Payton's Dr.'s Appointment...

Payton had her cardiologist appointment today & she was so good! She did not like it when they were doing the EKG (stickers with 12 or so cables attached to it, yeah I'd be scared too). Once she recovered from that Dr. Burke (the best Dr. Payton or I have ever had) came in. Usually Payton starts crying as soon as he comes in. He is so good with her... when he came in he sat across the room while we chatted then moved closer. Remembering that she hates the stethoscope he first 'listened' to her toes & her knees & my hand, then as he moved to listen to her heart she tensed up but stayed silent & STILL!!! She allowed him to listen in several different spots & tolerated it very well.

The worst part of the appointment for Payton hadn't happened yet so at this point I was pleasantly surprised but still was expecting a battle. Dr. Burke had me hold Payton & let us (Dr. Burke included) watch Elmo's World for a few minutes before beginning the echo-cardiogram, basically an ultrasound, gel & all. While watching Elmo's World Dr. Burke gave her a cookie... not just one but one for each hand. Payton squirmed & fussed for the first little bit but then I was able to distract her with pictures on my camera & Elmo's World. So with a cookie in each hand (which was ingenious because she wouldn't let go of either cookie to pull his hand away... did I mention genius!) she let him move it around with very few complaints & he was able to get a good enough look to clear us for another 4 MONTHS!!!

Results.... She is doing great. She still has some collaterals (passageways that the body creates for blood to deal with high pressures) but they seem to be working in her favor & not hindering her, if they were she'd be puffy in the face & really blue. So for the big question... Surgery... assuming that she doesn't show signs of needing it earlier, she will get a heart cathedarization (sp) in March or April of next year & have the surgery within 3 months of that. So not this but next summer. He said that they like to do it between 3 & 4 years old so that would make Payton 3 1/2 at the time of the surgery.

Now my only worry is insurance, because as Donald tells me, I have to worry about something. But I keep telling him that 'you can't tell me that worrying doesn't help because everything I worry about never happens'. :) Payton does have insurance but it's won't cover everything like Tricare (military insurance) did (to the tune of $800k for 2 surgeries). I know that this time we will have to pay a portion of her medical bills but I'm not sure what that means in $'s. We are thinking about setting up some sort of fund or non-profit company (tax deductible donation) that will be in place to take care of whatever medical bills that she may have. As soon as we decide what would be the best & have all the logistics worked out I'll let you know. As it always does, it will work out.

Right now Payton is watching Little Mermaid & enjoying the last of the spoils from Dr. Burke. I am so grateful that the Lord knew us enough to make us wait 5 long years to have Payton so that we could be in the best place for her to be born & have the best Dr.'s. I am so glad that she is doing so well & am anxious for her to start going to nursery again. We are still going to be keeping her out for at least another month, so we are almost to the end of our self-induced exile. Yippee!