Monthly Archives: October 2022

Milky Way and Needing a New Heart

Wow – the Milky Way

A couple of weeks ago, we went to family camp at Roundup River Ranch Family near Gypsum, CO. I don’t think we were every there without cloud cover. This time we could see the Milky Way, shooting stars, and watch satellites crossing the night sky. Zayne did the usual camp stuff – archery and boating. There was even a car show to enjoy.

Zayne wants an old sports car
Zayne reading from Colorado Roadside Geology

During the drive, Zayne read from Colorado Roadside Geology book (for only 5 minutes, but it was a start).

Archery

Zayne’s heart isn’t doing so well. She has cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) – this is where heart blood vessels become blocked. CAV a progressive type of coronary artery disease that is related to transplants – the only definitive long-term treatment for advanced CAV is re-transplantation. Right now, Zayne is on the heart transplant waiting list as a level 2 (this means it is not a rush). The car is packed, my cell phone is always on, and we are limited to being within a 2 hour drive of the hospital. Next month, she will have a special heart catherization where the blockage in her circumflex artery will be measured. If oxygen levels are reduced, a stent will be placed, and there will be a petition to move her up to the next waiting list level (more urgent need for a new heart). Unlike coronary artery disease (CAD), a stent will only be a temporary help for CAV – the plaque will grow over the stent.

So, play, ride horses, go to school (against Zayne’s wishes), and wait…..

We had fun at an amusement park

Bumper Boats with water guns
Race car driving
First time driving
Don’t tell anyone, but here is another driving first (for real)

The old blog subscription add-on no longer works, so I’m trying a couple of things to enable email notifications for new blog posts.

Comments Off on Milky Way and Needing a New Heart

Filed under Fun