Our first cardiology appointment was on July 6th, which was when the diagnosis of TGA was confirmed. Our first impressions of the office were very positive, which was good because they made it clear that we would be seeing a lot of that place. The cardiology team would be watching the development and function of our baby's heart closely so that they would know what to expect of her and be as prepared as possible for her arrival. Fetal echo cardiograms are not comfortable for mom...they have to apply much more pressure than a regular ultrasound to be able to adequately visualize the baby's heart. And they're not quick either, I came to expect anywhere from 45 min to an hour, but it's well worth it to know how she's doing.
At our second appointment on August 9th, the echo tech found a small ventricular septal defect (VSD). To Bryan and me, this felt like another blow and and we were a little disappointed leaving that visit. Dr Puntel told us that the hole was very small and would hopefully close on it's own. In the world of fetal cardiology, "wait and see" is the answer to sooooo many questions...unfortunately, that isn't too comforting for the parents-to-be.
Our third visit was September 7th. This time, our little Emmy was having premature atrial contractions (PACs). Ugh...these cardio problems were just stacking up! The doctor said they could put me on meds to regulate her heart beat, but those meds posed significant risks to the baby so they would prefer not to go that route. Instead we would wait and see if her heart rate normalized and if not, she would be started on additional medication after birth.
On September 23rd, we had our consultation with the cardiothoracic surgeon who would be performing the operation. Like the other members of the cardio team, he seemed extremely knowledgeable and capable. On average, Dr Nigro performs one arterial switch procedure per week, so we took comfort in his level of experience and familiarity with the surgery. He reviewed what we should expect after delivery: Emmy would immediately be taken to the NICU after birth, where the medical team would place a central line through her umbilical cord, perform echo cardiograms and EKGs to confirm her cardiac status, begin medications to optimize her oxygenation, and monitor her transition from womb to outside world. As soon as I could be discharged from the hospital, she would be transferred to Phoenix Children's where we would remain until she had recovered post-operatively and was stable enough to come home. Expected time of hospitalization: another wait and see...anywhere from 3 weeks to a couple months. We're holding out hope for a strong and cooperative baby who responds ideally to any necessary medical interventions...home for Christmas is our goal. Now we'll just wait and see what she thinks of that plan!
Our fouth cardiology appointment, on Octocber 5th, finally brought some good news. No more PACs...yeah!!! The small VSD was still visible but could still potentially close before little Emersyn is born. After our appointment, we went over to the NICU at St Joseph's hospital and met with one of the neonatologists on staff who will be caring for Emmy before she is transferred to the Children's Hospital. Again the meeting was very informative and we left feeling confident that she would be in capable and compassionate hands.
November 11th, was our last cardio appointment. To be honest, I left feeling a little frustrated with all of the questions that will remain unanswered until Emmy's birth. We were hoping the final ECHO would be able to give us some idea of what to expect as far as her stability after birth. We were told that one of the reasons for all of the fetal ECHOs was to watch the size of her foramen ovale to determine whether or not she would need the septostomy after birth, but when I asked the doctor, he gave the same old answer of wait and see. The VSD is still present but small, and the PACs have resolved so that is good news...I was just hoping for a little more. Patience is a virtue that I was not blessed with, so waiting for all of these answers is difficult to say the least! There are only a few more weeks left to wait though, so it won't be too much longer til we have our answers, good or bad. For now, we just continue hoping and praying for the best for our little girl:)
No comments:
Post a Comment