The Hoyer lift has been living in the corner of Kiran’s room for years. Covered by insurance, I made sure we got it before Kiran got too big and caregivers had trouble transferring him from his wheelchair to other locations (the couch, his changing table, his bed).

As experience has taught me, and as Kiran has gotten heavier and heavier (70 pounds now!), I realize he is capable of helping enough with transfers that we don’t need the restriction of the Hoyer lift. Nana and Papa recently gifted us a different transfer device that allows Kiran to stand with a seat behind him and transfer from one location to another. I have been meaning to take the Hoyer lift to the basement, to store it there.

Because we will still need it. In passing, flippantly in conversation, I’ve mentioned in the past few months that someday when Kiran has his open heart surgery, we will need it. There are lifting restrictions that will require its use during recovery time.

So, naturally, today, I decided it must go to the basement immediately.

Because, just maybe, if it’s stored in the basement, he won’t need it next summer. We will be able to go the less invasive route and intervene on his heart in the cath lab again, and we won’t need to worry about weeks of recovery and lifting restrictions and using this Hoyer lift.

And then I think: But what if he doesn’t need it.

Well, I forgot to worry. I went into today’s cardiology appointment without the usual level of anxiety. It was Kiran’s follow-up after the heart intervention in June.

And the news? Unexpected.

The pressure that sent us to the Cath lab in the first place measured the same today as it did pre-Cath.

We knew the Cath lab intervention would be temporary, but temporary typically means 6-12 months, at least. We were told 1-3 years was a possibility before the next intervention. You might remember that post.

Well. This can be typical. Sometimes, the calcification that happens can fall away during the cath and then come back quickly. Also, when Kiran’s conduit was injured during the cath lab (the reason we had to spend the night in the hospital for monitoring), no other interventions were going to happen.

So, here we are. Back to where we were. Only now, the cardiologist is presenting open heart surgery as a feasible next step. We will know more at his appointment in January. His doctor will want to present his case both to the cath team and the surgical team to determine best course of action.

Either way, we will be preparing for another heart intervention next summer. As long as Kiran remains stable and nothing drastic changes.

I am still processing, and I haven’t really dealt with my feelings about all of this, but I know so many of you follow Kiran’s journey.

The journey continues, and we are so glad you are along for the ride with us ❤️