This is going to be long. And a little choppy. I can't type it all out. So I'm using the best resource I know that has what I'm going to post here. JM. Somewhere in all my posts is Zac's story. I may not post it all today in this post but over the next few days it will be done. I need and want it all in one spot. Most of it will most probably just be copy and paste from my JM posts. Ok, here we go...
December 5th 2007. They day we found out he had a heart problem.
Don't know much as we have to go back to see the dr later on today, but there is something wrong with the structure of Zac's little heart. I can't stop shaking, this has taken me ages to type as I keep making typos.
I'm also on the phone to my mother who is trying to tell me that chances are its something that probably will not be able to be fixed as we may also need to see a specialist. HOW DARE SHE!!!!
December 27th 2007. Our appointment with the cardiologist.
Let me start by saying that the doctor we saw on December 5th, who is apparently one of the best sonographers in the state should GO DO AN ANATOMY CLASS!! He messed up the aorta and pulmonary arteries thus leading to a misdiagnosis. Guess that's why we went and got a second BETTER opinion.
It is not what we first thought. Unfortunately its slightly worse but only if left untreated. Zac has what is called Transposition of the Great Arteries. However, it is not a simple Transposition and there are other defects involved, such as the VSD and I believe either a valve issue or a chamber issue. The Proff didn't give us too much info today, just a quick run down of what it is and how it WILL be treated. It can't be fully fixed but can be repaired to where quality and length of life are pretty much normal.
We are making another appointment with the Proff for in a few weeks where he will be able to take more time and explain things to us in more detail. What he did say today though, was that Zac will need three operations by the age of 5. The first will be done within his first two weeks, the second at between 6-9 months and the final one done at about 4 or 5. All have a success rate of over 95%.
The appointment today was really just a scan. At one stage there were THREE doctors come to take a look. Zac decided to play hide and seek though and it took about an hour to get a good view of his heart. We then spoke to the Proff and after that went back to finish the scan where the little ratbag had moved into a perfect position to see his heart. Too bad we had finished looking at that.
The girl who the scan was super nice and we finally got decent pics. Rodger is buying a new scanner tomorrow morning so I'll scan and upload them tomorrow. We also got a look between his legs and it was funny. Here's why... Taryn asked if we wanted to know the gender, we responded with we already knew but another peek can't hurt, so we had a peek... "Well" She says, "I see a bit of a penis". Rodger, not skipping a beat answers with "Well then his not mine". "Oh I'm sorry" replies Taryn, "Its huge, so big its taking up the whole screen". "That's better" replies Rodger.
While I'm still worried (who wouldn't be) being told that it can be repaired and he will be ok in the end makes it so much easier to cope with. I will give birth there as they are a tertiary care centre. So I won't be having my water birth after all, but will still fight not to be induced, which I can't see them suggesting as the longer he cooks the better. I'm not 100% sure what will happen right away except they do try their best to keep mother and baby together. The one thing I was overjoyed to hear.
His surgeries will take place at the Royal Children's Hospital but they allow one parent to stay at all times so that's not a worry.
Sorry this was long and jumbled in places. I just typed it out as it came to mind.
That is really all there is up until Zac was born. Things are posted a little jumbly so I need to go through and put them in order I think.
