Breathe!!!

Yesterday Tyler had his long awaited appointment with the pediatric pulmonologist.

For kids born with diaphragmatic hernias, they face a lifetime of MAJOR lung issues. When Tyler was born, his lower organs were all squished up into his chest, which made his left lung only develop to a little nubby, about the size of his newborn fist. As time has gone on, he has re-written medical books by doing what research says is impossible.... growing new lung tissue.

Well, at his 5 year check up, we got the shock of our lives when it looked as though his left lung had expanded to a full lung!!!! Our doctor ordered a second x-ray, because what he was seeing, he thought was impossible. Sure enough, his 2 lungs LOOKED equal. So, since then, we've been waiting for him to get old enough to do a lung function test and see if they are actually working.

Yesterday was the day!!!! When we got to Dr. Pfeffer (his pulmonologist from Primary Children's), she couldn't believe her eyes. Seeing a healthy boy is NOT what she expected!!! She quizzed me about his breathing and activities and kept showing her amazement about how well he's doing. She talked to him and asked him about his asthma, he asked her what asthma was. She was in awe. She NEVER treats CDH patients that DON'T have asthma. Well, Tyler doesn't!!!

As she listened to his lungs, she kept shaking her head. She just could believe that she was hearing full sounds on both lungs. She listened over and over, thinking she was getting it wrong. But she was hearing him right!!! Then it was time for the pulmonary (lung) function test. He had to breathe in and out when they told him to and a computer would track his progress. It was really hard for him. I think he was still too young for it, but he passed it with flying colors!!! For his size and age, his lungs function at 103% of normal. His lungs function 3% higher than the average kid his size!!!

Dr. Pfeffer was introducing him to the whole staff as "Miracle Tyler". A name we are used to hearing, especially by medical specialists that have treated other CDH patients!!! She was so happy with how well he is doing and said that he was "completely normal". Obviously she doesn't know his parents!!!!

Anyhow, it was another one of those days where I feel extremely blessed and pray that this gives CDH parents hope. What a blessed woman I am to get not just one, but 3 wonderful kids to keep Randy and I company for the rest of eternity!!!