Mavery Update

We are home tonight from Maverys cath. It has been a LONG day and we are thankful to be here tonight, in our own beds. We were to be at the hospital at 9am. We arrived at 845, and were sent to have a chest xray and an echo done. Which took FOREVER but Mavery was SO good. We then went back upstairs where we were told the cath would not happen till at least NOON, probably later. For a child that has not eaten since yesterday and who LIVES for food?? Ugh! We know that alot of people were praying us up because Mavery literally was an angel and did amazing! Finally after waiting FOUR hours, they gave her the happy drink and took her back.

We were told they would be dilating the stent put in last year. But when the Doctor went in he said it was still wide open and that all looked well. I am still a bit confused on WHY we had the cath but assume it was because the pressures are still a bit off, so maybe they thought the stent might need dilated. The only thing he said he saw of concern is that there is alot of leakage going on, (which he said is a normal thing for Tetralogy of Fallot) and that she will probably need a valve replacement sooner rather than later. We knew she would eventually need this but thought this would happen when she was older. He said the thinking is changing and that they believe it is now possibly better for them to happen sooner, to cause less damage on the heart. They are now able to do these valves through caths but in Maverys case the first one will have to be done through a surgery, but then his hope is that the replacements (valves only last 10 years give or take) could be done through cath.

So in 6 months when we return to see our cardiologist, he wants to have that leakage checked through either a stress test, (if she will cooperate on a treadmill, hmmm) or through an MRI of the heart. They will measure and then watch it for awhile and make a decision.

Mavery came out of the cath OUT. If you remember our earlier cath's, she came out kicking! So we were thankful for her being so calm. After a cath you have to lay flat for SIX hours to make sure they do not start to re-bleed from the entrance site on her leg. About 4 1/2 hours in, they took her off the sleeping drug, and she woke right up. And was great for the next 1/2 hour or so. Then Mavery emerged and we had a ROUGH last hour. At exactly 5 hours and 50 minutes in, she went crazy and had the nurse yelling at her, yelling at us and her wound bleeding. And if it bleeds bad, it means you start the 6 hours ALL over. Praise the Lord it stopped and we were able to leave. Thanks Ms Jenny for staying to "play" till the end! ;-)

I did ask if Mavery can ride rides and basically if it says do not ride w/ a heart condition, she can't ride it. ;-( This is very sad because Mavery LOVES rides, and the faster the better. but it is just to chancy so this will be something our family just has to figure out.

We are thankful tonight for good news overall. We are thankful for the changes we can see in Mavery in how she did today. We are thankful for our family and friends who helped us today and prayed for us. We are thankful that we get 6 months before we have to return to the doctor! And we are thankful to be home tonight in our own bed with Mavery by our side.