Heart Checkup

Alivia had a heart checkup today, and I was waiting for that to pass before I posted her 2-year stats (especially since she was weighed and measured again today). All is looking good!

Weight: 25 lbs 1 oz (25th percentile)
Height: 34 or 34.5 inches (60th percentile)

Heart: Still sounding great! Alivia's doctor just looked at her and listened to her quickly. She still has a murmur, which indicates there's probably still an enlargement, but it seems to sound quieter each time he listens, so that indicates the enlarged ventricle is shrinking, or at least not dialating again. The murmer is in the area where the enlarged part of the heart meets the normal-sized part since not all parts fit perfectly together. I asked if she'll always have some enlargement and he said, "You know, she's surprised us so much this far, I wouldn't be surprised if it kept shrinking to normal size." AMAZING! He says he figures there's a 50/50 shot of that happening, but even if things stay as they are now, it's fine - her function is normal, so she can have an enlarged ventricle if her function is OK.

He'll continue to monitor her as she grows and her medicine dose stays the same. He wants to do an echo in 6 months to see how things have changed since her last one at Children's in December, so that is the next time we see him! This time last year we were still seeing him monthly.

I asked about how to describe Alivia's condition on her preschool paperwork, and he said just to write that she has a mildly dialated heart but has no restrictions. I remember sitting in her hospital room, still in the ICU, thinking about her future and how we'd have to handle school - sitting out of PE, having sit-down meetings with teachers about her condition and restrictions, etc. But this? Just a sentence on a form? I'll SO take that!

Her doctor said Alivia's visits make his day because every time, she's bigger and healthier and always smiling. Hearing that made MY day.

Our girl is totally a fighter.