Sydney's Official DX "Aorto-pulmonary collateral"

Okay, So, we went to Sydney's echo this afternoon and it was, as expected, a nerve wracking event on many levels. I had to bring all the babies and Brice with me. My good friend Ora, was going to watch some of them for me, but her kids have the flu (poor them!) So I took them with me, afterall, they are my kids and I have to get used to having them with me, if Albert is going to get a second job. The kids were hidious though. So bad in fact, that at one point that, two nurses came running in to see in if everything was okay.
So, we did an echo and an EKG and all during the echo, Sydney was screaming and the tech was trying to calm her down. I couldn't make out anything I was seeing on the screen but I could tell by the tech's face that she was seeing something. I tried asking if all looked well, knowing of course, that the tech is never allowed to disclose info anyhow. She had a really thick Bosnian accent and said "Don't worry about that. Doctor talk to you." Alrighty then. Finally, two and a half hours after we arrived, Dr. Rahimi comes in. Albert had by now gotten off of work and come to the hospital to help me with the babies.
Dr. Rahimi asked several questions and then told us that basically she has something called aortopulmonary collateral. It's really no big deal and should have no impact on her life at all.
Its apparently something where there is a valve present when you are a fetus to shunt blood away from the lungs (as a fetus doesn't breathe through the lungs) Erin, is this right??? If not, let me know. I don't understand it too well yet. Anyhow, at birth this valve usually seals off. Sydney's is still there though it is small. Thus, the murmur is from blood rushing quickly through a small vessel. The doctor said it would probably close by itsself and wants to see her back in 6 months to check. There is the possibility that it will never close on its own and if that is the case then they reccommend surgically closing it sometime down the road. Hopefully it will be gone in 6 months as it is small now. So, not the innocent murmur we were hoping for, but all in all, a releif as this is no biggie.
Also, I talked to Dr. Rob today about weaning Brandon from the cyclosporine. I told him about the study I had seen showing that severly slowing down the taper schedule can dramatically decrease rates of relapse. Dr. Rob had already seen the study and agreed that this is what we should do for Brandon. He reminded me that the study was done on patients who were on cyclosporine for the 1st time, and Brandon has already exhibited that he is a relapser. But, he thinks this is his best shot. So, starting in a month or two we'll begin by lowering his dose by a 12th every month. I'm very hopeful that this new study may prove to be the key for him and so many children like him. Okay, well the relative few children like him.
Today is Jackson's 6th birthday. We took him to dinner to celebrate. O'Charleys has free kids meals and you get two kids free per adult! I know they hate to see us comming! So we buy an adult meal for me, Albert and Jackson and then everyone else eats free. They charge $2.00 per kids drink so we make ours drink water. I know, I know, we're cheap. I tell them water is better for them anyway, and I'll get them a 12 pack for the weekend for a fraction of the cost. Aren't we frugal!!!
Well, Sydney is screaming her head off now, so I guess I'd better go. Night everyone.