Oliver just had his 6-month check-up with a cardiologist. The nurse checked his blood pressure and gave him an EKG. She asked if he's had one before, and I said, "Yes....a really long time ago," which is not really true, since it was only six months ago, but Oliver's so little - it's been a long time for him. I really don't think he remembers any of it. Right after his surgery he was terrified of the doctor, but now he looks at everything with curiosity and has no fear again. I thought he'd flip at the blood pressure - they took it so many times after the surgery, I don't blame him for hating it - but he didn't. He just watched it squeeze his arm and looked around calmly. They asked me if he was tired because he was being so quiet and still as they checked him, but I said no - he's just a good boy. The cardiologist checked his pulses and listened to his heart for a long time and said that everything looks and sounds really good. She said his aortic click is great, his pulses are strong - it was a good repair. YAY! She said she heard a small leak in his mitral valve, which I had her explain to me. My best summary is that his heart was enlarged before the surgery, and all that pressure caused this valve to be somewhat open when it's supposed to close. Now that his heart has returned to normal size, the valve is closing more like it should, though not all the way, and it may take some time to return to normal. She also said that even with a small leak, people can live long and healthy lives. So this is good news.

He goes back in six months for another check-up. On my drive home I tearfully composed another thank you letter to Oliver's heart surgeon. Dr. Peter Kouretas, thank you for studying so hard and being so smart. I love you for fixing my boy.