A little time, a little prayer

Things went well today for little Miss Damaris. When we got here on Friday, the ventilator was breathing for her completely at 80 breathes per minute (BPM) and she was at 80% oxygen (we breathe 21% oxygen normally). Shortly after we arrived, they also started her on Nitric Oxide at 20 parts per million. They were giving her a medication that paralyzed her so that she wouldn’t thrash around and struggle to breathe on her own, along with morphine to keep her sleeping.

As of tonight, at 8 pm, she was completely off the Nitric Oxide and was tolerating it well. That means that her lungs were expanding on their own to absorb oxygen and let out the carbon dioxide. The ventilator was only breathing 10 BPM, which means out of 50 BPM, 10 are from the machine and 40 she is doing on her own. The oxygen has also been turned down to 23% and she is no longer on the paralytic medication. She is quite feisty about having that tube down her throat, but instead of just giving her the morphine again and again, her nurse wrapped her up real tight in a blanket so she can’t move her arms (I really like that nurse! She was also one of the nurses who took care of Nathaniel, so we remember each other.).

Things are looking really well. Of course, we are not out of the woods yet, but there is much room for hope. It is very possible that they will pull the tube out completely tomorrow, depending on how she is doing and all. Once she is able to do the suck, swallow, breathe thing while nursing, and her vitals remain good, we can go home. No one can say when that will happen, so it’s a day by day thing.

I’m doing a bit better day by day as well. I was able to walk on my own to the NICU this morning and this evening. But Adam had to wheel me there in the wheel chair this afternoon. And to tell you the truth, I was wishing I had agreed to it this evening too. We will make the decision tomorrow whether or not the children will come down here to stay with us until we go home with Damaris. Since the hospital won’t let anyone under the age of 18 to even enter the building (unless they are a patient), it means that one of us would have to stay here at the House while the other goes and see Damaris. Obviously, if I still need to be pushed over there, I’m not strong enough to walk over there on my own. Adam could be the one to go over until I’m stronger I suppose. Also, if they take the tube out tomorrow, it’s possible we might be home as early as Wednesday. If that’s the case, then I’m not sure it makes sense to bring the children down here just to turn around and go home.

I suppose some might wonder why we want the children here in the first place. The truth is, is that Adam and I are having a hard time figuring out what to do with ourselves. At the moment, we can’t hold Damaris, touch her much or even talk to her much. We fix food for ourselves and play the games we have, but those things only last so long. Then what do we do? So, we figure having the other children here will be good for us and the days won’t drag on so much. It was the same way with Nathaniel, I needed to have them here with me. So we shall see what tomorrow brings. Each day, she is looking better and better, and so it the prognosis.

THE LORD IS GOOD!!!