March 27, 2008 First Cardiologist Visit

First of all, Jason and I would like to thank all of you for your calls and emails. Your love and support is greatly appreciated!!! It is nice to know that we have so many friends and family thinking and praying for us.

Our Cardiologist appointment went really well this morning. Dr. Liske and Dr. Campbell at Vanderbilt were so nice and encouraging...I think they made both Jason and my day be starting with "there is hope and this baby has a good chance of growing to be an old man." It was nice to hear after the last day and a half of unknowns running through my head. In fact, he told us that the survival rate to 5 years of age is 85%.

He says many of his patients are just fine and you would never know anything was wrong when they have shirts on covering their scars. They did another echo and took several pictures and measurements of the baby's heart. It turns out that there are actually 4 major defects with the heart. He not only has the Right Ventricular Hyploplasia (as suspected), but he also has Tricuspid Atresia (he's missing his tricuspid valve, which joins the right atrium to the right ventricle), a large ventricular septal defect (a hole between his right and left ventricle), and bilateral Superior vena cavaes (2 superior vena cavaes instead of one...I think).

Dr. Liske drew a diagram for us and helped Jason and I understand more of this "foreign language"...it has been a while since either of us have had a biology class!! Anyways, with all of this being said, we are obviously facing a very long and difficult road. This is something that can't be completely corrected (his heart will never be "normal"), but it can be repaired so it is functional. To do this, the baby will face 2-3 surgeries. The first surgery (if necessary...this will be determined at birth) will happen in the first few weeks of his life, the second surgery will take place between 4 and 7 months old, and the 3rd and final surgery will happen between 18 and 36 months of life.

All of these are major heart surgeries and very risky (risk of stroke, development delays from the bypass machine, feeding problems, etc), but I really believe that we are in very good hands with the Vanderbilt Cardiologist Team. After his 3rd surgery, he should be okay as far as I understand it. He will of course always have a heart defect and probably take a daily medication (even if it is just aspirin). He won't be able to do strenuous physical activity (such as becoming a track star), but he should be okay to do normal running and playing and participate in PE class and that sort of thing.

All in all, I'd say that is not too bad!!!! The good news is that our little baby is fine for the rest of the pregnancy, which is what I was very worried about! Dr. Liske said we should just continue as normal. Baby is doing great!! The only thing we need to do is make sure this pregnancy goes full term. We need to have a big baby like with Brody...much better for undergoing the surgeries that he is facing. We will see Dr. Liske one more time before delivery, so he can make sure no changes have taken place and to give us a better idea on if the first surgery will be necessary. That appointment is scheduled for the end of June. As you can imagine, we will now be delivering at Vanderbilt so we have the cardiologists right there for the baby if needed.

Unfortunately, this means I will most likely have to find a new OB that delivers babies at Vanderbilt, which is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things! At the end of our conversation, Dr. Liske asked us if we had family or friends close. We told him that both of our families were here and we had many friends that have volunteered to help us. I don't think he has any idea how many wonderful friends we do have, though. We are so blessed!!!! I know we will need a big support system at delivery and for months after...he warned us that having a baby with a heart defect is definitely not the same. I know we will face many challenges, stresses, and probably some difficulties along the way.

I also know that I will continue to have my times of emotional breakdowns, especially as all of this information sinks in more and more in the upcoming months and as the surgeries occur, but I know we can make it through anything with all of our friends and family's prayers, support, and help.

Thank you all!!!!!!!!
Becca and Jason