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.

UPDATE

Not much going on, but here are a few tidbits:

1. Sean has a heart cath. at the end of June to see what his heart looks like from the inside. That will determine when and what type of surgery he will have.
2. Sean has a dental appointment in the next several weeks in which he will be admitted to the hospital and put under to do the dental work.
3. Waiting to see if the house we want to buy will work. The builder agreed to finish off the basement at no charge, but the bank sees this as an unfinished house, so the loan won't go through unless the builder agrees to finish the basement off before we have official approval from the bank to get our loan. Since we alreay sold our house, if this doesn't go through, we will need to start looking at other homes and options, which we haven't done up to this point.
4. Had sales conference this last week. Always good to be with my fellow sales reps, as we can laugh at a bad situation regarding the economy and it's affects on our retail partners. (Laughing only helps us not cry-we're not actually laughing at our partners).
5. My plane was delayed 4 hours when I wanted to leave Chicago, so I got home at 2:30 am.
6. Will got braces, or the first half of them anyway.
7. Liz likes boys now, actually one in particular.
8. I'm having a great time routing for the Cavs. Since the Suns weren't any good this year, and may not be now for awhile, it's time to route for the home team, especially since we have the new "Michael Jordon."