Part 3

Tuesday, August 3rd, I went to meet with the Shields Family - Paul, Sandi, and Sarah. What an amazing family they are! I shared with them my story, they shared with me their daughter's story, and then we both gleaned information from each other. It was wonderful to talk to someone else who had experienced something like this. It felt so right.....just meant to be. I left feeling that the Lord had put them in my path for a reason. I also left knowing I had made some lifelong friends. What a wonderful blessing and miracle!

I came home, discussed many thing with Keven, and went to bed feeling very much at peace.

The next morning I received an email from Paul. He was able to email his daughter's pediatric cardiologist to see if Dr. Yetman was the right doctor to see and this doctor quickly responded that she was indeed the right person to see. She said she planned to refer their daughter to Dr. Yetman as soon as she reached adulthood. I was excited to hear that news and proceeded to call Dr. Yetman's office for an appointment.

When I called Dr. Yetman's office they told me her first opening would be in September. I knew it would probably be a wait to get in to see her so I didn't fret much about having to wait so long. In my heart I just felt like it would all work out.

I emailed the Shields to let them know I had scheduled an appointment and to thank them for their help. About a half hour later I received a call from Sandi. Paul and Sandi had once again emailed their doctor asking if I should wait so long to be seen. They immediately got a response from their doctor stating that I should not wait and in fact she had taken the initiative to talk to Dr. Yetman. Sandi gave me the phone # for Dr. Yetman's nurse who was waiting for me to call. I called this nurse, Nancy - who is super nice!, and she had me set up to come into their office the next afternoon!

Wow!! That was surely a miracle and blessing! I was once again reminded the Heavenly Father puts people into our lives for specific reasons. How grateful I am to all these people who have put me into the right places - Yeehaw, Megan, The Shields. How grateful I am to my Father in Heaven for His watchful eye!

Thursday I went up to Primary Children's Hospital. I started my afternoon with an Echo cardiogram, Bubble Study, and EKG. I could see that my heart rhythm was doing some weird things. After the tests I met with Dr. Yetman and her resident, Dr. Lou. Super nice ladies! Both doctors listened to my story, asked lots of questions, and then explained what was going on. #1 - My heart rhythm is off. I have a 2nd degree heart block, which causing it is be irregular, slow, making me feel off. So no driving was then put into place. #2 - There is some obstruction in my tricuspid valve. Dr. Yetman was great to explain all this to me and then explain the plan of action. First, we would do an exercise test to see what my heart rhythm does when I exercise. After that we would do Cardiac Catherization. This cardiac cath is a same-day surgical procedure in which they go up your femoral artery with a little camera and look inside your heart. She said this was the only way to determine if I needed another heart surgery. It would also determine what they would do about my rhythm problem.

Those answers may seem scary, but to me they put relief on my system. Now I had answers. Now I knew what was happening. Now there was a plan of action to resolve the issue. That provided peace for me. Also, it seems like during my whole life I have had this cloud over my head - the cloud of when will I need another heart surgery? Dr. Yetman said that this surgical procedure will give us that answer. Either I will need surgery or I won't and I won't ever.

I spent some more time talking about other issues with the doctor. Would I need a valve replacement? Could they do this new cone procedure? Was I able to have more children? She was able to answer some of my questions. Others would have to wait until we knew what was going to happen.

So that is where we are at. My exercise test is set for tomorrow. They are supposed to set up my Cardiac Cath for sometime over the next week or two. I am getting more anxious to know what is going to happen - BUT, overall I know it will all work out. I know the Lord has been with me during the last crazy week and He will continue to open up pathways. Of that I have no doubt!