As passionate as I am about supporting Help-A-Heart and raising awareness about congenital heart defects, I find myself rarely thinking about Kiran’s heart.  He has been that stable since heart surgery in September 2016.  We are so lucky for that.

And – I have to admit – I am overwhelmed thinking about all of the other diagnoses and daily cares he has going on.  Right now, he seems to be getting in all four molars, so that has been a big focus.  Did you know poops become more acidic when you are teething?  Yeah, raw sore bum is another focus.  And of course, our normal focuses of eating and mobility and gaining cognitive skills and figuring out how to communicate.

I don’t think about his heart.

This morning, I am.  We have a dentist appointment at 8 am.  Kiran will always have to take amoxicillin prior to any dental appointment – cleaning or work being done, doesn’t matter – because he is at increased risk to develop an infection that would affect his heart.  Because of his heart defects.

Forever.  This is why people talk about there being no cure for congenital heart defects.  Not only will Kiran have to have other procedures done in his life for valve replacements, but he will also have to have lifelong monitoring and extra precautions like amoxicillin before the dentist.

Not a huge deal.  So I put 10 ml of medicine through his g-tube a half hour before the dentist.  But, in our life, it’s another thing to remember.  Another extra step.  He will always need this extra step.

And this morning, I remember his heart.  And mostly, I am just thankful amoxicillin is our biggest concern regarding it right now.