Heart Check

Today was our first appointment with the Pediatric Cardiologist.  They ran all of the tests that were run while we were in the hospital -- a 4 point BP check, an EKG, and an ECHO.  Everything looks really good.  She has a pulmonary stenosis -- but not a standard one.  The Pulmonary valve is opening fully (they originally told us it wasn't) but the valve itself is thick -- making the passageway more narrow than normal.  When the blood flows through the narrow opening -- that's where we hear the murmur.  For right now -- it's something to just keep our eyes on.  The Dr. told us she has about a 1/3 chance of the walls thinning out and if they do her heart will be "just any ordinary heart".  She has about a 1/3 chance of nothing changing and she lives with the murmur unaffected her whole life.  And she has about a 1/3 chance that the walls will thicken causing that passage to become too narrow, in which case a surgical procedure will be required.  We will see the cardiologist again when Maren is 3 months.

The other problem that they found with her heart was a minor mass.  They actually saw several small growths today, which they are assuming are small benign tumors and we don't have to worry about them at all.  BUT if they aren't benign -- we'd likely find more tumors in her kidneys and/or brain.  So they want to be safe and have her checked.  SO ... off to neurology we go!

It's a little scary ... cardiology ... neurology ... but we are grateful that we live in a time where such things can be tested and that we can be proactive in her care.  We are grateful that Joe works for an awesome employer with great medical benefits -- so what the pediatric cardiologist mentions that our 3 week old baby needs to get her brain scanned ... we can calmly focus on her health -- and we don't even have to fret over the dollar signs.

So for now - no immediate danger - and we can just love on our sweet baby girl!