Trials

Hello All. My wife and I have been experiencing some trials over the last four months. If you read this blog I am asking for your prayers, please. Shawna has been having sever tiredness after giving birth to our son. Since the delivery she has had a few health issues. This all may run together or it may not but it is my best effort to post a coherent list of events. To simplify Shawna has 3 major issues right now. 1 Heart issues due to a congenital heart defect, 2 Hepatitis C which was contracted during a open heart surgery in 1987, and 3 a large spot on her liver.
Please forgive me if things get confusing during this post. Here is the latest with Shawna's health. She had a doctors visit today with the stomach doctor concerning a large spot on her liver and hepatitis C treatment. We found out that the hepatitis C is a very mild strain 1 A which is the most common. Also 1A has a very low virus load, so treatment should be easy.
But this doctor is very concerned about the spot on Shawna's liver. The doctors office is scheduling Shawna with an appointment at the UAB comprehensive cancer center. At UAB they are going to preform more scans and tests. At this point the test will be to try to determine what this spot is exactly, benign or cancerous. I am praying that it is not cancer. Right now Shawna has two major issues. One is her heart, we are praying that will be treatable by oral medication and not require another surgery; and the other is the spot on her liver.
We just returned from an over night stay at UAB becasue Shawna had a Heart Catherization that required hospitalization. Here is a little more history on that.
She did not need a stint installed as previously thought from her doctors. The Pulmonary artery stenosis is not causing Shawna's tiredness. The doctor said that there are 3 or 4 small things that are probably culminating and attributing to the tiredness, swelling, and shortness of breath. Shawna was born with Truncus arteriosus. Truncas is characterized by a large ventricular septal defect over which a large, single great vessel (truncus) arises. Basically a normal heart has a clear path to the left and right ventricle, truncas patients do not. She has patch that closes the hole in her heart, and a human piece that connects all the ventricles together.
Here are the findings. A normal pulmonary artery size is 18 - 25mm. Shawna's left ventricle is 33mm and her right is 12mm, that size difference is what was seen on the CT scans and caused the doctors for alarm, but it is fine. Now were the (homograph) the human organ installed to fix the truncas; is narrowed by maybe only 10% where the ventricle attaches to the homograph, again not a big deal. The doctor found that there are small mild leaks where the homograph attaches to the right and left ventricle. Also the homograph is a little aged; it is actually 21 years old. Shawna knew that it might have needed to be replaced years ago.
Now the big unexpected finding is this. Where her aorta where attaches to the homograph has some tearing and is leaking on a moderate level. The doctor said that would probably be the explanation as to why her symptoms worsened at the last trimester and have not gotten better. When there is moderate leakage a person will experience heart failure symptoms, such as swelling in ankles and hands, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Shawna exhibits all of these. The doctor(s) believe that all of these mild leaks plus the moderate leak are causing her problems.
Here is the solution. The doctors have increased her water pill dosage, and have added a new medicine to her regimen. The new medicine will help to get maximum blood flow to the heart, which we all hope will make the leakages minimal, and Shawna will start feeling better. The trial period for this is 2 to 3 months. If Shawna is not getting better she will need another open heart surgery. The open heart surgery will involve replacing the homograph conduit connecting the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. Unfortunately the conduit may become narrowed or stenotic over time. Thus, it may have to be replaced from time to time. Shawna has been blessed that she has been able to go so long with out needed a replacement. The surgery will also involve an Aortic valve replacement. Apparently the tearing of this and leakiness over time often need to be replaced in truncas patients.
Our prayers are that our family as a whole will look to the Lord for strength, courage, his will in the midst of circumstances, and give him praise and adoration.
Also we are praying that the new medicine will work well for Shawna and avoid a surgery right now. And finally we are praying that the spot on here liver is benign. Please pray with us.

Blessings,
-Aaron