The Incredible Shrinking Baby

Jersey Girl is pulling through! Most importantly, she's lost the majority of her fluid. Yesterday alone she lost half a liter, that's 1.1 pints or 2.1 cups or 16.9 ounces, that's huge for her! Second very important item is she was able to have her chest closed on Saturday, her skin is closed but her sternum is still opened. The surgeon said she'll heal quicker when her skin is closed and her risk for infection is greatly reduced. We're still waiting for additional fluid to be lost before her sternum is closed but the doctors don't seem to be in any hurry. She's also being taken off her nitrous oxide (NO2). The reason she was on it is because it relaxes her bronchial muscles, which are constricted, allowing her to be better oxygenated. The doctors are also slowly weening her off some of her heart meds, the neosynepherine and epinephrine. Her blood pressure is SO much better, up from 30s/20s to 60s/30s, that's really good for her. While we want her to heal lightening fast we'll take the slow and steady, something is better than nothing.

She's finally looking presentable enough to bring Tatum and Tucker to the hospital for a visit. Tuck likes looking at her for about 2 seconds and then moves on to better things, like cookies. Chris asked if he'd like to be held up again to see Jersey and he responded, "No, I don't want to look at that." Some day he'll understand. Tatum on the other hand doesn't seem to see any of "that". She is thrilled just to touch her leg and rub her head. She loves to stare and sing to her. It's funny the difference. Is it the age difference? Boy vs. Girl? Personality? Perhaps all of the above.



Here's the Little Miss, and no she's not awake, she likes to keep her eyes open while she snoozes. While visiting her yesterday she was very awake, I've never seen her so awake and so active. Poor thing. She was given Adavan to knock her out again. Today she was on a constant drip of it to keep her asleep. Who would want to be awake during this, NOT ME! She is looking SO good! Her ears are better, we can almost fit a head band, and she can actually straighten a leg...well almost. And amazingly, her sweet foot and toes are looking better. They still look dreadful but they are pinking up in several areas. Looks like she'll still be able to twirl!



You know, it's funny what they say, but we can actually feel the prayers of the so many people who pray for our sweet Jersey. I admit, I've been quite the judger, when people would say they could feel prayers I kind of smiled to myself thinking "yeah, sure", but it's true. In so many ways we have been and are being humbled. It's very over whelming the love, sacrifice, and support others have given and shown us, and some we don't even know. From scrubbing our nasty showers to giving us money so many people have been amazing examples of love to us. When we've been too tired and heart broken to function we've felt nothing but love and encouragement. Our families have absolutely saved us and our ward is simply the best. How do you even begin to say thank you when thank you just isn't enough?