Cardiology

Kate's annual cardiology appointment went really well!!! I think with Kate approaching this age it has been a bit strange for me to deal with, being that she has no clue what she went through as a baby.Which really is a big luxury as she has not really been traumatized by it. So sometimes I wonder at what age she is going to realize all this. She does not really notice the long sternal sugical scar because it's right under her chin but she has noticed her chest tube scars on her belly and all the little dots on her tummy from the pacemaker leads. She just calls them owies and says they need band-aids. But I just tell her those owies are all better.

So Kate had an echo this year which she has seriously not had since she was 3 months old!!! So I really wondered what she would think of that.

Well all she really cared was that they had Disney channel on and she just chilled and watched Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while they put goo (or "lotion" as she called it) on and looked at her heart. It took about 40 minutes and she did fabulous!!! Here she is just chillin while the tech was talking to the Dr. about the images. All she needed was some popcorn at this point and she'd be set!!

And here she is waiting for the cardiologist. She was such a good girl the tech gave her a confetti beanie bear!! And after getting her blood pressure she of course got the coins to pick a prize in the little machines.

Her Dr. said that everything on the echo looked really good. The turbulence can still be heard in her heart from where the membrane and muscle were removed but it is very minimal and really no gradient is shown on the echo. And get this.... her aortic and mitral valves are doing great!! They both had some leakage at her last echo almost 3 years ago and I think they said they looked a bit abnormal. But I guess they have just been growing the right way as she has grown. Which is what always has me concerned at these appointments so that is such a big deal to me!! And she does not have to come back for 18 months! I can't believe it. So we really got the best results possible and I couldn't be happier. I think I have been so extra worried due to the fact that we haven't really gotten images of her heart since the surgery and I really wondered where we stood with that plus with a baby coming so soon and still worrying about the baby after she's born and then possibly putting Kate through another surgery after having a baby I have been a bit stressed!!! Whew! But I do really realize how blessed we have been through all this.

And KC took the day off to come with us. So afterwards he really wanted to go to the new In 'n Out and get a little taste of Cali!!

What!!??? No chicken nuggets in this joint?

Oh well! At least daddy pretty much gave me his strawberry shake and their fries and cheeseburgers are the best!!!

Then we went to IKEA to look for some "storage solutions" for our TV and the toy room. But, as usual, we just got overwhelmed with the place and took a catalog home to measure stuff and decide. Plus we can NEVER agree on stuff like this so we will be debating for months!!! Oh well we can save for them in the meantime I guess!! So really the rest of the day was fun and my mom picked up the boys from school and they had a great day too. Thanks mom!!! It was fun to spend some alone time with just Kate. Man she's cute!!!

I think it's going to be non-stop appointments until the baby is due! I had an ob appointment this last weekend and then in two weeks and then we are down to weekly!! Plus I have to take Preston to his cardiology appointment next month also. Plus the dentist in a week for all of us and I need an eye appointment soon so I can get more contacts!! And then this weekend Carter fell at school and bit his lip!! Well he did this a few years back and bit his cheek and it got so infected and swollen we almost had to put him in the hospital for IV antibiotics! But instead we put him on heavy duty antibiotics and took him to the Dr. daily to be watched. Well Sunday morning (because these things always happen Sunday morning I swear) his mouth looked like a bunch of puss was forming just like before so I took him in and started him on some antibiotics. His lip still looks fat poor kid. But things are going well for us and I am so glad Kate's appointment is over!!