Quick Update

As much as I'd like to update my blog more often, time is not on my side.  I did want to post a quick update on Baby Eddie's cardiologist appointment tho.  We were, of course, very nervous and worried about this particular appointment.  I still feel pretty uninformed about everything regarding Down Syndrome.  I find myself looking at informational websites and zoning out.  It feels like my brain is unwilling to process most of the info.  As part of the Down Syndrome birth board on my baby site I do see a lot of heart issues, some of them requiring open heart surgery.  This was my biggest fear.  I am not going to pretend to know any of the medical details, I was only hoping that my itty bitty did not need any kind of major surgery.  That being said, here is what happened at our appointment. 

Our heart doctor is located at Phoenix Children's Hospital.  When we arrived I was amazed at how beautiful the hospital was.  There must have been 100 Christmas trees on each floor.  It was colorful and gorgeous.  The worst part, naturally, was seeing way too many sick babies and children.  No amount of Christmas trees and colorful couches can make that sight any easier to see.  Ok, back to Baby Eddie.  He got an EKG and an Echocardiogram.  He was a perfect angel for both tests, even fell asleep during the echo as I rubbed his head.  After the tests we waited for what seemed like hours to meet our doctor and get the test results.  When he did finally come in he took out his little heart model and proceeded to go over all the heart issues associated with DS.  I was trying to absorb the info he was giving us but was just so anxious to hear our results I couldn't.  Finally he tells us that Baby Eddie does have a hole in his heart.  (excuse me for lack of medical terms ~ I'm still learning here, barely) He showed us on his model heart where the hole was and says something to the effect that it's in a good spot.  It's not something that needs immediate attention and he even says there are likely people walking around with such a condition and living perfectly normal lives.  OK, I can now breathe.  Basically, the hole is not small, but not huge and all we need to do right now is keep an eye on it.  We go back in 4 months for another Echo.  It's possible that it could close on it's own, but not likely.  The doctor says if it doesn't close on it's own, he will have to have it closed surgically probably by the time he is 2. Scary, but he says the procedure to close his particular hole does not require open heart surgery.  Instead they would go in with a catheter thru a vein in his leg.  A much less invasive procedure. 

Obviously, this news is great.  I feel like every day gets easier for me.  So far all of his symptoms seems mild and manageable.  Our next big hurdle is finding out how much he will be affected mentally and starting physical therapy asap.  We are hoping he puts on some more ozs by next week when we take him in for a weighing. 

As far as his hearing, it seems like he is really reacting to sound much more than he was initially.  I wonder if there really was just fluid build up.  Hopefully the ENT can get a good reading in March when we go back.    Until then I am content knowing he can hear, even if it's just partially.  Side note, the night before last he was having a hard time breathing overnight and yesterday morning.  We were out food shopping, Dada and Dominick in the store, me and Eddie in the car.  He was so uncomfortable not being able to breathe so I took him out of his car seat and noticed a boogie.  I somehow managed to get a fingertip up his nose to pull out that stinker, well, it kept on coming.  I must have tickled his sinuses cuz as I was pulling it out he sneezed.  Well, let me tell you what came out of my baby's nose looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.  It was a huge, hard ---something.  It was black/green and the size of a peanut.  No wonder he couldn't breathe!!  As soon as that sucker was out he was breathing fine and fell asleep almost immediately.  But, what the heck was that thing!??!  Maybe it was something to do with the fluid in his ear?

Anyway, that's my "quick" update.  Dominick has 4 teeth coming in at once.  The sharp ones too (incisors?) so he is in a lovely mood today.  He is currently running around, jumping on the couch and whining the whole time.  Ah.  Help!!!!