Back in Boston

This past Monday we brought Quinn up to Childrens for a cardiac cath. At the beginning of September during a routine check up with the cardiologist it was discovered that the pressures on the left side of Quinn's heart were getting high and there seemed to be some thickening of the heart walls indicating an obstruction was starting to build on the left side of his heart. Since his birth and subsequent heart repair we have been working on the right side of his heart widening the pulmonary artery which sends blood to the lungs. Now apparently we are dealing with something new and unrelated to Quinn's initial heart condition. He has developed a buildup of dense tissue just below the aortic valve that is actually starting to impact the valve in the aorta (the vessel that sends blood to the body). Of course you would never know any of this by looking at him, Quinn never stops moving. Quinn's cardiologist actually looked at us and said that they don't really know why this condition occurs and it's actually pretty rare for someone with Quinn's condition to develop the obstruction in the left side of the heart we are facing now. Sigh, of course it is. So long story short, the open heart surgery I thought we had avoided when Europe developed (and the FDA approved) a way to break up his stents and place a valve via a catheter procedure is now coming our way January 3rd. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Here we are on Friday for his preprocedure check up.
Quinn waiting for his evaluative echo.

The nurse putting on his id bracelet

Monday morning, arriving for his cath. This contraption is the most awesome thing. I think at some point anyone who enters this hospital stands and watches this thing for a while.

Waiting in the waiting room before the procedure.

Getting ready.

After being given the sleepy medicine.

Right after the procedure.

Getting ready to go.

Quinn actually opted to ride in the chair rather than on daddy's shoulder!!! Daddy liked that.

A couple of Quinnisms from this trip.
Nurse referring to the blood pressure cuff: is this bothering you?
Quinn half awake: Actually, its driving me crazy.

Quinn: Daddy, why do you have 2 heads.
Daddy: I don't
Quinn: Yes you do (pointing and counting) 1, 2.

Too cute.