Marcue update #15

Hi. It's really late but I really wanted to get this out so people could start praying for Marcus in force again.

The cardiologist found fluid around Marcus's heart again today (Pericardial Effusion). He had it when he was born and had to have a needle stuck in his chest after birth to have it removed so his heart could function. It was not there in March, but is there now. He is not sure why. He has ordered a repeat echocardiogram for the end of next week down at Phoenix Childrens Hospital, and there is a chance that they may have to try to remove the fluid again.

He has also ordered some lab work to try to find out what has caused the fluid to return. One thing he is checking is Marcus's thyroid. I tried to have the labs done today, but they couldn't get it. They tried for over an hour, 3 different people tried. They stuck him 3 times and got nothing. It was a long day.

And there was a bit of good news - Marcus's VSD(Ventrical Septal Defect - hole between the lower cambers of the heart) looks like it is totally closed. His ASD(Atrial Septal Defect - hole between the upper cambers of the heart) however is still really open. If this doesn't close soon Marcus will have to have open heart surgery to repair it. That is obviously something that I would rather not do if possible.

I will be at Phoenix Childrens Hospital with Marcus tomorrow afternoon at the appointments I told you about in the last update, so I hope to get the lab work done while there tomorrow. They have a lot more experience drawing blood from babies - I know it from experience. They are great!

I will update you when I know more. For now please pray for Marcus. This is pretty serious. He is otherwise very healthy right now, and very happy. He is about 12 3/4 lbs. and about 25 in. long now.

Thanks. Kim