GOOD NEWS ON JESSICA! \o/

We are exhausted, and so ready for bed and our sleep should be much more peaceful tonight. Jessica had a very good cardiology appointment today, thought it was all very long. She had to first go to the hospital and have an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of her heart. It was a new technician that did the echo, and at first we were wondering if he'd get the information that was needed. Last time it was also a new person, and so they don't always get all the info the cardiologist needs. Both Norm & I saw his name tag that said "temp" so it made us a little leary. It was also the first time Jessica had a man do her echo (that she could remember - she had many when she was an infant). He called the cardiologist too, who usually comes up for part of the echo to see it. (Last time she could not). He spent almost an hour doing the echo (while Jessica watched a video). In the meantime the technician said that he was flown in from California to help out in pediatrics with the echos. He said he flies all over the country to hospitals that do NOT have a specific children's echo technician, since this is his specialty. He has been doing the flying to other states for over 5 years, so we were assured we had someone pretty good here. The cardiologist did come to view some of it, gave some directions of more to look for. When the echo was done, an EKG was also done. We had enough time to get a quick bite, and then meet with the cardiologist.

Jessica was also weighed and measured, and had gained a little over a pound since her last visit 6 months ago. Dr. Goble listened quite a bit to her heard, and talked with us. The technician did get real good pictures and measurements, but there was one thing he did not get, and she did want that to confirm that everything was looking good and the same with Jessica. So, we did have to go back to the hospital and have him spend about 15 minutes more with Jessica. So, we were at the hospital & clinic from 11 - 3 with over an hour drive each way. We also took two of the younger ones and one of the twins, so we were quite tired by the time we got home!

Dr. Goble did call in the early evening to say that she got the additional pictures and readings and everything looks the same and Jessica has stayed remarkably stable. We had been told she'd need another surgery 3-5 years after she had her last surgery and it's over 7 1/2 years! God is good! Dr. Goble said, "Just keep doing what you are doing". PRAYING and MANY PRAYING FOR HER! Thank you!!!

I received several e-mails regarding what Jessica's heart problems consist of - if she has holes in her heart. It's quite a bit more than that - she has quite a list! Someone also mentioned some of the link's on Jessica's webpage don't work regarding this, so here is some info regarding her heart, and are described on this webpage: Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV); Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AV Canal) and Pulmonary Stenosis. To put it in very simple, non-medical terminology, Jessica was born without the walls in her heart - it was one open chamber. She had several holes in her heart. Her aortic valve was on the wrong side and she had several leaking valves. When they rebuilt her heart, gortex (what firefighter's coats are made of) was used to make the walls. They made the walls "crooked" so that the aortic valve was not moved but now on the correct side of the wall. She has a pig valve and a man-made mechanical mitral valve. This mitral valve is rarely replaced in young children unless absolutely needed, and it indeed saved her life. She is on coumadin, a blood thinner, but has little problems with this. Both the valves are what eventually will need to be replaced. The "pig valve" is what we were told would need to be replaced first as it does not grow with the child, and will disinegrate - which for the most part has, but her heart has remarkably adapted to it. The mitral valve should last up to 10 years - which we were told would need to be replaced as she outgrows it. There is some leaking around it, but again, it does not seem to change from year to year and her body has adapted to it. This is what we hear "ticking". If you put your head on her chest, you can hear the click of this valve opening and shutting.

When we were originally that one valve would last 3-5 years, and the other 10 years, I had prayed God would allow her to go the full 10 years without any surgery so that both could be replaced at the same time, for one less surgery to be done. Oh "me" of little faith! I did not expect it to happen! But we are indeed close to that mark! God certainly can allow this little girl who has lots of faith to keep her heart going good and strong without MAN'S interventions! :) Again, thanks for praying (don't stop either - and lots of praise and thankfulness too!) \o/

My flesh and my heart faileth,

but God is the strength of my heart,

and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26