Emilia's Heart

Emilia was born with a very prominant heart murmur. A heart murmur is when there is a noise heard, usually a whooshing or swishing noise, by the doctor between the beats of her heart, Lub-Dub (funny noise) lub-dub (funny noise) etc.

There are two types of heart murmurs are innocent (harmless) and abnormal.

We have been told that Claira has an Innocent heart murmur. This isn't caused by heart problems. These murmurs are common in healthy children. Many children will have heart murmurs heard by their doctors at some point in their lives.

To our disappointment, it turns out that Emilia has an abnormal heart murmur. She has little to no visiable signs or symptoms of heart problems. And we're told that most abnormal murmurs in children are caused by congenital heart defects. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. After several tests and visits to the pediatritian and now the pediatric cardiologist we've been told she has Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA).

PDA is a congenital disorder in heart wherein a neonate's ductus arteriosus (DA) fails to close after birth. In normal newborns, the DA is substantially closed within 12–24 hours after birth, and is completely sealed after three weeks. PDA is found in about 2 out of every 1,000 full-term babies and is twice as common in girls then boys. In Emilia's heart there is an irregular transmission of blood between two of the most important arteries close to the heart, the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This allows a portion of the oxygenated blood from the left heart to flow back to the lungs by flowing from the aorta (which has higher pressure) to the pulmonary artery.

Like I said before she has had little to no visiable signs or symptoms. She has had a few 'blue' episodes when she got too upset but I'm told that we are lucky she doesn't sweat when she eats and she is gaining weight---- both great signs. Because she is lacking these symptoms and she has no other heart defects her outlook is good. For now we wait and see if the hole closes on its own, we go back to the cardiologist in 3 months. At some point when time doesn't heal her then there are medication and surgery. We will have to look at those options when the time comes.

Now how am I feeling...well honestly when someone tell you your baby has a defect its hard not to feel like its your fault. I grew her and, well, I goofed somehow. But there is a lesson to be learned in every bump you hit in life. This will teach us something I just don't know what yet. I do know that after spending the morning people-watching at the Texas Children's Hospital, I'm so thankful that this is 'curable'; and that I have four almost healthy, perfect, children. We really are blessed.