Jack

My boys do have a tendency to appreciate art; I do not push this on them. Duncan had come home excited about the reflections contest at school and voiced his interest in entering. I helped fill out the papers and get him the supplies. He painted a great picture depicting how he thinks summer is beautiful. He was happy and received a blue ribbon for participating. That's what I have received in the past way back in elementary school. Then there's Jack. He never said a word. He drew a picture and his teacher filled the paper work out. I had no idea. He won first place in his school and has moved on to the district level for depicting himself about to eat macaroni. I have yet to see the picture, but I am very curious. We are very proud of both our boys! Great talent, I'll have to post each picture once we get Jack's back (hopefully we do).

Yesterday was Jared's birthday and we took him (thanks to Make-A-Wish) to the Capitol Theater to see the Nutcracker. Our whole family went. It got rather warm and Jared couldn't help but doze off a few times. Ruby missed both naps, but did rather well considering. Right when I thought I'd have to stand up and take her out, she passed out in my arms. Santa made an appearance and handed out candy canes. Lindsay wanted to get closer to talk to him, but got nervous. Santa told her she'd gotten much bigger since last year. She shook his hand and surprised me.

Today Duncan got himself to school... well, on the bus at least. I had to take the girls to my sisters (thank you!) and take Jack for his six month check up and echo. What a long day. Jared had to work. I've been overly stressed for ... oh EVER. But that's beside the point. I felt like this wouldn't be the typical all clear, see you in six visit. I tried to pass it off as me being more pessimistic and tried to be more positive. Turns out it wasn't doom and gloom, but it's not all clear either. Jack's EEG had intervals they weren't too thrilled with where an ending beat trailed off. The Cardiologist said that in a normal healthy heart it wouldn't be a problem, but in Jack's heart he wants a better idea of how often this is occurring. So, he will be wearing a halter monitor. They would have put it on in the office, but they were all checked out, so they are mailing it too me and I have to put it on, somehow have him keep it on, turn it back in yada yada... Then there was the echo. Jack's third and last repair surgery is called the Fontan. With that they place a gortex tube in the heart that allows the left ventricle of the heart to take over all the hearts responsibilities sending blood throughout the entire body as well as the lungs. they place a small hole in it called a fenestration to keep the pressure from building too great. Right next to that hole in the gortex they can't get a good enough look at with the echo and believe they may be seeing a shadow, which could be a clot. If it is a clot and that clot dislodges it would travel quickly through his heart and straight up to his brain, causing a stroke. These are just IF's and could be's so we are treating them as such. No need to worry. The next plan of action is next Thursday he will be getting another echo called a TEE or transesophageal echocardiogram he will be sedated and they will take the echo down inside is throat to get the better pictures of the fenestration (hole). I'll keep eveyone posted here, for I have explained it many times already and have a few more to go. It's times like these that I get tricked into thinking I could give some sort of educated lecture on quite a few medical things without having gone to medical school. But I know that there are far FAR more complications and medical terms and such out there than I ever care to even know about.

Sorry to have given the near novel version of events, probably more for my benefit really... but thanks for caring and being there in a way for me if you did bother to read.