Update from Cardiologist Appt 26wks 1day:

First, I have to say Dr. Galas, Pediatric Cardiologist w/ All Childrens is amazing! He is one of the kindest, knowledgeable and most caring Dr's I have ever met. His bedside manner is impeccable. We are blessed to have Bella under his care for sure. Everyone at All Children's (so far) has been fantastic. Thank goodness. If you should ever have the need for a Pedi. Cardiologist.... Dr. Galas is the one!

Appointment went well yesterday (she is 2lbs 1 oz!!) , looking at the blood flow and valves....Dr Galas says he thinks everything looks good. Good squeezing, good pumping and no leaky valves (which is great news!) Her heart (obviously) was a wee bit larger so the scan was def. needed to get a more definitive answer on her condition.  I will go back again for a 3rd Echo in approx 4-6 weeks to look again. Dr. Galas thinks she has what they call a "Holmes Heart". This is a very rare condition, where there is an absence of the inflow tract of the morphologically right ventricle (RV) and hence a single left ventricle (LV). The great vessels are normally related, with the pulmonary artery arising from the small infundibular outlet chamber, and the aorta arising from the single left ventricle.

I know, that sounds like a lot of Dr mumbo-jumbo for sure. Basically, he thinks its the same at the other diagnosis, except the right ventricle is not an outlet, just an inlet for blood. Her blood is still mixing together, and she will still need multiple open heart surgeries. Depending on her vitals/tests/echo's when she arrives will depend on if they do the surgery right away OR if they will wait until she's about 4mo old. It will all depend on her & if she can function with her clean and dirty blood mixing.

I have been researching this condition, and it seems as if the "Holmes Heart" is very rare. The Holmes heart is named after Dr. Andrew F. Holmes, who first described an autopsy specimen of this congenital heart defect in 1824. Dr. Holmes later became the first Dean of the Medical Faculty at McGill University in Canada.

Interesting. The more and more I learn about the heart, the more it interests me for sure.

Another thing, since we will be delivering at Bayfront Medical Ctr/All Children's in St. Pete, we will probably have a stay at the Ronald McDonald House. After speaking with the nice lady there, I am in awe of what this organization does for families who's children require a hospital stay and need a place to unwind. Located across the street from the hospital, the Ronald McDonald house is a low cost "hotel" if you will.... that you can stay at when your child is hospitalized. I never would of thought we would be looking at our options to stay there, but what a WONDERFUL option it is. One less thing to stress about. Thank God!

A stay there right away may not be necessary, but soon enough if will become inevitable. I would like to help with their "wish list" as much as possible: http://www.rmhctampabay.com/images/pdf/SP%20Needs%20Feb%202011.pdf  and have already started collecting items to bring with me to my hospital tour on July 9th. If anyone has any of these items they would like to donate, you can bring them to the Baby Shower or we can meet up. I know they would be very grateful. They are doing awesome things for sure!! Thanks for you support, prayers and for getting this far.