The Nitty Gritty

So here we are, post-procedure. This last cath was Olivia's 8th heart procedure. Hey, remember how she's three? Yeah...I look at those two numbers, 3 and 8, and I think, "Dang, she's strong." She woke up like a champ yesterday and was chatting away with the nurse when we got back to the PACU to see her. If ever I wonder if we made the right decision for her (surgeries vs. letting her go) I have those moment of to fall back on. When we got back to Livie she was so excited to show us a tube free face and to tell us her oxygen was in the garbage. It wasn't really, but hey, whatever makes her happy.
So, the nitty gritty details are as follows.
We had several options for what might've been causing her low sats. A fenestration that was just too big. Collaterals. And some fancy name I forget that is basically malformationy veins (which are usually untreatable) We were hoping for the easiest fix, the collateral. As my facebook followers know, the fenestration was the culprit. A LOT of blue blood was getting through that hole. So, the hole was made to be 4 mm and scar tissue is supposed to grow over to shrink it a bit. On the video of Livie's cath, you could easily see the blue blood shooting through the hole into her heart. I wish I would've videoed it. Anyway, we measured the stream and Livie's hold had shrunk down to...3.7 mm. So not really at all. This girl needs to learn to distribute scar tissue evenly. She's got a ton preventing her LPA (left pulmonary artery) from growing so she has a stent to open that up (she got that at 2). And none where it is actually needed. ARGH! Ah well. They also ballooned her stent which was starting to narrow a bit.
So, here is where we were immensely blessed. The fenestration (the hole in her fontan) was basically a pressure release valve. Closing that could've really messed up her pressures which is BAD. Bad, bad, bad. So, they do a trial closure of the hole, check pressures and then decide if they can safely close it permanently. This far out of the fontan, it shouldn't be closed. It's not usually until way far out that they close. Like, years. So, we witnessed another miracle and hers was able to be closed. I'm still quite nervous about what this could mean for her pressures, but I have been well trained over the past three years in what to look for. So, I will watch her and pray that her heart stays happy.
Overall, Livie is doing great. She is home, OFF oxygen. She is happy and already back to herself. Her heart is happy, she is happy, we are happy. As I start planning our holiday events I am incredibly grateful for the reminder of my Savior's hand in my life. We have seen so many miracles. Some big, some small. All amazing. I can never express the love we have felt from all of you. I can never say thank you enough. Livie is pink, laughing, playing, and tube free (hide-n-seek is going to be so much harder...) We are blessed.