Liam's Sedated EKG #2

Earlier this morning Liam and I headed out with the sun as it started to rise and headed to the hospital. He was such a sweet heart during the drive up, he was hungry and really thirsty but he was still so sweet and happy (definitely didn't inherit that from me!).

We spent the time waiting in the room running around and playing.

He seemed to be scared of every nurse but this male nurse who performed his ultrasoung and EKG, he tried to jump out of my arms to go to him. He was such a thoughtful nurse, introduced Liam into his room by saying, "look Thor, your friends will be here to keep you company (pointing to spider-man on the wall, and his green lantern blanket he got to take home)". He also gave Liam a little stuffed animal/puppet to take home.

It was when the sedation team came in that Liam didn't want to leave my lap.

But he was so brave, even when he had to have 2 IV's inserted.

Once they started to give him the drugs you could see his body relax. It was oddly the same as when he was hospitalized in the past.

They got him situated and he did great, he kept mumbling cracker all through the procedure, the nurses were absolutely taken with him.

Once it was over we headed up to recovery, where Liam flirted with the nurses.

He was a little loopy coming out of it, but he was still his happy self.

Unfortunately he seemed to keep needing a little boost of oxygen, which he wasnt too happy about.

Driving home was the funniest thing, he just sat there and stared at the road. Occasionally murmuring cracker. I really am surprised every time I leave a doctors appointment or any time he has needed anything how first, brave he is, and second, how happy he is. I have never seen a child so happy, especially with the struggles he has had. He is an amazing example to me of the kind of person I want to be.

In the end the results of the EKG and Ultrasound have shown no progression with the two holes in his heart. They seem to be the same size and not shrinking. On top of that he has lost weight in the past 2 months and his heart rate and respiratory rate have increased, which shows us that his body is working harder than before. His heart is now starting to put strain on his body and he can't go much longer without surgery.
Luckily, the doctor is confident that the holes can be closed through a catheter surgery, where a catheter is snaked up through a major artery into the heart and two devices are placed into the holes closing them up. It is considered a relatively non-invasive, outpatient surgery. If they get in there and can't seem to close the holes up that way then we will be looking at going back in for open heart surgery. I am nervous for the risk of complications and for him to be under general anesthesia for the first time, but I am also excited for him to be able to put this behind him and start to heal and develop.
His surgery will take place before the end of the month and if it is successful the effects will be immediate. He will not be as susceptible to illness and will start to gain weight and grow, or as the doctor said, he will be like any other normal child. This is so exciting to me, we have all pondered what he will look like once he is able to put more weight on. I think he will be even more adorable, if that is even possible. Overall, we are feeling extremely positive and blessed that we have had such great doctors and care. We should know more after the surgery.