I took Anatomy in high school, but I guess I wasn't paying much attention when we learned about the heart. No matter how many doctors I talk to, I can't seem to get a good grasp on my baby's heart defect and pulmonary hypertension. Yesterday my mother-in-law sent a letter to my older son explaining why his brother needs the constant low-flow oxygen he has recently been prescribed. It is the best description I've ever read: Hi again Caspian! I wanted to tell you a story about why your brother needs oxygen, and what the doctors will be fixing in his heart when he gets a little bigger.... Think of Benny's heart and lungs as a little house, with a furnace to keep it warm. It's cold outside, and Benny's little house has a door, and a window, and that furnace. Because it's cold outside, Benny likes, and needs, to have a warm little house. Benny has to go outside frequently to get supplies--food, air, and wood for his furnace. Every time he goes outside, he opens the door and then closes it behind him, so the house won't get cold. But Benny's door doesn't close quite right. The door to YOUR house opens only one way on its hinge, and it closes tight when it closes. Then to open it, it takes some effort.... you have to turn the knob, and pull it open. And when the wind is blowing hard outside against it, even in a storm, the door doesn't blow open on its own. It's SHUT, and shut tight. But Benny's door to his house is more of a swinging door. It sometimes moves BOTH ways, and if there's a big wind outside, the pressure can blow it open and let the cold air in, even though Benny wants his house to stay tight and cozy warm. Sometimes that door is just not tight. Also, Benny's window doesn't quite close. The glass doesn't go all the way down to the bottom--there's a few inches that are always open. The window wasn't measured absolutely correctly when it was made. So cold air is always coming into Benny's little house. That makes the furnace work overtime, and harder than it should. In the real world, Benny now has oxygen--which you can think of acting in Benny's little imaginary heart and lung house as being an extra heater. It takes some of the burden off his furnace in keeping his house warm. It also acts sort of as super fuel for his furnace itself, and protects it from getting overworked. When Benny has his surgery, the doctors will do two things: 1. They will create a bottom to Benny's constantly open window. They'll put another piece of good, strong glass in that window, and then it will shut tight--not letting in any more cold air all the time. When the window has to open, it will open. When it has to shut, it will thus be able to shut. No more always a little open, letting in cold air. 2. They will fix Benny's door. No more swinging open with big winds outside. They will fix it so that it will only open ONE way, and when it closes it will shut tight. When the door has to open to get supplies, it will open, and then shut tight afterwards....not only to not let in cold air constantly, but also to not let those supplies roll away by accident. So then, instead of Benny's little house being cold all the time-- because cold air is always coming in from the window and door that don't shut tight-- thus making his little furnace work so hard, and constantly, to help keep the house warm----with a repaired door and window, his furnace can work normally, like it should, and not so hard all the time. Also, Benny's house will be warmer and more comfortable. Everything will be easier, and more comfortable for Benny, once that door and window are fixed. So until then, the oxygen will help his little furnace--take some of the burden off it by acting as super fuel for it, and also by acting as an extra heater. It isn't heat, though, that's the issue--it's oxygen. Benny's heart and lungs need some help right now to circulate oxygen to his body. Our hearts actually have (what you could call) windows and doors between its chambers (the four "rooms" inside our hearts). They have to open one way, and one way ONLY,and they have to shut tight, and not open up backwards with pressure against them. Those doors and windows are called heart valves. So the doctors will fix up Benny's heart, so that his heart home will stay nice and cozy warm, and his real body will be able to obtain and distribute oxygen well. Then when he gets older, and learns from you and your parents how to run around and ride a bike and swim, his body will have the energy and oxygen to do all that. The doctors know all about how to fix things. Benny just needs to get a little bigger first, before the surgery, and the oxygen he's using now will keep things going okay until that time. You of course can't explain all this to Benny, but when you talk to him,you can tell him that even though sometimes having to have oxygen is blech, it's really helping, and it will be okay. He'll always have someone nearby to take care of him and keep him company. So, big brother--I hope school is fun--your clubs, your friends, your teachers. Send us an Email and tell us when you get a chance. Love, Grandma and Grandpa
5 Comments
jenna
10/14/2014 04:17:44 am
genius.
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1/15/2015 09:34:50 pm
I wish someone would have explained things to me this way! Lovely. Best of luck! Our son had two open heart surgeries and came through like a champ both times. We had to slow him down! Can't wait to read the next update!
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Teresa Blevans
4/7/2015 07:56:19 pm
Wow! Aren't Grandmas the best!
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Taymar
4/8/2015 06:52:22 am
Yes, Grandma's are the best!
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12/14/2017 07:18:53 am
When you have a new born baby in your home , the supply of oxygen must be given properly so that baby will not lack of oxygen. Through oxygen concentrator you can give those supply to the baby.
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April 2022
AuthorSince becoming a mom to a little boy with Trisomy 21 I have written a lot about Down syndrome and disabilities. I am a storyteller, wife and mom to a teen and a toddler. Life is busy! Categories
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