Open Heart Surgery Day 3

Today was a big day.  Ollie got almost all her "pipes" as Aubrie calls them, removed!

She went from a girl plugged into 3 different towers and looking like this...

To a girl with simply 2 IVs.  That's right just two!  Then she has a pulse oxymeter on her big toe, and four sticky chest wires monitoring her respirations and pulse.  She's on a tiny whiff of oxygen because the extra fluid she's carrying around her heart.

They removed her arterial IV, chest drainage tube, two temporary pace maker wires, and her central line.

She was given morphine while they were removed & she was one super tough cookie!  I don't think grown men tolerate things as well as she does.  She also had Tylenol.

She has been much more herself today.  She's snuck in some smiles & has been talking a bit.

Then, the best thing happened!  After her nap, at 1:18 PM, I got to hold her!!!!

I was scared at first to hurt her, but they promised me she would be fine, and she was.  I nursed her for 15 minutes.  I can't describe what I felt, it was a lot like the day she was born.  Dying to hold your baby & finally, finally getting her into your arms.  I hadn't held her since I handed her off at 7:30 AM on Thursday.  I have been aching to hold her.

Daddy got to hold her too.  You could just see the joy in her eyes.  It was as if she finally felt us with her.  She had been watching us since Thursday, but since we could only kiss her cheeks and rub her hands, it was hard.  I knew she wanted me to hold her and nurse her.

Since then, she has nursed again!  She just amazes me with her strength & how fast she is bouncing back.  I was told she would, but until you see all your fears melt away, you don't "get" it.

Grandma Janie got her turn with her.

So did Grandma Ruby.  Grandpa Rick got to eye her over and he was impressed on how she's doing as well!

You can tell she feels pretty good today.  She's kicking her feet to her head & trying to fit her hands back into her mouth.  She's one tiny bundle of determination!

I told Jade that today I finally, finally felt relief.  She survived open heart surgery!  She is thriving and recovering so well, and she is nursing as if nothing ever happened.  I have feared OHS since October 4th, 2010.  I am so glad to know now that it really was OK.

I truly believe that since she's nursing, the recovering will greatly improve.  I think we'll start getting the extra fluid from all her IVs off of her, and that she'll have a dirty diaper in the next day or so.  Tonight, we stay in CICU again instead of a regular pediatric floor, and I'm happy about that.  I feel very comfortable here.

My Dad & Abbie are on their way here now with Aubrie and Everett.  I am anxiously awaiting their arrival!  I haven't seen them since Wednesday morning and I am ready to feel their hugs!  Maggie & Kylie are heading down tomorrow to visit & to take the bigs *hopefully* to the zoo!

We are blessed.  Praise the Lord!