HEART CATH

I just got back from Akron Childrens Hospital. Sean is doing well after having a heart cath, and is coming out of the "sleepy gas" ( I can't spell anesthesia), better than when he had his teeth done.

While Dawn and I waited, the staff at the heart center gave us a bag of goodies which included a nice book on how the heart works, diagrams, problems, symptoms, and surgeries performed to fix the various defects that happen. It's been a long time since I was in biology, so it was good to use the two hour wait we had to freshen up on what goes on with the heart. Glad I did. When the procedure was over, Dawn and I went back to a room where the doctor explained what he saw and what his early prognosis is. He also showed us video of the procedure, which was fascinating.

The doctor must still meet with a panel of heart doctors and surgeons, but if what Dr. Lane saw today holds, Sean may have a procedure called a 'Fontan', to repair his heart. To hard to explain here how that works, other than to say, it's a re-tubing of his heart valves/arteries. As far as the time frame goes, still not sure, but it sounds like sooner rather than later.

I had to come home early today because the construction company came to make a few adjustments to the house, and our appliances are being delivered today. I am waiting to hear from Dawn whether she and Sean can come home today or not. While Dr. Lane had his instruments in Sean's heart, he clipped a 'coil' that was sending blood, via a vein, into his lungs, and that is not supposed to be happening. (Got to see the before and after video of that). After clipping this vein, it coils up does nothing, along with keeping blood out.

One last thing, while waiting in the recovery room, other kids are being brought in from their various surgeries and being hooked up to monitors. The other kids' monitors read blood oxygen levels of 100. Sean is still hovering in the 71-78 level. I'm repeatedly told as an adult with that reading , we'd have real problems on our hands.