we will probably need to do it before summer. Our cardiologist came by, who is such a positive guy and he said we don't need to rush but we might rush because he thinks I will just sit and worry till it is done. Who me, worry?? He is very calming though and kept telling us, this is not a big deal. I told him the word aneurysm just sounds very scary to me and he said that is not a big deal. What can I do but believe him?

Next step is that they will meet with the surgeon and decide when and get his thoughts. This of course is a major open heart surgery. We will be at the hospital at least 5 days. She will be on a ventilator for the first 2 days. I hate the thought of that. Yet, after todays reaction to the drugs, which I will save for another post, we NEED the heavy duty drugs. What they gave her today, did not do what they wanted it to do. We had alot of fun holding her down for almost 6 hours. Ugh...

I have alot more thoughts, but will save that for another post. I just wanted to get out the details to you all. The technical details. I am sure there was a ton more he told us, but you know, you kind of hear open heart surgery and see that picture of this aneurysm on her heart and your mind goes blank. More coming, if I can keep my eyes open!