3.5 years

It had been 12 months since Ayden's last, full-blown cardiology appointment. Yes, the kid that once upon a time had to see his cardiologist once a week (during the two months he was home between the first and second surgeries) is on the annual plan. And it just so happens that annual appointment comes halfway between his last and next birthdays. In two days, Ayden will be 3.5 years old.

Cardiology appointments used to be filled with just about every test/procedure in the book. Ayden has reached the point where all they need is vitals, an ECHO, and an EKG. No more x-rays or blood draws. That doesn't necessarily mean this was a quick trip - we were there for a little over three hours. It's still a doctor's office, after all.

First up was the ECHO. According to Dr. K, everything looked good. All of his repairs were visible and looked good. His fenestration was still open. This isn't an issue really, but if it's still open when he's five or six, they will probably want to close it via catheter. His wall motion (squeeze), which used to be a significant cause for concern, continues to be normal. He has a small amount of leakage through his tricuspid valve (less than it used to be), but so does everybody.

After that came the EKG and vitals. His blood pressures were good. And consistent across his extremities. His height and weight percentiles were on track with where they were at his 3 year pediatrician appointment.

It was a very positive visit. It had been a long time since the cardiology folks had seen Ayden. They were surprised by how big he was and by how much he talked. It's nice to see all of them notice and react to how well he is doing. It's nice to know they really care.

And it's nice to only have to do this once a year. We know that not everyone in our position is this fortunate. We continue to be grateful for God's provision for our family.

Waiting to see Dr. K.