Update on our baby girl...

We had a follow-up visit with Dr. Laird, the pediatric cardiologist and the report was not good on our baby girl's heart. The three structural issues that were identified last visit appear now to have been the result of a larger problem with the heart. In the last 5 weeks, her heart has grown "larger than it should be" and is now struggling to "squeeze" or pump normally. Some fluid has started to gather around the heart as a result of it being over-worked and in general he said "the heart looks worn out". The cause of these issues has yet to be identified. She could simply have a defective, weak heart. It could also be as simple as an infection in the heart or in her blood and the heart has been working extra hard to compensate. At this point they don't know anything and he wouldn't speculate given the wide range of possibilities. He did give me some medication that will hopefully help strengthen the baby's heart and pump more efficiently. We're meeting (hopefully tomorrow) with the same doctor who performed the level 2 sonogram to get another overall picture of the baby and her general health. This could help to pinpoint a cause of the symptoms or rule out others. We're also scheduled to meet with Dr. Laird again next Monday to check the progress on the heart.

Your continued prayers are appreciated!