This picture is of Katelyn and her Maxipoo on July 4th 2007. This was her last 4th of July with us. We love and miss you so much Katelyn. God's Sunset Painter and Our Princess. xo xo xo xo xo xo xo
Here is the outcome of my trip to Hopkins for my appointment. I am scheduled for surgery to replace my pulmonary valve again on September 21. The doctor still wanted to do it in July but I wanted to wait until next year. He listened to my valve and doesn't think that it would last until next year because I have a murmur that is getting louder. He explained to me that the first two times I clotted on my valve that I had a loud murmur but after the clot busters were administered for 72 hours the murmur was gone. This last clot he ran the clot buster for 72 hours and I still had a murmur so he ran the medicine an extra 8 hours and it was still there but not as loud. When I went back on Tuesday it is already getting louder so he doesn't think that it will be long before it clots again. UGH! I wondered why he ran the medicine for 8 more hours but I didn't ask. I usually don't ask unless I want to know!!! So he is letting me get through the summer and get Ryan back to school and then we will have at it! I am so dreading this because I don't think it is going to improve my endurance but hopefully I will not have anymore clots. The next thing is trying to decide which valve to use-another mechanical valve or a biological, or pig valve. He is leaning toward another mechanical valve because it will last a lifetime, so I am told. The other type last about 10-15 years and have a tendency to calcify the younger you are and then you have to replace them. The older people this valve is suppose to last longer. So this is something the doctors and myself need to work on soon. So I will have to pray about this to give me some direction on what to do, have peace about the choice we make, and the choice will be a good one. I am also worried about the ventilator, I have a hard time with that and I don't like waking up on it. The last time I had to fully wake up on it and then I spent 12 hours sitting up, writing notes, and waiting to get the vent off of me. They had a hard time adjusting my pain medicine and it was supressing my respirations so I couldn't breathe on my own. So hopefully this time they will know how to manage my pain medicine and get me off the vent quickly. I also feel bad for my poor husband that he has to go through this again too. It is tough on him as well to see me like that and for him to have to help take care of me but I guess that is what marriage is all about. He is a strong one especially for not liking anything to do with needles or hospitals!
Ryan is almost done with swimming lessons and he is spending the night at Grandma Kay's tonight with his cousins. I bought them all cap guns today so she will probably love me for that but hopefully it will keep them out of trouble! LOL! Three boys spell TROUBLE!!!! We really don't have much planned this weekend so this will be nice. Next weekend we will head to Ohio for Prayers For Maria memory walk and we are looking forward to that. Happy 4th of July to all! God Bless!
