Congenital heart defect

At our sweet Rebekah's routine 9 month check up, our doctor heard a heart murmur.  We have been waiting to have our first appointment with a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital.  She will be 11 months old next week, yes we had to wait a LONG time to get in.  I was waiting to post because it could have been nothing. 

We had our appointment last Thursday and it turns out it may be the first of many appointment. 

We had been told the murmur was loud but oh, how we wish it was NOTHING.  That is not the case.  Rebekah was diagnosed with Pulmonary Stenosis (PS).

From the American Heart Association:
The pulmonary valve opens to let blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs.  Narrowing of the pulmonary valve ( valvar pulmonary stenosis) causes the right ventricle to pump harder to get blood past the blockage.  Moderate to severe PS will require treatment with heart catherterization or surgery. 

Rebekah's pressure level is high, at a little over 4. Which puts her in the upper moderate to severe level.  Her valve only opens about 20-30%. 

She will require a procedure called a Balloon Valvuloplasty.  This is a procedure done in the cath lab at the downtown TCH. 

We do not know the date or much about the procedure yet.  We will have a consultation down at the Med Center, hopefully within the next week and then the procedure will follow. 

We would definitely appreciate your prayers and I will keep you update the best I can. 

I am truly thankful for God holding her little heart  in His hands.  I am also amazed and SO thankful that she is not exhibiting symptoms.  From what I understand, once symptoms start to show it can be a sign that the defect has progressed to the point that permanent damage may have been done to the heart. 

Here are some pictures from our visit:

Beautiful girl as we were heading out the door to the appointment

oh, that face :)

Wonderful Daddy praying for his little girl

Daddy holding his baby girl, trying to get her to sleep for the echocardiogram

And she's out safe and sound in her Daddy's arms

Getting hooked up for the EKG

"Mama?!"

"What is all this?"

Precious girl sitting still for the test

Garden addition

We have some new additions to the garden. Trey planted some hops for his beer making process. He is very excited! Here are some pics