A happy young fellow, his next medical experience was a heart tick noticed by his pediatrician at about 3½ years old. He was taken to one of the top heart clinics in the world where he was diagnosed with pulmonary stenosis - a congenital heart defect. It basically is a thickening near the flaps that open and close one of the valves in the heart. Parents were devastated upon first news. To their good fortune, their doctor had a wonderful bedside manner which was a blessing beyond belief. He first asked the boy to “Gim-me five!” while extending a hand which the lad immediately returned in accordance with the expected hand-slap.
The doctor was positive. Said they would monitor the boy over the years and worst case, he would have a balloon catheter procedure (non open heart procedure) to repair the valve. The boy was monitored every year over the years and given permission to participate in sports by this wonderful doctor.
Ironically, this young man’s best "baseball" tool is his heart!
