Cardiology

Yesterday Parker had his first cardiology appointment to follow up on some issues he had at birth.  We weren't really sure how it would go because as babies get older their hearts change, and even after his two Echocardiograms in the hospital, he showed improvement. That being said, we also know that Down Syndrome often carries with it heart defects and difficulties.

After an EKG and another Echo, we learned that Parker has an Atrial Septal defect-- in other words, a hole between his two upper chambers.  On the good side, there is tissue floating in the middle of the whole, suggesting that over time it may get smaller.  Additionally, he shouldn't show much in terms of symptoms unless there is another contributing factor, like a respiratory infection.  

On the bad side, it is a moderate sized hole ---about 5-6 mm.  His doctor, Dr. Carr, estimated that Parker has a 50-50 chance of needing some kind of intervention (either surgery or catheterized repair).   

Obviously this wasn't the news we had been hoping for, but at the same time, it could be much worse.  He won't need surgery as an infant and is free of life-threatening or stressful symptoms.  We will hope and pray that his hole gets smaller so he doesn't need surgery.  Let's think of it as a place for more love to flow in and out :) Corny...yes, but corny gets us through the day!