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.  

  

WONDER BABY

For the most part, Charlotte is still resting comfortably.  We've had to really stay on top of managing her pain, as she is being weaned from her wonder drug for pain.  Please pray that she is kept COMFORTABLE.  Overnight, it was determined that her body isn't tolerating breast milk which is common for girls with Turner's Syndrome due to Mommy's milk being fattier than formula.  The good news is that although she is now on formula for the next 6 weeks, the situation will resolve on its own and then we will resume breast milk.  Daddy bought her a deep freeze to house her milk for Valentine's Day, so until then we will continue to stock it! 

Charlotte's heart is occasionally throwing a premature beat, which is a common something to happen in healthy babies due to immaturity in their electrical systems.  She will be observed and most often this is all that needs to happen, but please call this to mind in your prayers.

Her swelling is decreasing although it's a slow-going process, as was expected.  The bottom line is that her chest needs to be closed.  It's been open for awhile due to her complicated course and we are all focused on closing to avoid higher risk of infection, etc.  Please pray that her swelling continues to decrease and her chest is closed without major complication.  Her kidneys are working, but are still in the same spot as yesterday: not great, not poor...just even Stephen.  Slowly but surely they are getting up to speed....I just hope sooner than later.

All in all, Sweet Charlotte is doing well.  We'd like to tweak a few things obviously, but are happy overall.  Tomorrow's surgery will most likely happen late morning/early afternoon, and we'll post as soon as we know, as your prayers are so important to us.  Thank you for keeping her in your hearts.  It warms ours knowing that so many of you love her.  I wish that I could convey in words just how incredible and extra-ordinary her journey has been.  For lack of a more poetic way to say it, she's quite a fighter...and of course, our Wonder Baby.