So What Are You Doing This Summer?

So, sixish years ago, after Max's coarctation surgery, I was told he had a blah-blah-blah in his blah-blah.  Once your newborn goes through heart surgery and they say  "Abra-ca-dab-ra, he's fixed!", you really don't process much.  At least, I didn't.  I knew his aorta was fixed and some time around the age of five, we'd have to start looking into the dooma-flach-y that was swimming around back and forth near his aorta.  I filed that away to worry about when he was five.

Here we are at six.  We've been busy.  Speech therapy.  Occupational therapy.  Don't-hit-your-siblings therapy.  And then the big one hit... Autism.  Yearly cardiologist appointments reminded us the thing was still flapping around in there, but numbers and gradients and scientist-y things were still all okay.  But for the last year we have been hem-hawing around the idea that this thing would need some lovin'.  Now it's no longer The Dooma-flach-y.  It's the Subaortic Membrane.  It's a thing.  And now it needs repairing.  Next hurdle.  Lately he's been one sweaty monster and showing signs of fatigue.  Here and there we've had some chest pain... not an easy thing to watch.

So.  If you are all science-y and want the nuts and bolts of the thing, here are some good websites:

http://www.mottchildren.org/medical-services/ped-heart/conditions/aortic-stenosis
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/893415-overview

But besides that stuff, here's what I know:  They are going to stop Max's heart to do the surgery.  This may all sound normal.  Doctor's do this all the time.  But this is scary as hell to me.  And thinking about preparing him while I am not prepared myself seems impossible... or at least... stupid hard.  Recovery time is 10 days to 2 weeks in the hospital and about 6 weeks at home.  Sounds like this is our summer folks, so have a beer on the beach for me.  Our doctors meet on Mondays to discuss their cases and then their office begins working on scheduling .  Since last week was Memorial Day, I imagine that meeting took place two days ago.  I'm expecting a call to schedule all the fun any day now.  

Thanks for reading my ramblings.  Stay tuned for all things Max-ish.  This'll be my go-to for keeping you fine folks informed!