When Caroline was born the doctors did an echocardiogram and EKG on her heart since I have a heart condition and it can be genetic. While all the structures of her heart looked normal, it was just too small to say with complete certainty that she did not inherit anything so they told us to come back when she was six months old. Last week we went for her follow up appointment. I hadn't thought much about it since she was a baby, but I got more and more nervous the closer we got to the appointment. What if something was wrong? What would we do? As it turns out, I had no reason to worry!! Her aorta looked perfect (that's the valve/artery in my heart that is affected). Her pulmonary valve looked great too (that's the valve in my mother's heart that affected). He did find a small PFO (patent foramen ovale) or small hole in the atrial wall. About 15% of the general population has this. Everyone has an opening in utero and it's supposed to close before birth. Caroline's did not close. The cardiologist explained that this isn't a "disease" but rather an "abnormality." Often times it happens randomly but can also occur genetically. Since heart conditions run in my family, he is going to follow her to see if it closes or not but since this is common enough he said that would call Caroline a "normal, healthy child" unless something radical changes in the next few years. What a relief!!
At first I was upset though, even though it's a fairly common abnormality. Since I'm the one with the heart problem, I felt like it was my fault that she had this hole. Why didn't she get Adam's perfect heart? Was I so selfish in wanting kids that I put her at risk for inheriting a less than perfect heart? I have to keep telling myself that this really isn't an issue - it's just a teeny tiny hole that may go away in the next few years. And if it doesn't, big deal. My baby is the happiest baby on the planet. She smiles and laughs as if it's her job. She doesn't know that there is anything different about her heart, and she shouldn't! She is loved and perfect in our eyes - what else matters????
And now what you all really want...some Caroline cuteness!!
Some sweet friends gave C a gift and put the bow on her head. She really seemed to like it!
3 comments:
When I teach my students about cardiac physiology and anatomy, we talk about this abnormality. It is SO common and usually fixes on its own!
I couldnt have said it better, you are so right, Emily: " She doesn't know that there is anything different about her heart, and she shouldn't! She is loved and perfect in our eyes - what else matters?"--------she is perfect, just like her mama.
Emily-My little sister has had this same hole in her heart since she was born. She is 21 now and it has never affected in her any way. Actually, she was the wildest, most energetic child in our family! I thought I would share this with you to make you feel a little better about sweet Caroline! She should be totally fine!
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