Lynnlee had her annual check up and echo-cardiogram with her cardiologist. Her echo looked great but her O2 sats were 88% which is lower than last year. When her last surgery was done when she was 2 years old, a hole was left open called a fenestration. She still has mixing of oxygenated and unoxygenated blood because of that. They can close the hole if it would help Lynnlee's sats and not negatively affect her pressures. Next summer she will have a cardiac cath and they will see if closing the hole would be beneficial. Next summer she will also start the
Single Ventricle Survivorship Clinic which includes a team of doctors. The team includes specialists in cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and pulmonary. She will have a whole work up to see how the rest of her body is being affected by her single ventricle heart.
With Lynnlee's oxygen being lower I asked the cardiologist about hiking. He talked about how when we are at higher elevations her oxygen is lower which makes it harder for her. Lower oxygen means lower functioning organs and brain which isn't helpful for her over time. So due to Lynnlee's health and James's stomach problems I decided to stop our weekly hikes. It was fun while it lasted but not worth it if it's affecting their health negatively.
This photo was taken after Lynnlee returned from a book club where they got to do cake decorating.
