A Dose of Reality

We were very fortunate that Molly arrived safely. Her weight at birth was much more than expected, and she was breathing well on her own. All along the goal was to get her here so we could spend as much time together as possible. It's been a blessing.

However, the reality is that the condition with which she was prenatally diagnosed still exists. We've been so overjoyed by her just being here that at times I think we lose sight of that reality.
This morning we had a cardiologist from Children's Hospital come in for an echocardiogram. After her examination she confirmed what we were aware of all along: Molly has a fairly severe heart defect. The VSD we learned about in the early ultrasound is quite large, and there are a few other defects that we've learned about since.

Often times a VSD can correct itself. Also, in some cases, surgery can fix the defect. Additionally, there is medication that can help to slow down the effects. In our case, medication is the only plausible option. The hole is too large to correct itself. Surgery is painful and invasive, and with T18, it would only be a temporary fix. The medication can help regulate the blood flow, and slow her breathing.

She is strong. She seems healthy. All signs point to positive things. However, we always have to remember the real issue here. Doctors have indicated that her problems will present within 4-6 weeks. Honestly it's hard to think that far in advance.