Heart Update

We landed at the airport just before noon yesterday, our 3 bags were among the first 10 that arrived on the baggage carousel, and we raced over to the heart clinic getting there *over an hour* early. And everyone was worried we wouldn't make it.

L's cardiologist checked her heart briefly with his stethoscope and said yep, the hole is still there and the murmur couldn't possibly be much louder. He explained that there were 3 possible outcomes today.

A. The ultrasound alone could show that surgery was clearly needed.

B. The ultrasound could be inconclusive and a chest X-ray could be ordered. The surgeons could decide still more info was needed and a heart catheterization could be ordered. Then the decision whether or not to close the hole would be made.

C. The ultrasound could show that the heart was measuring within normal limits and nothing else would be required.

We came back from the ultrasound and C was ruled out. We had a chest X-ray and Dr. B came back in and said he would take the results to the Thursday morning meeting of the surgeons, but from his experience, they would want to go in and do the surgery. We should know by the end of the week.

We have been assured that it is a routine surgery that should carry only the risks of any surgery - i.e., bleeding, infection. It will mean a few days in the hospital and a short recovery at home, but she ought to be up and running wild again after only a few days.

Now to just wait for the phone call.