Medicine.  This is another area we have been very fortunate.  I always pause when I say that – when I put those words out there – how fortunate we have been on this heart journey.  We are.  It’s true.  But I always think about how fortunate we would have been, not having to be on it at all.

Kiran didn’t need heart medication until he was about five months old.  At that point, he was put on furosemide (commonly known as lasix) in order to pull excess fluid from his blood vessels and organs.  A lot of patients living with congestive heart failure (which, pre-surgery, Kiran was, essentially, living with heart failure) are put on this medication.  It may be one Kiran needs in the future as well.  However, from post-open heart surgery to the present time, Kiran has not needed this medicine.

Also heart-related, Kiran had to take half a baby aspirin for six months following his open heart surgery.  This is standard practice, to use a mild blood thinner for a period of time following heart surgery.  Like his furosemide, this had to be given through Kiran’s feeding tube.  We had to split the baby aspirin pills and dissolve half in water to be able to push through his tube.

We are currently still enjoying life in the medicine-free zone.  I like it here.  As with all things heart-related, I don’t know how long we get to be in this place.  But I am thankful we are here now.