Wren had his 1 week post-discharge follow-up with Dr Olson this AM. The big question in my mind was whether the surgery had been a success. In general, it was good news. His LVOT overall pressures are much improved from pre-op. They measured 21 mean and 30 something peak (3 mm/s) over the whole area.
Wren himself did very well considering his anxiety. Stitch came out without too much drama, echo was peaceful, EKG was efficient. It was lovely to see our familiar nurse Jenny at the clinic.
There were two negatives:
1) Wren has a pleural effusion. For now we are "watching" it and hoping not to see signs of complications. He received a chest X-ray which will be repeated in 2 weeks at our next visit.
2) His mitral valve 'issue' has progressed. It showed mild-to-moderate regurgitation (up from trace-mild) and a higher gradient/ ejection speed.
3) Wren should receive Synagis this year (a real insurance headache for those of you who have tried) and we should keep him away from "ill family members". Like Frost who has a cough? Not really possible.
I am hoping the mitral issue settles down to a lessor number but I will have to practice my positive thinking and visualization to wish it wholeheartedly. Waiting for Dr Olson I was full of dread and couldn't imagine good news. I was getting into a full-blown panic before I took a deep breath. I shall be thinking of rays of light and some rainbows around the aortic and mitral valves. I should buy a pretty bunch of marigolds to offer to some benevolent spirit of Thanksgiving. After all, we are home and he is running around and his incision "looks beautiful" by all accounts. Dr Olson even confirmed that Wren's heart sounds "less like a washing machine."
"What a miserable day" says Mum, looking out the darkening window. Its not really. Its just the Seattle weather getting to us all. We need a sun box and some vigorous exercise. And more coffee, since Mr Mr woke at 4.45am and had only a short nap (for him).
Thank you for continuing to give us such support. I feel like a bit of a black hole of pessimism and choc-chip cookies. This appointment was not the problem.
1 comment:
I am glad that the numbers are looking good. What did they say about his valve? i used to sweat waiting in the clinic rooms of Izzy's apts. My blood pressure would rise, I would sweat though my shirt and my hands would shake! really it is hard nerve wrecking waiting for results and news especially after. I am now calm for her apts, not sure what changed, maybe just had some time with out surgeries? Izzy has gone over a year now (I ca still say that since we have to reschedule her latest one!) but for a while there she would go to clinic and then either be taken to surgery or be scheduled for surgery and then it went to talk of surgery which has eased up in most clinics. I don't know how I got from sweating at every apt to being calm i think maybe because Izzy is more of a distraction now that she is running around talking and interacting... less time to think about the what ifs .. right? :)
we do need some sun here! ahh! I just painted our dining room and like the color yeah!! not the name of the color though!
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