Heartbreakers

We personally have made quite the contribution to my children's pediatric cardiologist's bank account.  Our adventure first began nearly 11 years ago when the Friday before Memorial Day weekend we rushed to the cardiologist's office straight from the hospital with our 2 day old baby girl.  After multiple visits and reviews, she was diagnosed and we followed up every month for a year, then every few months, eventually getting to annual reviews and now she is cleared for a few years at a time.

Then I got pregnant with #2, and my OB sent me to the same group for a fetal echocardiogram.  The test came back a-ok, however when baby girl #2 was a few years old, they heard a murmur so off we went and she was cleared having only a simple murmur with no defect.  Same office for the fetal echo for #3, all clear and so far, he has been a-ok. 

Fetal echo for #4 was a wreck.  She had a number of issues that showed up, her pulmonary valve was not correct, there was regurgitation, she had an abnormal rhythm and we had a number of rechecks.  When she was born, they gave her an echo and she was diagnosed with a "funky pulmonary valve" basically it was working but formed a bit strange.  At 6 months old, she was rechecked and it looked like the valve had corrected and we only needed to come back if her murmur could still be heard at 18 months old.

Fast forward to today.  We were in the doctor's office for Finn's 4 month check, Teagan needed shots that we had delayed from her 18 month check up since she was sick and Haven was getting meds for reflux that she gets from her other meds.  Doc gave Finn the once over and then asked me to hold him so she could listen again, and I knew right then and there....murmur.  Yep she is hearing a murmur on him and it is changing based on his position, sure sign of a defect of some kind.  I then remembered we forgot to check Teagan's heart at her 18 month since she was sick and sure enough, she is still loud and clear.  So, back to the cardiologist we go to get Finn and Teagan checked out next month. 

I am sure it is all going to be fine, we love our cardiologists and trust them immensely and of course we are thankful every day that what we deal with is minor compared to what so many others do.  I do, however, recommend that they revisit some statistics.  I was told that the likelihood I would have a child with any heart defect was 25% because I have a CHD....but we are now at 80%.  Thinking Gray will get a once over too while we are going, lets see if we are 5 for 5.