bruit

Yeah -- we didn't know what that was either until recently.

We found out though after Zachary's right arm started turning blue.  Turns out a bruit is the sound  that blood makes when it rushes past an obstruction, like a blood clot.  Not sure that's what it is yet, but the pediatrician and cardiologist are sufficiently concerned that they've decided to do an ultrasound to find out.

His arm started turning purplish-blue a couple weeks ago.  Sometimes just for a few minutes.  Sometimes for half an hour or so.  The thought is that maybe some blood on the way back to the heart is being blocked from leaving his arm because of an obstruction somwehere.

He had an U/S a while back because he has some prominent veins in his neck and chest that his cardiologist thinks may be the result of previous clots, which are not uncommon in kiddos who have had risk factors like central lines, of which he had three for many, many months.  Too soon to speculate on what the path forward will be if clots are found, though the good news is that it appears not to be cardiac related. 

The coming month is going to be important because, in addition to the U/S, he has another sleep study scheduled mid-month.  The study will require an overnight in the hospital and help determine whether he still needs to be on he ventilator when sleeping. 

If not, we will probably be able to start weaning that in hopes of shedding it for good in the Fall.  If he still needs the vent, probably will be vent-dependent at night through year's end, when the sleep study will be repeated.

Keep your fingers crossed!