Third Rough Day... Then A Good Day!

Hi all!

We had a third tough day in a row yesterday... Ella was really out of it most of the day and we weren't allowed in her room for a lot of it as well because the doctor and a cardiologist were trying to get a new arterial (A) line in (in her groin 😞) and couldn't get it in and it took over 3 hours. So lots of poking and nothing to show for it. The reason they had to do this was because her arterial line that they had in her wrist stopped working. The doctors and nurses really need this line so that they can get blood draws out and to be able to monitor her blood pressure. Ella was also given the OK to go on a medication called heparin which will help with the clots in her neck and the nurses need to draw blood frequently to make sure that the coagulation in Ella's blood is correct (at least that's my understanding). So all of that to say... this A-line is very important. Our surgeon, Dr. Watanabe, wanted to try for himself today and was able to get the line in, in minutes! I woke up praying that whoever would be trying to get this line in would be able to get it in today and the Lord gifted us with that just a few minutes ago!!! 🙌

Dr. Watanabe added a second chest tube, so now she has two, one on each side. They continue to have a lot of output so we are praying that slows a bit so she can get them out. We need these and the ventilator out before we get to hold her. I just really want Matt to get to hold her. She is now 25 days old and he hasn't been able to hold his baby girl. I cannot wait for the day that he gets to. It will be amazing. I better wear waterproof mascara that day! 😉

Ella's swelling in her face went up yesterday as well which was discouraging... but when we walked in the door today she looked the least swollen that we've seen since surgery!

Ella was SUPER alert today! It was so awesome! We got to see her eyes open a TON! The nurse asked to remove that white patch that monitored gases coming from her head so we even got to see more of her face! We sang, talked and read to Ella. She loved looking at the pictures in the books and at her mommy and daddy's faces.  It was like we got a taste of what it is like to have a newborn! It totally refreshed our souls. 💜

She is still on the ventilator but the doctor that just came on to his 5 day shift said he wants to push her to get extubated. Please pray that this will indeed happen and that Ella will be able to breathe on her own soon. If all goes as well as they can after being extubated, we should be able to bring her home within 3-4 more weeks. We really just want to take her home and start our lives as a family of four.

OH! ONE MORE THING! I GOT TO PUT SOCKS ON HER YESTERDAY! It was the first time that I got to "dress" her! It was a sweet moment for me.

Thank you all for your prayers and support! We love you all!
Jillian