Last week I let you know that Kendall was having a cardiac catheterization on August 10th and I wanted to let everyone know the results of the procedure.
I am repeating back to you what was told to us by the doctors and medical staff. Doesn’t mean we have lost all faith and hope, because we have not. We still believe that because she is a survivor, a warrior and a miracle already, we expect miracles in every situation for her . She is older and stronger and everything will always work out in her favor because they always have.
I can’t and won’t accept any other news as the final answer because we are believing God for His continued miracles and healing in her life.
Recap: Because there is a 3 chamber heart instead of 4, there is no blood flow to the left lung which in turn causes that lung not to grow. Physically the left lung has not grown since birth because there is no blood flow to it. She is considered to have one functioning lung(right lung) instead of 2.
With that said these are the latest doctor reports/findings:
-Kendall has pulmonary hypertension. Basically that is a type of blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the heart. The normal pressure in her arteries should be less than 14 and Kendall’s is 20-21.
-The higher pressures causes the body to make new vessels on called “collateral” vessels. The body does not need or tolerate these extra vessels.
-The doctor was able to put a coil in one of these collaterals to stop blood from going through it so that it will travel back through the vessels that it needs to. We don’t want her blood to supply to go to any other vessels except for the ones that she needs it to.
-Since the coil was placed and her pressures were high she ended up being admitted overnight for observation in the pediatric ICU at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit and received 3 doses of antibiotics
-While at the hospital she had an abdominal ultrasound and her liver was slightly enlarged(nothing to do but to monitor it over time). They said it was a normal finding that they see with everything that’s going on with her heart and lungs
-the chest x-ray showed fluid in right lung. She got one dose of a diuretic to help release some of the fluid. At home she has a device(vest) that she wears two times a day that basically shakes/squeezes her chest and back so that the fluid can clear out of her lungs
-started on medication to help bring her pressures down to a normal range and keep them stable. The medication will be taken at home 3 times a day
-Her cardiologist set up an appointment to meet with the heart transplant specialist on September 9th. The reason is because Kendall is having symptoms( low oxygen levels, tired, shortness of breath with activity, and having to restart on cardiac medication). She is not in heart failure but needs further evaluation and recommendations on long term care, medications, treatment etc…
Thank you all so much for your concern, prayers and continued support through it all.
I will be more committed to updating you more often. I hesitate sometimes because in my mind I know people have their own lives, family situations etc….but I have come to realize that most people genuinely care and want to know what is happening on a more frequent basis. More importantly than that, talking about this is therapy and it helps us feel supported. Also these updates may help those who are reading this boost their own hope, faith and belief that miracles can and will happen in their own lives and situations too.
Keep the faith
Cewanda