Left Eye Lupher is Back!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - Last night when Mark went to go and say goodnight to Elle - she opened up her left eye - as if to say 'I'm ok grandpa!" With her head wrapped in an ace bandage to hold some wires in place - Mark said she looked like a pirate! Lee and I went next to say goodnight to our little "Swell" (Sweet Elle = Swell). She opened just her left eye for us too! When I saw her little eye open - I knew she would be ok (and I think she looks like the karate kid with her ace bandage on her head)! She had started to move around a little bit so the nurses have her arms tied down. The goal of last night was to keep her sedated and calm so her little body can begin the recovery process. She did wonderful last night and this morning during rounds the doctor decided to remove her breathing tube. They removed her tube around 1:00pm and she has been breathing through her nose since then. Around 3:00pm - I was standing over her little crib and she started to move her hands and legs and then before I knew it - both eyes popped open! She just stared at me and I loved every minute of it! After about 15 minutes she realized that her arms are tied down and her side probably hurts where the incision is and she hasn't eaten in 2 days - so she started crying her sweet little hoarse cry. Again, I loved every minute of it - but I finally had to go and get a nurse to administer her some pain medicine to make her a little more comfortable. They suctioned out her nose and after that - Elle calmed down a bit. Elle is doing great and Dr. Mott (one of the cardiologist) told me today that Elle might be moved off of the surgery floor tomorrow! She will either go back down to the NICU or to the 15th floor. The 15th floor is the recovery floor for the cardiac patients. 15 is where you want to be because it is one step closer to going home! I have a feeling though that they are going to send Elle back to the NICU so she can learn how to eat and breathe. She had a feeding tube in for 3 weeks and has never had to coordinate her eating and breathing. She was sucking on her binky for a while today - trying to forget the fact that she is hungry! I am so thankful that she has had such a good day!