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Friday, October 16, 2009

An Apple A Day...



We have had an awesome day!  Andrew had his cardiology appointment today.  We hadn't been there since June, and you might remember that we had so much trouble getting Andrew to cooperate.  He screamed during his EKG (they couldn't even get a reading), and we decided to skip the echo (heart ultrasound) thinking it would not go smoothly at all.  Dr. Mooradian had told us at that time, that if when we came back, we still couldn't get much info, that they would have to take him to the hospital and sedate him to have the tests done (yikes!)

So, needless to say, today I was slightly worried but cautiously optimistic.  We have been drilling "Elmo Goes to the Doctor" into his head, and I know that has helped him learn and understand more about the doctor.  We brought along his Elmo doll and stethoscope from his doctor's kit, and held our breath as we entered the office!

As it turns out...Andrew behaved perfectly! (Well, almost!)  He acted like such a big boy.  Everyone said how much more grown up he was this time, and daddy and I were so proud of him.

He never used to stand here to be measured.  Today he knew just what to do!

He was a little more unsure at the X-ray, but he's been really into bones lately (skeletons are his latest obsession), so we told him they were going to take his picture to see his bones, and it worked like a charm!
 
Here he is looking at his "bones" with daddy!
 
This is always the part he hates the most- the EKG.  Can you blame him??  How scary for a little guy to have to lay there (and lay perfectly still) with all these wires hanging off him.  He was so brave, and only cried a little.  He gave us the sad lip!
 
But once he found "Nemo" in the office, all was well!
 
While we waited to see Dr. Mooradian, he read a book with daddy....
 
And got into a little mischief, too! lol!
 
But he and Dr. Mooradian are old buddies, and Andrew let him listen to his heart without one peep!
 
He then sent us to have an echo.  Again, we held our breath.  Not only because we were worried he might not lay still (all these tests they have to lay so still!  How on Earth can anyone expect a 2 1/2 year old BOY to be still for this long?!) But we were also worried about what the results were going to tell us.  We were very prepared for the news that surgery loomed over our heads...
 
Well, this is pretty much how Andrew acted the entire time!  Once he discovered that they had Nemo on TV, all was well!  He was a happy boy!
 
Can you imagine a kid this excited to have an echo??

When it was over, Andrew roamed the halls and charmed the ladies into giving him 2 suckers!  When Dr. Mooradian came to share the results, we were beyond excited about what he had to say.  He said there had been no change (which is good- it wasn't worse!) since his last cath in February.  His pressures are remaining stable.  He said he feels Andrew can make it for quite some time with these pressures, without any need for surgery!  Woo hoo!  We will still have another cath (which we knew), but he even thought we might be able to put that off for a bit, too!  He contacted our doctor in Iowa City who will perform his cath, and he wanted him to have another lung profusion scan.  Big hospital terminology!  He had one of these done one other time when we were in Iowa City after a cath.  Basically it shows them if the blood pumping into his lungs is fairly equal on both sides.  Based on this info, they will decide when to proceed with his next cath.  We are hoping to be able to wait until February or so.  We are just so happy things went so well today.  We all went out to lunch to celebrate!
 

Andrew went on a field trip at school last week to the Apple Orchard.  It was a crummy, rainy day, but they had a lot of indoor activities for the kids so they still decided they could go.  I can't imagine how they are able to corral that many 2 year olds on a field trip and not lose one...but they manage somehow!  They said Andrew behaved very well and he had a great time.
 

Here he is on the bus on the way to the Apple Orchard!

And on the slide getting ready to land into the corn pool!
 
Here is his little class.  Aren't they adorable!  He cracks me up in the back, looking at the cute little girl instead of the camera!  Every night we say prayers for all his little friends at school.
 
Enjoying an apple!  (I tried to ignore how muddy his pants were! lol!)

So we are celebrating another good doctor visit.  We can only hope for more of those!  We will keep everyone updated on when we schedule the cath.  Thank you for continuing to pray for Andrew and our family!
**UPDATE: I made the comment section a little easier so it should work better to leave us a comment!  If you are an email subscriber, you can also click "Email author" at the bottom and I'll get the comment via email!  We love hearing from you!

11 comments:

  1. I am very happy to hear that Andrew is doing so well. Yay!

    Andrea

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  2. Great news!! That is so awesome that everything can be put off for a bit longer. I think we need that Elmo video because Ellie has to be sedated EVERY time we get an echo done. Kevin couldn't believe the pic of Andrew laying there, he thought he looked so much older!

    Cute school pics!

    Heidi, Kevin & Ellie

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  3. Oh Jen, What a relief! I'm so glad Andrew acted like such a big boy and that all the results were positive!! The orchard pictures are adorable. I love that they have car seats on the bus!
    amy (& simon and baby bump liam) :)

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  4. What awesome news!!! Congrats on the fantastic appointment.
    Seeing how good Andrew was gives me hope for our next echo (it will be our 1st unsedated, besides when Liv was tiny).
    YAY Andrew!

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  5. What a big boy you have!! It looks like the 'Elmo Goes to the Doctor' video will be in our future! LOL!!

    I'm so glad you got good news today. Cardiologist visits are always scary, but so exciting when you get good news!

    Andrew is such a cutie. We love seeing his new pics!

    Big Heart Hugs,
    Shannon
    www.carolinacarters.blogspot.com

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  6. Way to go Andrew!!! He did a great job. Logan does pretty well but Andrew did amazingly well! Think we can borrow that DVD?? LOL!!! I guess that I'll be on the hunt for that one now too. I'm still waiting for Elmo's potty time to kick in! :)

    It looks like he had fun at the Apple Orchard. I think that is so neat that they did that with the kids! What a great experience for Andrew to have!

    Stefenie, Ryan, Wyatt and Logan Jacks
    www.whenlifehandsyouabrokenheart.blogspot.com

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  7. WHAT WONDEWRFUL NEWS! I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU TWO AND DREW! I hope you have a great weekend.

    Erin

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  8. PTL! Sounds like a GREAT appointment! So happy that his special little heart is doing what it should be. I have always found it amazing what they expect of out little ones at these appointments...but I think God teaches them so much through them. Ava had to have a sedated echo once when she was about 9 months and I hated that. But you do what you have to do. Anyway, I'm rambling. Talk to ya soon. And yes, I'm still going to set up a play date with you guys. Ava asks if Andrew is at school all the time...I think she wonders why he doesn't come over to play all the time any more. OK, this turned into a book :) Have a wonderful weekend!

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  9. Jen,
    What wonderful news! Thank you for sharing your success story with us! :) I think we need to get that video ASAP!!!! LOL!!!! I saw it at Barnes and Noble and should've bought it. I think we need to play it over and over so Mak's appointment goes better for Dr. Mooradian! :)

    Wendy
    www.preciousmoments-dwnmk.blogspot.com

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  10. Jen,
    Great News!!!! I am so stoked no surgery!!! And I am not sure why but I cried when I seen the first pic of Andrew on this update. I think he just loos so much more grown up!!!! Then you said that in the post. He loos bigger I feel like in the last 6 months of following you guys that you guys really are a part of my life and he is getting so big so fast!!!! Love ya and Heart hugs,
    Jessica

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  11. Jen-
    I'm so excited about your news. It is so nice to see Andrew remaining strong and healthy through everything! He is such an amazing little boy! I keep you all in my prayers and hope that you continue to have more good news!

    HAPPY FALL!!!!

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