After Pierson's surgery we noticed several changes in him. Nothing too unusual that we wouldn't expect following a surgery as major as heart surgery, but still, some things. We really didn't think anything of it other than these changes are all part of the healing process and Pierson had been a very sick little boy leading up to the surgery.
Some of the things we noticed were that he would fall a lot, clenched his left arm to his side and had a crooked smile.
His preschool teachers noticed major discrepancies in where he should have been with his fine motor skills so we started occupational therapy in November. He has made a lot of progress but there were still some things that we just couldn't connect exclusively to muscle weakness. He had some other screenings and it was suggested that Pierson may have suffered a small stroke leading up to or after his heart surgery. The more I looked in to it the more I found out that small strokes were very common among kids with congenital heart disease. Still, I did not want to believe that this was what had happened to P. Stroke? That seemed serious.
After some encouragement from some specialists I finally got the name of a good neurologist who understands heart kids from two other amazing heart moms and made an appointment. Then I got scared and cancelled it. 5 times. What was I so afraid of? Sitting across from another specialist and hearing more bad news. I was talking to another heart mom who has also had her fair share of neurology consults for her daughter and her words were so comforting. Her daughter has overcome so much already. Why was I scared again? If she can do it I can do it.
So we went, Pierson was examined, the neurologist checked everything he needed to check. His verdict was he believes a small embolism broke off from his heart some time after his heart surgery and caused a small stroke on the right side of his brain. We've been doing the right thing getting him occupational therapy for the last nine months. The neurologist said if his right side strength is a perfect 10 then his left side strength is an 8. Not bad from where we started out. It will take him longer to do things like ride a bike, draw a picture, write words etc. But he will get there.
This is not anyone's fault. Pierson received the best care possible at his hospital and his doctors and nurses were second to none. This is just part of congenital heart disease -- It doesn't effect just the heart. I know a lot of heart kids who have had strokes. It just happens.
The funny thing is, hearing this news was not devastating. Finding out Pierson's heart was broken was like getting hit upside your entire body with a baseball bat. Finding out Pierson had a stroke was like finding a puzzle piece missing from a complicated puzzle you had been working on for a while. So, we're ok with this. It's done and we're working on correcting the effects of the stroke.
We're choosing to look at this as a way that God is building P's character. Having to work hard never killed anyone. He will grow up knowing his strength comes from the Lord, not himself.
Our prayer for Pierson is that his body and brain and heart will all continue to heal. He's still an average kid and to look at him you would never know anything was ever wrong with him. He's going to do just fine in life and like the neurologist said, 3 years old is a great time to have a stroke because you're already getting stronger and learning new skills anyway. He's got a lot of life to live. Live it out strong little man!
