Another opinion tomorrow and

[Christina L]

Cleveland's opinion being posted now. I just got the hard copy of the radiology reading of my November 1 echo in the mail from Cleveland today. I was kind of confused about the "relaxation" part that I had told you all of on another thread (see below). Okay, verbatim:

CONCLUSIONS: Essentially normal post-operative appearance s/p mitral valve repair two years ago. I would note that the RV appeared mildly dilated in the apical views, but integrating all the views together, I believe it is completely normal in size and certainly has normal function. Additionally the mitral valve is not stenotic but has a little bit of delayed relaxation consistent with age. Overall excellent post-operative appearance.
------------------------------------

There was no mention of the right atrium size or its appearance, though. Okay, I will worry about THAT! The aortic valve is trileaflet without evident stenosis or regurgitation. All the other chambers, i.e. left ventricle and left atrium are "normal in size." The mitral valve has trivial regurgitation confined to backflow upon mitral valve closure.

I will ask the cardiologist tomorrow about all of this and he will be reading the actual echo tape also.

Any thoughts on the "delayed relaxation consistent with age" of the mitral valve?

I will let VR.com know what the opinion is from the cardio tomorrow. Wayne asked me after reading him the Cleveland report - "If the cardio tomorrow says you are fine, will that be 'it'?" Hee. Meaning, will you PLEASE get a grip and move on???

Christina L

 

[Innercalm]

waiting patiently

waiting patiently

Hi Christina: When you said you were adopting a baby girl from China and hadn't decided on a name I wanted to tell you about my neighbor who has a 10 year old daughter from China named Emma Li (sounds like Emily) I loved the name. My son plans on seeing Dr. Cosgrove soon. Oh how I wish he was in your shoes. surgery all done and a great echo post op. Susan

 

[Ross]

Woman, concern yourself only with this part: "Overall excellent post-operative appearance." Stop looking for insignificant things like: "a little bit of delayed relaxation consistent with age." By the way, this means your not a bullet proof teenager anymore, but I can fix that if you'd like.

Now get that kid and raise he/she well!

 

[Christina L]

Susan,

Susan,

What a great name - Emma Li - how adorable. Our problem is we want to name our child after our respective mothers (who are both deceased), so "Emma" will have FOUR names Emma Jewell Clarice plus (her given Chinese name). My Mom's name was Jewell and I am already practicing how it will sound when I am verbally disciplining her and saying "Now Emma Jewell..." Of course, I KNOW she is going to be a perfectly behaved child and I won't have to say her full name very often.

Ross, you are just too funny and oh so sweet (in your "demented" way). Can you really make me back into a teenager?? How's that?? I am keyed up this morning - leave the house at 11 to head for the cardio's office which is a 70-minute drive away.

I also was SOOOO shocked when I got up and Wayne told me about the miners in W. Virginia. I thought Wayne was joking and couldn't understand why he would be teasing me about such a serious matter. I went to bed so ecstatic and joyful for the miners and their families. Look at the power our media has - we believe anything blindly that they say!! I don't understand why in all of three hours SOMEONE didn't come out of that mine and set everyone straight!! Goodness. What a SAD situation. May God give them peace.

Christina L

 

[Phyllis]

What a great report- so happy for you and Wayne. Now get busy on planning for Emma Jewell Clarice- we all look forward to hearing of her arrival!

 

[gadgetman]

delayed relaxation consistent with age. Overall excellent post-operative appearance. Christina L

Maybe just a polite way of saying you "ain't no spring chicken".

However, I would be concerned about Ross' offer for a "FIX"!!!!!

Good luck on your plans for "Emma Jewell Clarice -". We will pray for a speedy movement of those sometimes SLOW paper pushers. BTW: My mother's name is Jewell.

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[Granbonny]

Christina

Christina

Happy for your good report....If adopting from China is like anything adopting from Russia..You will need your energy for the MUCH paperwork..facing you...My daughter and hubby started in March of 2004.... First, several home-study visits..They looked at everything in house..Pets included....then on to a Mountain of paperwork... Complete Physicals for both....FBI checks,..Financial background and on and on.. Even a copy of their Doctor's credentials... EVERYTHING had to be documentation and many had to be done in Atlanta.. they finally finished 5 months later..and everything was approved and sent to their Agency in N.C. to be translated into Russian....then the long wait. ..took 4 months for them to find the perfect children....I say, God found them..for they are the perfect children for what My daughter and hubby received. We are TRULY blessed......and I pray you will, too, find your daughter soon. Bonnie

 

[Christina L]

Phyllis and Dick -

Phyllis and Dick -

Thank you for the encouragement. We ALL may have a long wait before we see Emma's beautiful little face - probably not until next December. Of course, as we know, time does fly.

Danny - I am certainly not a spring chicken, more like a "late summer-early fall" hen. Hee. The cardio I saw today had no clue what the Cleveland radiologist meant by that statement about "relaxation of the mitral valve due to age" - no clue. Jewell is a beautiful name don't ya think? My 1st cousin just named their daughter after Mom and they call her Jewell, so I will use Jewell as our daughter's middle name.

Bonnie - I have heard a lot about the mounds of paperwork involved with adoption. I know that the China adoption program is one of the "slickest" and runs pretty smoothly. The agency we have chosen to go through deals ONLY in China adoptions which I like the thought of. We have been told to take one step at a time on the paperwork and not to look too far ahead or we will get overwhelmed.

The cardiologist today was very reassuring. He did seem to think that my whole heart was at the upper limits of normal in size, but he said that is from the years of regurgitation of my mitral valve and that it is "normal" for me - he said it most likely will not get any larger. I teased this cardio about being a psychologist also, as he had me "pegged" from the moment we started talking. He asked me "Do you really want to adopt?" "What exactly are you wanting to hear from all of these second opinions?" Etc. etc. I totally agree with him in a way - that there may be some underlying neuroses going on. He also said that getting married and planning on bringing a child into our home - are both huge things and I know what he was trying to say - that maybe I am using my heart issues to help balance out the enormous burden of the three things. This cardio is pretty smart, although I am not sure I will switch to him from my regular cardio - I feel so indebted to Dr. Larson for sending me to Dr. Cosgrove in Cleveland for my surgery. I just need to be forthright with Dr. Larson and tell him I need more information from him - that he needs to talk to me!!

So, this crisis is now officially over - big collective sigh of relief from all of you here on VR.com, I know. I can imagine how frustrated you were getting with me.

Ross, dear, you were right ALL along - telling me that my upper limits of normal sized heart is just the result of my MVP and regurgitation since birth. Ever thought of going to medical school? Now about making me turn back into a teenager....

One thing that is outstanding, though, is the sleep monitor - the cardio today did seem to think the oxygen sats were somewhat low and said to see a pulmonologist if I am concerned, that is only if (I) am concerned - he didn't recommend it necessarily. While on oxygen my sats were around 98% - remember without the oxygen the average sat during the night was 89.5%. Big difference there. He also said my low heart rate of 40 was "nothing to worry about at all." I will be pursuing this issue - first by seeing my PCP and what he has to say about the sleep monitor findings.

So, I'm officially signing off on this heart enlargement thing - you all can rest assured this is the last you will hear of it until next year WHEN I have another echo that says "perfect" heart chamber sizes.

Now I need to get focused on the adoption - sounds like from what everyone has said that Wayne and I will be very busy for the next several months, up to our elbows in paperwork. It is very surreal to think that at this very moment, there is a little baby girl in an orphanage in China who will become our daughter. We will most likely get a child 1-1/2 to 2 years of age, because of OUR ages. That is okay. I don't know if I would know what to do with a baby anyway!! Hee.

Thanks all -

Christina L

 

[Karlynn]

Good luck with the adoption process. We will enjoy the fruits of your process, right along with you!