The iN'Synch III was supposed to be helpful in synchronizing ventricles where one was weaker than the other.
We were thrilled that it seemed to work. I began to wonder what having damage to his left ventricle would mean for Andrew long term and started reading up on advances being made in thearea of Left Ventricular assist devices. In 1997 it meant being hospitalized until a heart was found for transplant and that was in an adult, Andrew was only 11.
Andrew managed to stay out of heart failure until March 2002 when he began having problems with atrial fibrillation and had to be cardioverted (shocked into a regular rhythm) he hadn't had a problem with a fib since shortly after his Tet repair as an infant. It was finally determined that the damage to his left ventricle was taking it's toll and the iN'Synch was no longer doing the job synchronizing his ventricles.
For the 1st time Andrew' pediatric cardiologist suggested that we may need to start thinking about a heart transplant. First they had one more trick up their sleeves, in a new pacemaker that had yet to be used in a case like Andrew's. It was a Bi Ventricular pacer with a third lead to the left ventricle. It had been successful in adults after heart attacks with left ventricular damage so it
was hoped it would work for
Andrew and it did ! Andrew felt better than he had ever remembered feeling in his 16 years.
In 2007 a new Bi V was implanted due to battery depletion.....unfortunately the surgeon plugged the ventricular wires in backwards without realizing the error until interrogating it after closing Andrew, so he was back in the OR within the month having the wires reversed.
His Bi V pacer helped him soar through his diagnosis and surgery for testicular cancer in 2008 and it's metastasis and subsequent treatment with chemotherapy in late 2009 - early 2010. Andrew landed the job of his dreams with a world renowned computer company. He also began dating the girl of his dreams......Andrew proposed to Kara Wright on Valentines day 2011. They soon began planning a September wedding.