"Fantastic"

Yep, those words actually came out of Zoe's cardiologist's mouth today. I don't think I've ever heard him say "fantastic" in the last two years. She looks "fantastic!"

Zoe did wonderfully during her appointment. Well, except for that blood pressure cuff. She HATES it. She cooperated for her pulse ox test (89) and EKG, but we weren't lucky in getting a good BP reading because she just WASN'T having it.

We were really concerned since this was the face she gave me right before heading into the echo room. I asked her if she was going to cooperate and this is the face I got...

But, she did cooperate - thanks to Dora's Pirate Adventure (and a new beanie baby pound puppy, and some bubbles, and a lolly pop...) And now you wonder why she's such a "stinker"; she plays the game of Manipulation very well!

So, the bottom line of today's appointment is that Zoe's heart looks great. Her function is normal, her flow looks good, she has no leak in her functioning valve (the tricuspid valve) and Dr. Stock said her heart sounds "great!" Overall, we couldn't have received a better report. The thought is to continue with her current medication regimin and plan on her third open heart surgery (the Fontan) between age 3-4, perhaps we'll shoot for the Fall of 2013.

As we were driving home (after jumping up and down in the Phoenix Children's Hospital parking garage), I felt the guilt creeping in (yep, for those of you without chronically sick kiddos, that is normal). I felt guilty for being so happy and that Zoe is doing so well. I see way too much suffering and death and to be happy feels 'wrong' in a sense. But, I decided that I refuse to feel bad today and that I'm going to be happy, to be ecstatic over the wonderful news we received.

ZOE ROCKED IT TODAY and I'M SO HAPPY AND PROUD!

Thanks to all of you who texted, wrote messages and sent good thoughts and prayers up for us today. I felt the love!!!

And, if you haven't had enough Zoe, she'll be making another appearance on the local news on Monday night (KTVK-Channel 3). She's now not only raising awareness for Congenital Heart Defects, but doing some much-needed lobbying in Arizona. Really, she could be a liberal lobbying cardiologist in 20 years... only time will tell.