Cath and tummy results!

So after my post last week I got an email from GI at MUSC stating that they decided there were less invasive tests they could conduct before they scoped him. Jackson and I were really disappointed because we felt that is where we will ultimately end up, but maybe not.

Monday we headed to MUSC for a GI appointment. The nurse practitioner for peds cardiology asked if she could go with us to see what they had to say, and I am so happy I told her yes! We came up with the game plan that Jack would be admitted to 8D after the cath and Wednesday morning a gastric empty scan would be conducted to determine if his stomach emptied into his intestine properly. If it did they would place an impedance probe for 24 hours to see if he was refluxing above all the reflux meds.

This morning I watched the gastric empty scan. They filled his belly with only 2 ounces. I usually feed him 2.5-3. For 1 hour he laid in an MRI machine while pictures were taken as his stomach emptied. The techs couldn't tell me results but it sure looked to me like there was a lot left. About an hour later they called with the results and after the hour only 1 ounce had made it to the intestine. After all the pain I am praying this is truly the answer. It is treated with a low dose of an antibiotic whose side effect is helping the stomach empty more quickly. They said I should see significant difference in a week. The technical term is gastroparesis and after reading the symptoms it is the only thing that does fit what's going on perfectly. Hoping this is really it!

Ok now the cath. It went great which is a good thing and a sad thing. The pressures in his heart and his size is ideal for surgery. They are putting in a surgery request for 6-8 weeks and will be calling us with dates in about 2 weeks. That is so soon. Dr. Ryan Butts, also an Irmo native, drew me another one of his lovely pictures of a heart to explain exactly what happens for the Glenn procedure. I'll go into those details later.

This is Jack coming off his sedation. He was pretty funny which surprised me because I thought he would be upset.



I am so happy we got some GI answers and to know that is heart is doing so well! Thanks for all your prayers. God is listening and I know he is watching over this sweet boy! My Jack of Heart!

Location:County Road S-36-28,Peak,United States