This afternoon I will see Penny's face unobstructed! No tape, no oxygen tubing, no cpap machine, no NOTHING (I know. double negative. forgive me). I'm just beside myself excited about that. After a few days of being on paralytics (to make sure everything is healing up right before she moves around) Penny will start the process of weaning off of all of her sedation and will hopefully be more herself than she's ever been! When she was awake before she was working so hard to breath that I don't think we were really seeing the fullness of who she is. I'm excited to get to know her. We'll actually be able to pick her up whenever we want! I'm excited that once she's stable and moved up to the intermediate care floor, Lydia can go see her as often as she'd like! This may be what I'm most excited about! I can't wait to watch them see eachother again. Penny will also get to start physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and every other kind we can think of to help her catch up developmentally. I can not wait to see her little spunky self figure things out. So I'd say that's a good list of silver lining.
To answer a few questions people have been wondering about. Yes, it's temporary. As soon as her lungs have grown enough to handle breathing on their own, the trach can come out and the stoma (the hole) will be sewn up. Because she's so small and we expect it to come out within the next few years, the scare will most likely be very small. She will also have her g-tube scar, PDA ligation, and hernia scars although the hernia ones are hard to see even now...plus she better not be showing anyone those hernia scars! I'm already working on the story Penny can tell people about her days as a young ninja in training and how she had a run in with a tiger that left a few scars. It goes right along with my story to explain my stretchmarks (thanks girls).
Ok, back to the questions. She'll have to be in the hospital for a little while to determine if she'll need the home ventilator or just be able to do oxygen. If she needs the vent she'll have to be 6 kg which is around 13 lbs and that might take a while. If it's just the oxygen it'll be a much shorter time. I start back to work in less than a month so, yes, this does make childcare more difficult. More on that later.
It's time to get up to the hospital and spend some time with her. I'll be updating with pictures from my phone as the day goes on. Thank you so much for your prayers today and in the following days as we face this new piece of the road.
Specific Prayer
- a complication free surgery
- quick recover for Penny
- peace and trust in the Lord for us
- safe travels for Jonathan (he's leaving for about 10 days)
- sweet time with Lydia when we get to be home
- patience for the wonderful people keeping her so we can be with Penny
- PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE for Jonathan Frizzell and his family. He's getting to go home today (and I don't mean with Jesus!) The surgery was successful, the shunt is working, and if it stops they believe they could fix it! His mom came to visit yesterday and just looked so joyful. A little nervous to be taking him home but so joyful and grateful for the miracle God performed. Thank you for your prayers for them and I'll update as I get any new information.
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