Cole's Heart

Last week, I took Cole to the cardiologist. It turns out, that he's got a fairly common condition, which is causing his lips and chin to turn blue. It's called patent foramen ovale or PFO.

While a baby grows in the womb, there is a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the hole is called patent foramen ovale (PFO). The good news is that this is actually fairly common (it occurs in one in four people) and that the prognosis for people with PFO is good - there are no known risks or symptoms that accompany this particular condition. People with PFO just have PFO - they grow up to be healthy, contributing members of society. There's even a chance that Cole's hole may close over the next several weeks. The cardiologist said that we could come back to monitor the hole, but that there was no reason to do so.

So - that's the story. Thank God - our little boy is healthy!