Recovery...

Sorry it has taken me so long to post again. I forget how crazy things get post-op and I really haven't had time to focus on writing updates. I just feel like things were changing almost hour to hour over the past week. It is so hard to write all these things and then come back an hour later and say, "Ok, change of plans!"

So here we go...

Friday, Ruthie had her Quintin line removed and replaced with a central line in her neck. She also was extubated after she "came up" from the sedation in the OR. She was awake and pretty content Friday evening.

Saturday things changed a bit. Ruthie had a good day. She was content and hanging out. Then late Saturday night/ early Sunday morning she was re-intubated.

Since July 11th, Ruthie has been back on the vent. She has had a heart cath, a heart biopsy, a quintin line re-inserted and then taken out, a LA removed (Left Atrium line from her heart transplant), two peripheral lines removed, a ng suctioning tube placed, and an art line removed and replaced. She has had a few ab ultrasounds and gi studies done. Numerous chest x rays and blood cultures performed. Different checks for viruses and infections and anything in between.

She is currently happy:) Her biopsy showed no signs of rejection! WOO HOO!

Her GI studies show that she has reversible liver damage. This means that she should recover fully from living in heart failure. They are still concerned. Ruthie's stomach is a bit descended. Her liver and spleen are still enlarged. The doctors seem to think, though, that her body is still recovering and that she just needs time.

Her diaphragm is also suffering from her heart failure lifestyle. She is a bit weaker. They are thinking that is what is keeping her from being able to come off the vent and off the o2% (which is at 30% now from 66%). So they changed her setting on the vent so she can learn to take deeper breaths. She is having "PT" on the vent.

They have restarted her feeds again and we have progressed to 10 mils an hour from 5 mils an hour. We are hoping to slowly get her back to eating without stressing her out.

Everything is happening. Everything is moving. Everything is going well...
..... It's just occurring slowly. Slow and steady. She needs time, so time is what we will give her.

She is slowly letting her little personality show again...



Just look at those eyes rolling at me! She is a little diva sometimes.

And then other times (like yesterday on her 11 months birthday day) she is so smiley.



And then the times when she is as snug as a bug in a rug!



We are so grateful for all the support and prayers. She is definitely feeling the love. She is blessed to have all of you in her life. We know that God has placed us in the right hands.
Please continue to pray for Ruthie and Ruthie's angel donor. Pray for strength, courage, and peace. Pray for wisdom and guidance for the doctors and the nurses. Pray for our continued faith and trust in God.
We in turn pray for you. You have shown such compassion through your words of advice, support or even just listening. Thank you! Thank you for being there for us!

We do have another heart biopsy tomorrow for Ruthie at 7:30am. They are once again checking her rejection levels. Please pray that we have no signs of rejection.

It is in His hands!

HUGS!