Last week my BFF Tori and I left our kids with their fathers and grandparents and headed to Vermont for a few days of yoga, music, relaxation, and fun. We had such a good time that we were already mentally planning next year’s trip. I even took an extra day off from work and went to the beach with Hannah, Grandma, and Pete’s brother. I woke up high on life and completely refreshed Tuesday morning. I was actually looking forward to Hannah’s cardiology appointment because her last one in November resulted in a clean bill of health.

I let my guard down and the Universe came in swinging and knocked me on me knees. Life has a funny way of being a total bitch like that.

Hannah has scar tissue, called a subaortic membrane, that has grown significantly since her last appointment. Her cardiologist failed to mention its existence in November so it came as quite a shock. The scar tissue causes two issues: the heart has to work harder to pump the blood out to the body, and the high-pressure jet of blood can also damage the aortic valve. Look for the black arrow in the picture below for a visual.

The solution? Open heart surgery within the next six to twelve months.

The first step; however, is a sedated echocardiogram to get a better idea of the actual size of the membrane. We have to wait until the end of July for that because the hospital only performs them twice a month. Until then we’ll wait, and pray, and continue to have a badass summer with our little love.