Matters of her Heart, part 2

There are lots of fun things to play with in the waiting room at the cardiology clinic at the hospital!  There is also lots of time to play when you are required to show up half an hour early! 

Today was Bethany's big appointment at the Congenital Heart Institute.  I was nervous because when we arrived she was fussy, but she did so well!  Firstly, she had another EKG.  After the EKG, her cardiologist explained to us what she could hear.  (The EKG listens to the heart.  The echo takes actual pictures - just like a sonogram.)  As she explained, I was impressed that she could give such a detailed diagnosis simply by listening to her heart, but of course, she is a heart expert!  She also explained that the echo would be the thorough examination and she would discuss it with us, afterward. 

The echo tech seemed a little nervous trying to get the heart pictures of an awake and alert baby, but Bethany was super wonderful and stayed as still as a seven month possibly could with a new face running an ultrasound instrument on her chest.  Bethany was so good.  I kept my arm across her back and leaned near her and Marcus held up his iPad for her so she could watch a photo slideshow.  She kicked her legs a couple of times and tried to roll a little bit, but she didn't fuss or squirm.  She was happy watching the photos and every now and then she would watch her own heart as it pumped away on the sonogram screen.  It was almost like she knew what we wanted her to do!

The echocardiogram was a success and even the cardiologist was impressed!  I am so thankful for answered prayers and that we were able to skip the sedation part of the procedure. Her cardiologist thinks that her heart will heal itself and we are prayerful and hopeful that she is right!  Bethany has no restrictions, but does have two holes in her heart as well as a little thickening in her left ventricle.  The hole between the top two chambers is common, but the hole between the two bottom chambers is not as common, however, it is very small.  The doctor thinks at one time it was larger due to the thickening of the left ventricle which will hopefully have evened itself out at the next appointment.  The only limitation for this type of heart concern at its current state is scuba diving.  We told the cardiologist that we wouldn't be taking Bethany scuba diving anytime soon!

God is good.  Again, we're so very thankful that today went as well as it did!