Two weeks post-cath

We headed back to see Dr. Stefanelli again yesterday, for a post-cath checkup. I can tell Luke remembers very little about his cath experience because he wasn't anxious at all heading to the office. In fact, he would hang out with Dr. S. all day if he could.

Our echo was relatively quick, but Luke had quite the case of the wiggles. Our echo tech, Jason, was so good with him, telling him stories, asking him questions, so we got the pictures we needed. Dr. Stefanelli could still see a small "waist" at the coarc site. We may always see a slight narrowing there until we can stent it when Luke is 6 or 7. We are all hopeful Luke won't need another angioplasty before that time. He did reiterate that, although elective, the cath was the right thing to do and it did relieve stress on that ventricle.

He was pleased with how Luke recovered, how the site healed, and how strong the pulses in that right foot were. At 30 pounds, we are upping Luke to 1 aspirin every day (rather than 1/2) and we are dropping the Diuril. We have been on a very slow wean of that last diuretic and we are praying, praying that Luke's lungs stay dry and clear without it. If we notice him breathing heavier, we are to head in for a chest x-ray. So that leaves our countertop with Enalapril (2 mls twice a day) and aspirin only. Wow. Okay, okay, our countertop also holds mail, cell phones, vitamins and sippy cups.

Before we left, I asked him the million dollar question: How likely is it that we'll have the Fontan next summer? I know and he knows congenital heart defects are unpredictable, mysterious entities. But unless Luke throws us a curveball in the next year, we will not be heading to Children's next summer. Luke's heart is giving us the luxury of time and at this point, the risk of complications for Luke do not outweigh the completed Fontan physiology.

I remember back in December feeling overwhelmed (even sad!) at the news that we wouldn't be packing our bags and moving to Children's hospital this summer. And then yesterday, despite the fact that our timeline has been thrown out the window, I felt peace. God can change even the most stubborn of hearts! I am okay with not knowing for only one reason: God knows.