Heart Update – 6 Month Checkup

I was reminded of this truth today.

Over and over again.

Today I had my 6 month heart checkup in Minneapolis. When we arrived, they said they did not have me scheduled (though that’s what my card said), but that it was changed to a later date. We were never notified, so they were willing to see me regardless, especially since we made the 2 hour drive there already. We were thankful!

I was reminded of God’s faithfulness today, through ALL generations, when the technician shockingly said “I read you had ALCAPA (the reason I needed open heart surgery when I was 17) and that you had a child.” Talk about God’s goodness. The miracle that Mazy really is. That God would choose to heal my heart and allow me to have such a wonderful pregnancy, despite my heart and my past.

Six months ago, I had heart failure. To the point where local doctors thought I needed open heart surgery within the week, which was days after I had Mazy. It was a scary time. A time when we really didn’t understand the severity of my condition, yet realized that I was not okay. My body was not passing the fluid that I received while in labor with Mazy (the how many bags of IV fluids they give you). I was floating in liquid! My cardiologist in the cities wanted to see if I could wait 2 weeks to see if any of the fluids passed, after they put me on a good dose of a diuretic. Thankfully my body passed the 27 lbs. of fluid that I was carrying around. Though, the damage had already been done and my heart now had to bounce back from what the fluid retention had caused. I had 2 valves that malfunctioned and my heart function was not good.

For the past 6 months, I have been taking a diuretic when needed, in hopes that my body would be able to eventually pass fluid on it’s own, without the assistance of a diuretic.

That is what brings us today.

Were we nervous? Not really. We knew going in to the appointment that my heart was still not great. I could tell that there was/is still something wrong because my exercise tolerance isn’t what it was, I get short of breath while lying on my left side and laying flat, and I still pass quite a bit of fluid when I take a diuretic. I am also quite tired, but I chalk that up to being a new mom – fatigue is definitely a symptom of heart failure, but it is obviously hard to decipher what is causing what.

We knew that open heart surgery was a very possible diagnosis. I was very close to needing one 6 months ago. Of course we were hoping that wouldn’t be the case, but we were ready. I have been told for over 10 years that I would eventually need another one, so each appointment we wonder!

But today we honestly went into the appointment with peace. Peace knowing that God has carried us through so much already. That God has been faithful and good to us in each journey, even when understanding did not come easy. We knew God would be faithful yet again, no matter what the results were.The diagnosis?

Well, after a heart ECHO (which is like an ultrasound of the heart), an EKG, and labs, it was determined that my heart isn’t where it should be and where they were hoping it would be after 6 months, but surgery is not even on the horizon.

We breathed a sigh of relief. I have been through one and know I could do it again, but I want to just be a wife and mom right now. I don’t want to have to worry about recovering from surgery.

The doctors are concerned that I am still retaining fluid and my percentages (function-wise) are not great, but they feel with time and switching up my meds, that my heart could return to what it was before I was pregnant.

I now will be on a diuretic daily because the doctor couldn’t feel my shin bone until halfway up my leg. I am also going to be taking two meds for my heart, to help with the function of it. I will also have to wear a heart monitor next week for 48 hours to determine if my heart is beating even more irregular than what they saw today.

Is it odd that I love this game plan? Maybe, but I am very at peace with it. I know I need to take a diuretic more often, but the one I was on made me feel weird for lack of a better term. So going on one daily, I am happy. Also, I want my heart to function normally (because I will feel better too), so if that means switching up meds, so be it. There could be some side effects, but they said to just keep an eye on it.

Today, though, was a reminder of God’s goodness. Everyone, I mean everyone, was goo-goo and gaga-ing over Mazy. From the ladies in the elevator to the people in the office. She is our little miracle and today I was able to share my faith about God’s grace and faithfulness in our lives.

We finished off our trip with our heart appointment tradition stop at Chick-fil-A. Mazy was staring at our food – just wait my child, until you can taste the goodness of this place!

God sure is faithful to ALL generations and we thank Him for reminding us of that truth today!