[tri-med] Re: Bio-ethicists


>>>>>>>>>So sometimes when a doctor listens to a heart that has holes and
says "Its
not as loud, it must be getting smaller" that may not actually be the case.
If the sound is less it may be because the hole has gotten larger or because
there is a more even pressure between the two chambers. (due to back flow or
hypertension)<<<<<<<<<<<


a "loud mummer is generally a small mummer ie I can hear Rebecca's all over
her chest wall. A quite mummer is usually larger, that is why so many are
missed at birth ( if it's a big defect there is so much cross mixing of
blood you just cant hear it) think of a garden hose, flowing freely it is
kind of passive that's the large hole in  the heart, put your finger over
the end of the hose and its noisy that's the small hole in the heart




we were never offered surgery, and since Rebecca is 12 and 1/2 certainly
things have changed since she was small, no one has ever told me she should
have heart surgery and it was never offered, no one has ever said that she
has pulmonary hypertension and I suppose not knowing this is odd considering
that I am a nurse, but it has never effected her health other then she is
always pale but as I speak or type she is awake and it is 3:17 am  ( so I am
sure to get notes home from school that she slept all day)  as Karen said
you have to go where you are comfortable,  I for one am glad I was never
presented with the option of heart surgery............was it warranted I
don't know............was it not offered because of the t18 I don't know,
remember 12 years ago it was different..........but I am glad I didn't have
to make those decisions

Susan mom to Rebecca


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

Other related posts: