Chrissie is Improving...

The head pediatrician at Methodist Children's Hospital informed us that she's hoping to discharge Chrissie late this evening or maybe tomorrow, depending upon how Chrissie does today!!!  She has remained fever-free for two days now, and her lungs are sounding mostly clear.  She's still sick and super irritable, but the pediatrician thinks we can handle this at home where Chrissie will get better rest and be less stressed.

Chrissie was weaned from oxygen throughout the night last night, and she's been completely off oxygen since 5AM.  Her oxygen sats are remaining stable at her normal 78%, resting rate without O2.  That is super news.  If Chrissie is able to maintain that oxygen sat throughout the entire day AND if her lungs stay clear (with breathing treatments stretched to every 4-5 hours), then maybe, just maybe, we'll be heading home tonight!!!  (Which would be awesome since Parker has a rodeo tomorrow and Sawyer has his first baseball game, too.  Atleast Matt would be able to attend those while I stay with Chrissie in a much more "Chrissie-friendly environment...our home!)  Chrissie is still being given lots of meds, but they can be given orally instead of through her IV.  It's a long-shot to think we might be going home tonight, but the thought of Chrissie resting peacefully in our comfy bed in our cozy home without anyone else coming in to traumatize her is like a dream that I would so love to see come true if it is God's will.

Chrissie had a slightly better night last night with more rest, but that simply means that she slept in 1-2 hour increments without screaming, wailing, and flailing instead of 10-20 minute increments in comparison to her ICU night!  The poor nurses, respiratory therapists, and even the cleaning crew end up in tears when they come into our room and see how traumatic their presence is for Chrissie.  It's really sad.  Chrissie has been in the hospital here before for heart procedures, and we've stayed by her side each time without leaving her, but she's never stayed this long.  Every trip to the hospital has been traumatic for Chrissie.  I simply don't know how she's going to make it through her open-heart surgery recovery!!!  One thing that's good about this stay is that we'll have many of the same nurses caring for Chrissie when we return for open-heart surgery, so they'r'e already making mental notes about Chrissie's traumatic responses.  (The hospital is GREAT and they always allow me to administer breathing treatments, take blood pressure, take her temperature, administer her oral meds, etc., but the simpe presence of hospital staff totally freaks Chrissie out.)  The "Child Life" team has been bringing her toys, movies, and they just delivered her a hand-made precious blanket.  They are working hard to win the trust of this precious angel!!!

Oh, and speaking of angels, apparently we're (Matt and Lorraine) now being referred to as angels around here.  The nurses pass along patient notes at each shift change, and each new nurse thanks us for adopting Chrissie and helping orphans, and they keep telling us we're angels.  The part that they don't understand is that they have it backwards; we are the ones blessed by angels.  What better gift could one receive than the gift of a precious child?  Our children are angels sent straight from God.  We're simply the parents; not angels by any means.  "Children are a gift of the Lord; a reward from Him."  Psalm 127:3