Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return

As Nathan regained consciousness after heart surgery, I wanted to snap a photo to record the moment.  Partially out of habit, and partially out of pure joy at seeing his eyes flicker, I blurted out, “Smile!”  Instantly, I felt ashamed of myself given the ordeal he had just come through.  But ever-obedient, his lips slowly [...]

Continue reading about Remembering C.S. Mott; Nathan Wakes Up After Heart Surgery

Karen on June 16th, 2009

Traci Doland keeps me posted on her cute little guy, Broady.  Like my Nathan, Broady has Scimitar Syndrome.  His surgery has not been scheduled yet, but he will undergo a procedure to repair Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return by baffling to the left atrium.  He will also require resection of the right lower lung because [...]

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Karen on May 26th, 2009

This is one of the best illustrations I have found for explaining PAPVR. Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (PAPVR) is a rare congenital heart defect in which blood flow from one or more of the pulmonary veins return to the right atrium instead of to the left atrium.  This is a problem because the right [...]

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Karen on April 27th, 2009

When faced with a complicated congenital heart defect, confidence in the skill and expertise of your child’s surgeon is of paramount importance.  When our son, Nathan, was diagnosed with Scimitar Syndrome, a rare condition characterized by dextrocardia, pulmonary hypoplasia, and Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, we soon learned that our local surgeons had no personal [...]

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Karen on April 22nd, 2009

The Sunday before Nathan’s back surgery (to correct Congenital Kyphosis), I knew his last fun event would be the Awana Club meeting held that night at our church, Grace Memorial.  By the week’s end, he would be recovering in a body cast, a fact that had Bryan, me, and other family members sad and worried.  [...]

Continue reading about Before the Back Surgery: Nathan’s Awana Letter