Update on Zane

Cardiologist appointment today:

"Zanes 'x' is getting worse.' is a phrase I am going to have to get used to. Today's 'x' is his pulmonary stenosis, the narrowing of the artery that carries blood to the lungs. The more I go to these appointments and see his heart on the echo, the more I understand what is going on. I took some time to do a drawing:

One of the biggest revelations of today is that he defect is already there and is not really getting worse, so much as showing itself more and more. The doctor explained that as babies there is quite a bit of resistance to blood flow in the lungs, this is represented by pressure three in the diagram. This pressure kept the valve more open and as his lungs fill out, the pressure will decrease and the valve will begin to open less and less. Since there is a connection between the two chambers, and a pressure differential, there will be flow between the two. Right now, the pressure in the right chamber, Pressure One, is less than that in the left, Pressure Two. This gives way to flow from the left ventricle to the right, such that the oxygen rich blood flows into the right chamber and to the lungs. As the defective valve opens less and less, Pressure One will increase and eventually equal and become greater that Pressure Two, this gives way to flow from the right to left. Oxygen poor blood mixing with the rich and sent out to the body. Once this begins to happen, we will see Zane's color become ashen or blueish.

We may not quite get to this point as they may elect to do the surgery before the cold and flu season hits the hospital. Audra and I do appreciate the thoughts and prayers that are coming our way, please keep them up.

Also, I hate Lebron James.