Enoch's Cardiology Visit

Enoch had his cardiology check up yesterday. We were supposed to see cardio once a year from birth but having only catastrophic insurance coverage for so many years, we couldn't afford to go. Finally, this year with good insurance, we've been able to have Enoch seen for all his needs.

We were told at his last visit, when he was 18 months old, that he had a long mitral valve in his heart. Turns out, that isn't what he has at all. The two muscles that open and close his little mitral valve are closer than they are supposed to be, not causing any issues right now. Also, he has a hole or a "cleft" in that same valve. It is not leaking so the Cardiologist wasn't even sure that it was a hole. Since the echo images slice through the cross sections of the heart, they weren't able to see clearly if it was a hole or a cleft. Its not leaking though and that's all that matters to us right now.

We also found out, (totally new info to us and the hospital), that Enoch has a persistent left superior vena cava. The superior vena cava is the main artery that drains the blood from your head, it runs down the right side. Enoch has that and he has one on the left side as well. When we all develop in the womb, we all have a right and a left SVC, and the left side eventually goes away. With Enoch, it just decided to stick around I guess. It drains where it's supposed to and it causes no problems and shouldn't pose any future problems according to the cardiologist.
Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a relatively rare congenital venous anomaly occurring in approximately 0.3% to 0.5% of the normal population and 3% to 10% of patients with congenital heart disease. So naturally, Enoch would be in the higher percentage rate of having something as odd as a PLSVC because of his VACTERL association and heart defects.

Enoch is seriously just so special from top to bottom. And quite honestly, we have been so blessed with his situation. The severity level of his issues are so small compared to most kids diagnosed with VACTERL. I can't tell you how grateful we are for the blessings he has received throughout his journey. He is a beautiful little boy with an amazingly strong spirit.
I know that Enoch was aware in the pre-existence what trials he would have to experience here on this earth and I know that he enthusiastically accepted the challenges.
Throughout all of these adventures with Enoch, my testimony in priesthood blessings has just blossomed. I'm so grateful to have the priesthood in our home and that we are able to utilize it often. It's such a huge, huge blessing.
Sometimes it's been an exhausting and trying journey but in the end, it's all worth it. Every second of it.

Here are just a few photos from our visit yesterday.

Checking out the fish tank in the cardio waiting room. Their fish tanks at Children's are so fun!

First up was his echocardiogram. The tech that performed it also performed his 18 month one. Ha! He didn't need any loopy juice, he laid pretty still the whole time and watched Rio. Pretty cool!
His face is pretty priceless here!

And then we had the EKG. Seriously, the longest part of this procedure was putting the ten stickers on. She put the stickers on, hooked up the cords, flipped the switch and we were done! He said he felt like Astro Boy. I told him he LOOKED like Astro Boy. That made him pretty happy.
Enoch of course kept all the stickers. They are currently all over the house.

A blast from the past! Photos from his first cardio visit. He was so chubby!!

20 Weeks

YAY! I’ve finally gotten a BUMP! Sort of..

The ultrasound appointment went really well! It was 45 minutes of watching Baby Girl just bounce all over the place. She’s a mover! My next appointment is at 24 weeks on September 17th. And I get to to get a SHOT. EW. Not fun. I say boo. Its just a shot I haven’t gotten in quite a while and the nurse says it hurts. THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW. Thanks. SO I’m a little nervous and I’m seriously considering skipping that appointment… haha. Not really but its tempting.

The boys response to the Girl news was interesting. Enoch I think I was a little shocked but he’s warmed up to the idea. He rubs my tummy and kisses it and says, “Love you baby girl!”. Its pretty cute. He tells just about everyone that we’re having a baby. Travis on the other hand, is still convinced that it’s a boy. He was oo’ing and aw’ing over how cute baby Rapunzel was in the movie Tangled so Joe asked him what he thought about us having a baby girl like that. Travis looked at Joe and said, “She’s cute but no, baby is a boy.” He’s a funny one. I’m sure he’ll change his mind once the baby comes home.

The morning sickness is still hanging around which is not cool. 20 weeks and still sick. I take a unisom and b6 at bedtime and then a zofran when I wake up so I’m just exhausted all the time. Not fun but I’d rather be tired than nauseous.

As far as a name goes, we’ve got nothing. Joe and I talk about it here and there but we know we have time so we’re not stressing about it. Can I just say, girl names are about ten times harder than boy names? SO hard. If I like it, Joe doesn’t, and vice versa. Finding one that I even like though is tough. There are tons of girls names out there that are just awful or they’re taken. What can ya do? Haha.

 

Weeks 16 through 20.

Just a comparison between Travis and Baby #3. Travis was a much bigger baby!

Can I get a drum roll please?!

Today was the big 20 week ultrasound day! Baby looks good and healthy and is even measuring at 21 weeks! Pretty Cool! It never gets old seeing that baby wiggle around on the ultrasound monitor. SO fun! I always forget how long the appointments are though, so it was nice to just lay back and watch the show!

 

And I’m sure you’re curious to know the gender. Okay, so about 85% of the world was right and we’re having a GIRL!

I’m still shocked because I was truly expecting a boy. I thought we were going to be boy all the way! Boy was I surprised!

Not a turtle in sight! It’s a LITTLE GIRL. :D

Look at those little ballerina legs! AWE!

summer comes to a close

Enoch goes back to school in 11 days. : ( Yes, that is a sad face. I will miss my boy! He'll be in first grade, where has the time gone? No really? Last year I could understand a kindergartner but now a first grader? What? Its just going to get worse from here on out. I won't go through this with Travis for a LONG time. He won't start kindergarten until the FALL of 2014. We've got some time to buff his rough edges. ; ) 

Enoch is beyond excited to go back to school and that relaxes me a little. He's ready to interact with kids his own age every day and he says he's ready to learn again. Shows how terrible I've been at keeping his school skills up to snuff during the summer months. Oops. 

This year will be exciting for him. He's not going to school in pull ups which is a HUGE blessing, he knows what to expect from a day of school, he already has a ton of friends at school, and I think he's ready to have something to DO everyday. This first summer break has been rough for all and pretty boring. I've been sick and still am sick so going out has not been my strong suit. Even park dates are less appealing when you feel like you're on a tossing boat at sea all day. I let the zoo pass expire which would have been considered a SIN in the last 4 years of membership, just awful. I just don't have the energy. I'd rather stay at home with my boys and dream about doing laundry. ; ) Here's to less nauseous days at a home near me. :D

Joe, Bonnie & Lawry leave for CA tomorrow for cousin Seth's wedding. I'm bummed the boys and I are missing it but I have Dr appts  and we just couldn't afford three extra tickets on that flight. Ouch. I know they will have a great time, they will enjoy seeing family and it will be a blast seeing Seth get married. We're beyond excited for him and his new wife. :D 

Since Joe is leaving tomorrow, he's taking me on a date tonight, I feel SO special and LOVED! :D We're going to see Batman, which makes me a little nervous after the recent events here in Aurora. Its not even the movie, its GOING to a movie theater that's wigging me out. We'll go and I'm sure we'll have a great time and I've heard great reviews of the movie, but I will be a little sweaty, thank you.

August 1st marked 2 years for Joe as a Bishop. See? Time IS flying. It still feels like yesterday when we saw the Stake President and our jaws dropped when he offered the calling. The 14th would have been Rhino's 2nd birthday with us but he disappeared around Christmas i think. Someone left one of the hatches open on his cage and he made a run for it. I guess he didn't love us that much after all. The hope is that he made it OUT the back door because no little body has been found and we've moved the furniture like four times since the disappearance. Oh well. Enoch didn't cry. He now wants a gecko. We'll see!

August 20th, 4 days from now, we will discover what baby number 3 has in store for us. More Man Power in our household or a little bit of girl added to this mix. I've come to grips with the 50/50 chance of it going either way and I'm just ready to KNOW. I want to pick that name and start buying stuff if its a girl or just start washing everything if its a boy. I'm READY. :D Please keep your fingers crossed that this baby makes its appearance in 2012, I'd love to not have a huge deductible for baby in 2013! :D I'm silly, I know!

So this was just an update. Maybe a mental dump for me... ? Sorry, no fun pictures but Monday will bring some of those. :D

TTFN!

Boys

My boys have just been boys this summer. It's been fun and just downright frustrating at times. We've discovered that Enoch really enjoys pestering Travis which really gets on our nerves because Travis is quite dramatic and likes to scream very loudly, cry at the drop of a hat and blows up in pure rage most of the time. This in turn makes Enoch just giggle which makes Travis even more upset. It's a little much.
They also egg each other on in public which creates high pitched giggle/screaming that is just horrific and then they proceed to run around whatever store we're in. Drives me batty. Boys!

Anywho - just had to vent for a minute. Now I'll share some fun photos which makes it all worth while in the end.

Summer break has been great. Pool parties in the back yard every day, going to work with Daddy, late night tv bed time on the couch, pure exhaustion, hanging with best friends. Gotta love these boys!