ENOUGH

Charlotte's chest ultrasound showed a SIGNIFICANT DECREASE of fluid in her chest!!!!  Can I get an AMEN?!   Granted, she's had a couple of fantastic days of shedding fluid but the question has always remained if it was ENOUGH...and it is!  On one side, it was hardly noticeable and the other was significantly less.  We'll still need to monitor it as she continues to shed the excess with the next ultrasound being tomorrow morning.  The power of prayer is at work, people.  We pray for overall resolution of the lymph system in general, as it it the root of these tightly knit annoyances. 

Because of her newfound success, she will begin formula feedings tonight through a feeding tube which is inserted in her nose.  I am thrilled that she will start eating for the simple fact that IV nutrition is not as filling as we are told!  Plus, she will become much stronger and better able to tolerate extubation which we are aiming for in about 4-5 days.  In preparation, she's also getting a lung workout.  The CPAP trial tests her lungs to practice as if she weren't intubated - she initiates all breathing on her own but if she doesn't the machine senses and breathes for her.  Because she did so well with the first trial of 30 min, she is being increased to hour long trials and will do these every 6 hours.

Still looming, is the ever-annoying head ultrasound on Monday morning.  Annoying because her beautifully fluffy, dark hair gets slapped with gel (enough to cover a small adult!) and, certainly, because of the enlarged ventricles.  Our prayer is for SUPERNATURAL HEALING.

Charlotte's roommate from the NICU just stopped by on his way home!  Only 3 days older than she is, Baby A has had quite an influence on her by way of 'healing.'  And...she seems to respond to gifts from him - uh-oh, Daddy! We pray that he and my Charlotte get to meet up for a play date someday very soon.