Miracles of the Heart Ensue

It's hard to believe an entire year has passed since receiving the amazing news about Chase's miracle heart.  Having a year without the worry of restrictions has been beyond wonderful.

Christmas time is my favorite time of year...but with it comes with the added anxiety of another heart check up.  After such incredible news last year, preparing for his visit to Texas Children's Hospital was a little more hopeful.  However, the cynical and realistic part of me worried the honeymoon wouldn't last and that we would be met with bad news again.  Either way, I tried to emotionally and mentally prepare myself for anything.

All Chase cared about was the fact that we got to go to a hotel together.  Just the 3 of us.  He went around telling all of his teachers and friends...."Tonight, I get to go to a O-tel on a date with my mommy and daddy." I tried to inform him what the visit to Houston was about...hospital, echo, ekg, etc....he would not listen to any of that.  The hotel was the highlight.  That's all he needed to know.  This time, I scored a sweet priceline deal for a Westin right above the Galleria Mall.  We arrived late, so everything was closed, but our view was killer.  My other kids got to stay with Papa and Meemaw this year and they couldn't have been more excited. 

 There are 2 things Chase LOVES about hotels.  Elevators and breakfast!  Our hotel breakfast didn't open early enough, so we headed over to IHOP.  Chase didn't seem to mind one bit.

It was appointment time.  This year, they got us in quickly.  Chase's echo was smooth as silk.  He is incredibly compliant in these situations...always brave.  He laid there, perfectly still, for 20-30 minutes.  As my heart raced, I didn't dare look at the monitor.  I was way too chicken.  Jeff watched the monitor closely the entire time.  I tried not to read his facial expressions.  I wasn't quite ready to know the results.

Now the EKG and next a visit with the doctor for the results.  Again...sooo cooperative.  The exact opposite of how he is 99% of the time with me (wink).  At least he can pull it together when it counts, I guess.

The moment of truth had come.  Dr. Price is the head of the heart department at Texas Children's Hospital.  We saw him soon after Chase was diagnosed when things with his heart were grim and dire.  We hadn't seen Dr. Price since that fateful day.  Today, he walked through the doors with an entirely different countenance.  The first words he uttered were, "I have no medical explanation for this, but Chase's heart is still improving."  My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.  Chills all over my body.  Another miracle.

Dr. Price proceeded to tell us that Chase's diastolic function is not only better, but now with NORMAL limits.  NORMAL!!  His systolic function is just outside of normal limits.  He recounted how things looked just 3 short years ago and how inexplicably abnormal this scenario is for a child with Chase's condition.  I asked if he had ever seen anything like this and he replied with a resounding "no."  I wanted to shout with excitement.  My eyes welled up with tears.  I couldn't have felt more grateful than I did at that very moment.  Another miracle.

Dr. Price spent a few minutes listening to Chase's heart.  I could sense the wonder as he carefully studied this little miracle.  Chase is a medical anomaly.  When I asked him what we could expect for his future, he just couldn't come up with any solid answers.  Everything about the story of Chase's condition, from the diagnosis to now has been outside the norm.  Dr. Price proceeded to tell us that Chase can continue to participate in sports, PE and recreational activities.  He also told us he didn't feel it was necessary for us to travel all the way to Houston at this point.  We could now follow up annually with our local cardiologist in Austin unless things change.  This is HUGE!!

It blew my mind that just 2 short years ago, we spent our time together in that same office discussing plans for an implantable defibrillator, strategies for cardiac arrest incidences, and a potential future heart transplant.  Life with endless restrictions, medication and worry.  Clearly, Heavenly Father has a different plan for this little man.  It is incredibly humbling and I couldn't be more grateful.

 

Our celebration lunch at Kona Grill

Being cute is hard work

Definition of a miracle:  a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.  A highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences

Feeling so thankful to my Heavenly Father for my little miracle