Good Check-Up

Will saw his cardiologist in Kalamazoo today and he got the thumbs up. He is doing great. At some point, Will will need to return to U of M to have a stint put in his aorta. They are hoping to get him to at least one year old before that is done. If he is at least a year old, they can put in a stint that will expand to adult size and it won't have to be replaced as he grows.
Will is also doing much better with food. He's eating cereal and veggies and liking it! Good news all the way around. Our God is so very good! Thanks for all your continued prayers for our 'lil man. He is pure joy!

Bad Aunt, Bad Aunt!

What can I say? I'm a bad aunt. No update in almost 2 months! Well, the fact is there just hasn't been much to say. The boy is a rock star! He's got the fan club, he's got the moves, and he can sing! All is good in the big city! Hopefully, we'll have some cute 'lil pictures to post soon.

Y'All Done Good!

Your prayers have definitely been heard and answered in a BIG way! The 'lil snotwad got excellent test results today. Not just good, but Excellent (yes, that is Excellent with a capital "E"). Will did very well with his sedated echo today and the results were far better than we expected. His aorta measured 5 and his blood pressure gradient was 35. The last test showed an aorta measurement of 2.5 and a gradient of 50. (10 is a normal aorta measurement at this age and you want the blood pressure gradient to be lower) The Doctor said the sedated test is the accurate test and we can basically throw out the previous test. During the previous test, Will was very wiggly and giggly which can cause inaccurate test results. That is why the cardiologist wanted a sedated test to verify if the previous numbers were correct. And, thankfully, they were NOT! The cardiologist in Kalamazoo is very happy with the test results and told Connie and Al that she doesn't need to see Will again for 4 to 6 weeks. And if the next visit is as good as this one, they can go even longer between visits. The cardiologist assured Connie and Al that Will's current condition is stable and he is not at risk of having a sudden re-narrowing of his aorta. If it does re-narrow, it will occur slowly over time and she will be able to detect that through regular monitoring. So, all in all, it has been a very good week. Will has gotten a clean bill of health from all his Doctors and can just get back to being a normal little baby guy. (well, not so little. He's clocking in at over 20 lbs.) Thanks so much for your prayers. The 'lil man was cleared for take-off as he will be going on his first plane trip very soon! He'll be sportin' cowboy boots and a Stetson in no time!

Another test on Thursday

The cardiologist at U of M reviewed Will's last heart test and has decided that in her opinion nothing needs to be done at this time. However, that concerns Will's cardiologist in Kalamazoo and the rest of the family. So, the cardiologist in Kalamazoo wants to test Will again this week. The tests this week will be done while Will is sedated. The purpose in doing that is to hopefully rule out inaccurate test results due to Will being a very active 'lil guy. Please pray for accurate test results and agreement with all the Doctors involved. We are hoping that the tests this week will give us a clear direction as to what the next step should be - whether it be going back to U of M, seeking a second opinion or continuing to wait and doing regular testing to monitor Will. Pray for peace for Connie and Al as they seek guidance in what is best for Will.

Changes

Well friends, the little man saw his cardiologist yesterday and the appointment didn't go as well as we were hoping. Tests showed that Will's aorta has narrowed again significantly and there is also more than a 50% difference between his upper and lower blood pressures. It appears that his aorta has narrowed to 2.5. 10 is normal. After his angioplasty in May, Will was at 7. So, we know that his situation must be addressed, but we aren't sure exactly what that will entail right now. Will's cardiologist in Kalamazoo is sending all his test results to U of M to be reviewed and we are expecting to hear from U of M early next week with their recommendations. So, it will be a weekend of uncertainty. The expectation is that once U of M sees the test results that they will want to evaluate Will as well. So, there may be a trip to Ann Arbor in the near future. In the mean time, please pray with us that the doctors evaluating Will's information will have good discernment and that Will will remain healthy.

Atta Boy!

Will is doing great! In fact, they have cancelled his scheduled stomach procedure. He hasn't thrown up in 2 weeks! He is laughin', smilin' and in general is a happy baby. He still tires easily and needs frequent snuggle rests to recharge. But, overall his health is good right now. Will goes back to his cardiologist next week for a check-up.

Thanks for your continued prayers! We're enjoying the good days and praying for many more!

Family Camper

Long time no update, huh? Well, that is good news because I've had nothin' to tell ya! The boy is growing and overall doing pretty well. His current stats are 19.5 lbs and 28.5 inches. Will continues to have some issues with digestion and respiratory infections. But, Connie and Al have gotten pretty good at knowing when something isn't quite as it should be and getting Will in to see his pediatrician before major problems develop. Will's heart tests show no changes. While he still has heart issues, they are not getting any worse at this time.

However, the biggest news that we have to report is that Will was a first time Family Camper at Gull Lake Ministries! The week got off to a rough start with a trip to the ER the second day and then another trip to the pediatricians office a day or two later. But once Will got a couple doses of antibiotics to treat his lung infection, he was one happy camper! He enjoyed lots of attention from cousins, in-laws, out-laws, rednecks, etc. and he told all kinds of stories to anyone that would listen.

And the last bit of news is that Will will be going to Bronson for an overnight on Wednesday. They will be doing some GI testing and it will be best for everyone if it is done inpatient. Please pray that Will tolerates the testing well and that the results will give the doctors a definitive answer as to what is the best way to proceed with treating Will.