Tales from the Mommy Trenches

Some background on Wren’s heart situation Here, in case you missed it.

The pediatric cardiologist recommended that we take Wren in for EKGs and echocardiograms every six months due to the severity of her heart defect that was discovered at her birth, but not properly diagnosed until she was about six months old. So we have been dutifully taking her every six months and holding our breath as to how the stenosis (narrowing) of her pulmonary artery is faring as she grows.

Clutching my old doll I had growing up whose eyes would appear open or closed if you put warm or cold water on them. Anyone else had one of these growing up? 

Her original appointment was last week, but we were struck by a coughing plague of epic proportions that culminated in four very sick girls, two weeks worth of serious fevers, and three children with double ear infections. So we delayed it a week.

I asked my social media friends for advice on how to keep Wren calm and still for her EKG and echocardiogram, as the last four times she has spent them wailing and struggling, causing me and the medical personnel much consternation. The experiences have left me a bit shell shocked, and I didn’t feel up to a repeat.  I got SO MUCH good advice, for which I am eternally grateful. And we actually found a combination of calming techniques that worked. I can do another post on that if anyone is actually interested (I doubt it), but the main ingredient was bringing her security blanket that she sleeps with every night.

The cardiologist said that her EKG looked good (which is a first) and her echocardiogram showed that her heart has improved yet again! Praise the Lord. He said something vague about “the lower the number the better,” and that her number has gone from a 70 at six months to a 41 today! I probably should have asked him what the heck that means, but I was so elated about the good news I wasn’t thinking clearly.  Her right ventricle wasn’t showing any signs of stress and her heart function looked great. He said he felt comfortable enough to push back the heart checkups from every six months to yearly.

Thank you so much for all of the prayers and thoughts. They were a great comfort to me, and really helped me to not be so anxious about my little Wrenna. I’m so proud of her. She walked right in there and out of there with me like a proud little lady. She did so well.

The cardiologist said that the game plan is to keep an eye on her heart (definitely as she grows and probably for the rest of her life) to make sure things continue to improve or at least not get any worse.

Eating the pretend cookie Ruthie bribed her with to sit still for pictures for mama. Ruth is such a good little helper. And I’m glad Wren humors her.