A Troubled Heart...

On Friday, August 5th Kathryn was seen by a cardiologist & was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect (a.k.a. ASD). It is a hole about 8mm on the septum separating her right atrium from her right ventricle. This connection between the two heart chambers is allowing blood to pool in the ventricle causing it to hypertrophy. Normally, this hole closes with in 2 weeks after birth. Hers never closed and wasn’t detected until last week when her pediatrician heard a murmur & ordered an EKG. She immediately referred Kathryn to a cardiologist. Providing it is far enough away from the cardiac veins & arteries & small enough, a cardiac surgeon will close the hole with a patch via a cardiac catherization. If it is to close too the arteries & veins & too large (making a cardiac cath too risky) he will proceed with open heart surgery. I have already made an appointment to consult a cardiac surgeon. She will see him on September 6th & our goal is to schedule the procedure as quickly as possible. Because an ASD isn’t life threatening the cardiologist said it doesn’t warrant emergency surgery but that it should be done with in the next 6 months. Of course, she is the most important little person in our little family of three but in the cardiac surgery world this is an elective procedure. Historically, people have gone undiagnosed & lived into their 30’s or 40’s until they become symptomatic from an ASD. Thankfully, medical advancements (& the trained ear of our pediatrician, If you live in Houston & need a pediatrician, I recommend Dr. Roula Sabbagh) have led to childhood diagnoses. We left the cardiologist appointment with a 24 hour heart monitor attached to Kathryn; “because you are very special,” Gramma told her. Thankfully, Gramma was with us at both appointments.

I’m sure you can imagine this comes as a HUGE shock to our family. Honestly, you’d never know that she had such a problem & that her heart was working overtime from the amount of energy she has zipping around here playing with toys & insisting that she carry some that are actually larger than her! I find myself tearing up at the thought of telling her about all that has transpired. I’ve told myself countless times since the diagnoses, that she is too young for this; her little body too small to endure what she likely will before her 4th birthday. I tear up just at watching her daily antics & entertainment shows. I appreciate more everyday what our life has been with her in our lives. She truly is a blessing!

Please feel free to leave your well wishes for Kathryn below. When we have put this behind us, she can read them & see just how much she is cared for! And, if you're new to blogging you can subscribe to Our Life's Wild Ride! Just fill in your email off to the left under "subscribe via email." If you are a blogger, be sure to leave your blog name so that I can visit you! 

Thanks so much for visiting and remember to ALWAYS enjoy your own life's wild ride!