Brady had a routine follow-up appointment today with his cardiologist. When Brady was a baby his pediatrician noticed a murmur (essentially a non-textbook sounding heart) and she sent us off to Children's Healthcare for further investigation. We have followed the murmur for several years, and it appears to be completely innocent.
At age five, the murmur is still present and still strong enough to be heard in his neck and other areas of his body, so the cardiologist today decided to perform an ecocardiogram in addition to the standard ekg. While it is clear that his blood flow increases speed just below the aortic valve , it is unclear as to why. There are no visible signs of narrowing or tissue malfunction, and the flow appears consistent and unstressed.
What does this mean? Brady has some funny, funky thing with his heart, and it's inexplainable. Diasnosis? We'll continue to follow the murmur as his body grows to ensure that the aortic valve doesn't begin to narrow, but other than that ... Keep eating healthfully, keep exercising, and just keep on keeping on.
Today's appointment really got me thinking about the best ways to keep my kids healthy. And, the answer is clear - be a good example.
So with that, I want to take a few moments to showcase the man who works hard to keep this family safe, secure and most importantly, very well loved.
Just about two years ago Bill had a wake-up moment and realized that his physical health was not top-notch. Looking forward to our future and the boys’ futures, Bill decided to tackle this situation as he does all others – head on.
He began eating better and exercising. He would get up early in the morning, wander sleepy-eyed down to the treadmill in the basement, and in the beginning, he would walk. As he began to lose some weight and strengthen his body, he began to run within those walks. And as time went on, running became easier and more enjoyable, and he found himself being rewarded with the results.
Dropping weight and lowering pants sizes, people began to really take notice. Folks who hadn’t seen him in a while would be stunned at how great he was looking, and the many compliments were both hard earned and well deserved.
Always the goal-oriented guy, Bill began to set targets for himself. It started with simply participating in and finishing 10k races, progressed to a half-marathon this past spring, and these days he challenges himself with speed-focused 10ks and another half-marathon in the coming weeks. I have watched his body and his confidence transform – and WOW, I love what I see! I don’t even mind the doubling of laundry that this creates!
Bill is healthier than I have ever known him (and that’s been 15 years!) Today it’s as if running has become part of his being, and every day when Brady and Parker see him exercising he shares that commitment to health with them.
When Bill comes home on the weekends from a 10+ mile run, he is sweaty, smelly and tired for sure, but he is also clearly stronger and renewed. I watch the faces of the boys, and the enormity of their admiration amazes and inspires me.
Brady and Parker look upon Bill with such awe and pride, and he is teaching them that it’s important and worthwhile to keep their bodies moving and healthy – not by talk, but by example. What a precious and essential life lesson!
To Brady and Parker it is clear … Daddy is a real-life Superhero.
2 comments:
funny ... i was thinking heart and soul by t'pau ... another '80s classic!
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