Arrythmias

I've mentioned before about how Aiden's heart does weird things with his heartbeat. Sometimes it will be really high (in the 220s high), known as ventricular tachycardia. Since his last heart cath, it has periods where it is really low (40s), known as atrial bradycardia.

Thursday, we met with one of Aiden's doctors from his hospital stay in OKC (that's where he had his reparative heart surgery for the AV Canal defect and when the tachy episodes began). Instead of having to drive the 2.5 hours to OKC to see him, he came to Tulsa to Dr. Cardiologist's office. YEAH!!!!

First, when we get there, the receptionist made the comment that it isn't a week unless they see Aiden. Sadly, we are there once a week be it for a checkup or his Holter monitor. I had to fill out some paperwork for Dr. Electro-physiologist. Donna, the receptionist took Aiden to see where Aiden's chart was located. Apparently, he has a "floating" chart. It goes from one doctor to another in the office.

If you aren't aware of what an electro-physiologist is, that is a cardiologist who specializes in just the heart beat. A heart has an electrical system that makes the heart beat in a specific rhythm. This electrical system is called a "natural pacemaker".

Guess what? Aiden has two of these pacemakers. The second pacemaker is strong enough that it wants to take over causing the first pacemaker to become weaker. This is what is causing Aiden's irregular heartbeats. Oh, and it could cause an enlarged heart down the road.

The fix? Right now, Aiden is on medications to regulate his heart beat. We changed the dosage of one and switched the other to pill form. Dr. Electro-physiologist doesn't like Amiodarone in a compounded form; he said that the concentration loses it effectiveness. How does one get a 16 month old to swallow a pill? We crush up half of this pill and mix with a few CCs of water. Then into a syringe. And pray that Aiden doesn't spit it out.

If this current regiment of medications doesn't work, Aiden will be admitted into the hospital for observation while new medications are attempted.

And if that doesn't work, Aiden will undergo another surgery to place a temporary pacemaker into his chest and abdomen. The wires will stick out of his heart and the actual pacemaker will be in his belly. When Aiden is, oh say, 7 or 8, he will then undergo another surgery inside of his heart to destroy the second natural pacemaker.

Yes folks, this really is a heart only a mother could love.