More on the J Dawg

Yesterday we spent a lovely 4 1/2 hours at UMC with two different doctors trying to determine what to do about JD's heart. And now, we are more confused than ever!

Doctor 1 is a world renowned cardiologist who met with JD. He looked at the bubble study that was done at St. Joes and said he wasn't totally convinced JD had a hole in his heart at all. He has requested that JD do another bubble study to be sure. That is scheduled for Thursday and Monday we will go in for the results. The doctor did say that if there were a hole in his heart, he would do the full blown open heart surgery. He said once into where his heart is, it's a less than 5 minute procedure. But that's cutting him open, opening his ribs, stopping his heart, the whole 9 yards. Really scary.

Doctor 2 is a young doctor who believes that he can close it using the PFO closure device. They go up the artery in the leg and insert a cylinder looking metal thing into his heart to close the hole. The problem we got with him is that he sounded like a salesman. He didn't feel the need to look at JD's other documents or images and finally agreed to take them home at look at them after we insisted. He sounded competitive with Doctor 1 and made comments about him. However, one thing that he said really resonates with us: why go in and do full blown open heart surgery when all they will be doing is inserting one stitch? However, Doctor 1 said that he's had to go in and remove pieces of these metal contraptions before because they break or shift. Doctor 2 said that because it's a PFO closure, the chances of those things happening are slim.

We don't know WHAT to do. On the one hand, it would be nice to know it's just stitched up and we don't have to worry about some crazy device that has not actually been used for very long in the medical field. But on the other hand- open heart surgery?!?

And Doctor 1 isn't even sure there is a hole. But if the doctor at St. Joes says there's one and Doctor 2 says there's one, who do you believe?

I'm inclined to take a trip to Hawaii and forget this all happened, but if there's a hole in his heart in Tucson, there will still be a hole in his heart in Hawaii.....

I know that the Lord will guide us in the right direction, but I also know He doesn't give all the answers all at once. I've tried convincing Him otherwise, but it hasn't worked.