Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cardio

Ryan took Athan to Mansfield (near Ft. Worth) yesterday to see our new Cardiologist, Dr. Hackman. She was really good, Ryan says. I think we'll keep making the drive down there to make sure we can see her (instead of going to the clinic here in Abilene where the practice sends different docs from time to time).

Athan's ECHO looked good, and his heart is not enlarging anywhere at a rate that is higher than his normal growth rate. In case you don't remember, he has small leaks in his mitral valve that could cause his heart to enlarge. We have known since just a few days after his first heart surgery (in April 08) that he will need another surgery someday to repair the mitral regurg. Dr. K (cardio in Kentucky) recommended waiting as long as possible to do the repair. Dr. Hackman, however, said that if it was her kid, she would want it done sooner rather than later (as in maybe when he's 5 instead of when he's 10 - ish). So she plans to watch his ECHO (the EKG was a dismal failure - Athan was too wiggly and loud to get any results), and to take Athan's case to her colleagues for more opinions. We'll see her again in six months.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like a good plan. I'd want to keep seeing the same doc too. And yea for no major enlargment! Yea, Athan!!! God is good!

Kelly Efurd Lawson said...

Very glad it was a positive experience, and that Ryan felt good about Dr. Hackman.

I also sort of love that your Athan was too wiggly and loud for the EKG. The kid's got spunk!