The Day Kate Turned 8

Katelyn was so excited to turn eight this year.  As most kids do, she started planning her birthday approximately 364 in advance and could hardly wait for the big day to arrive.  But when her big day came, it turned out to be quite different from the one we had planned. 

Instead of Katelyn waking up and rushing down the stairs to see her decorations and start her celebration, she couldn’t even come down the stairs without me helping her.  When she made it down, she couldn’t even stand to check out the decor that I put up the night before because she said she had to lay down.  The decorations are one of her favorite parts, so for her to show no interest, I knew she must have felt terrible.  She had gotten over a virus a few days prior so I thought that maybe it was back.  I noticed immediately that she looked grey, really really grey.  That seemed weird but I was so busy trying to make it still be the birthday she’d been dreaming of that I didn’t say anything.  That’s when she told me that her heart was “beating really really fast” and that her insides felt like they were on fire.  The thermometer indicated she had a low grade fever and her heart was racing… I couldn’t believe the virus was back, or so I thought.

I gave her some ibuprofen and water and she laid down on the couch with her head on my lap.  Between Brooke and Emily needing things, I never took note, of how abnormally fast her heart was beating.  I knew it was fast, but didn’t realize that it was too fast.  After an hour or so, her heart beat slowed back down and she said she didn’t feel like she was on fire.  She seemed sooooo much better but was really weak and actually fell asleep.

Just to be safe, I decided to call her doctor.  Her party with her friends was the next day and I didn’t want her to miss that too.  When i described her symptoms they wanted to see her right away.  Looking back, they were probably ready to call CPS on me for being so clueless, but I was in “virus mindset” and didn’t even think it could be anything else.

Shortly after she saw the doctor, we were headed downtown to Children's’ Hospital so she could have an EKG because they suspected she has SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia).  What?  I was so shocked and surprised and scared all at the same time.  But the people at Children’s were so great to our birthday girl.  She was brave and happy and didn’t seem to mind to mind at all.  Once she found out she didn’t have to have a shot or get her blood drawn she was thrilled.  Since the “episode” resolved itself on its own, she only needed the EKG and then a follow-up appointment with a Pediatric Cardiologist in a few days.

Supraventricular tachycardia means that from time to time your heart beats very fast for a reason other than exercise, high fever, or stress. During an episode of SVT, the heart’s electrical system doesn't work right, causing the heart to beat very fast. The heart beats at least 100 beats per minute and may reach 300 beats per minute. After treatment or on its own, the heart usually returns to a normal rate of 60 to 100 beats a minute.  SVT becomes a problem when it happens often, lasts a long time, or causes symptoms.  Treatment for SVT depends on the frequency with which episodes occur.  

So after all that, instead of going to her favorite restaurant in Coeur d’Alene (Bonsai), Kyle met us on the way home from the hospital at her other favorite place – Subway.  She was feeling lots better but said wanted to save Bonsai for when she was back to 100%.  When we left Subway, Katelyn and I took the Jeep so we could stop to pick up her birthday balloons and she had her first ride as an official eight year old – sans booster seat. 

When we got home, she felt great and was ready for cake and presents.  I made a small cake for us to eat that night so she could save her other cake for her party with her friends.

         

She had a blast opening her presents and playing with her sisters.

She was also thrilled about her mini cake – it went along with her Hawaiian theme, had a giant blue flower and we let her drink Pepsi (from the can nonetheless), so she couldn’t have been happier.  

Thanks to her positive attitude, she still ended up having a great birthday.  The fact that I am all about celebrating for an entire week also helped because she knew she still had several days of partying left.  Happy 8th birthday Katelyn!

*  After meeting with the Cardiologist and Katelyn having another episode, they believe Katelyn has SVT.  They can’t diagnose it definitively until they catch the rhythm on an EKG during an episode.  The awesome news though, is that after they ran what seemed like about a million tests, they do know that Katelyn DOES NOT have any of the other cardiac conditions that can accompany SVT and that they consider to be “life-span altering.”  I got teary when her doctor explained that part.  I felt so lucky to have gotten the good news that we did, but realized how life-changing that moment could have been.  During her Echocardiogram, the technician kept going over and over and over one particular area.  I was starting to panic, but even that turned out fine.  The Cardiologist said they wanted to “be sure” there was nothing else.  I am so grateful for that surety.

So now, we just wait for another episode.  The first two were almost 2 months apart.  If it happens more frequently (every 2 weeks) she will wear a portable heart monitor so they can catch it.  If not, we just take her straight to the ER during an episode.  They said to burst through the doors and say “We have an 8 year old with chest pains!”  Apparently that’s our ticket to the front of the line.  That is one card I hope I don’t ever need to play.  We are just so glad that she is ok and that we have such a wonderful Pediatric Cardiologist right here in Spokane.