Early Morning Wake Up Call

Lee and I were blessed to get a room last night at the Ronald McDonald House. There were a lot of surgeries yesterday so we weren't' sure we were going to get a room. In fact, we were # 3 on the waiting list. A little after 11:00pm, the charge nurse told us they had an empty room if we wanted it so we gladly accepted. The charge nurse also happens to be one of our old favorite nurses from Elle's days in the NICU. While she was never Elle's nurse, she took care of the baby next to Elle so we spent many many nights talking with her. When Elle had her 1st open heart surgery, Elizabeth had moved to the CVICU and to working days so she had Elle for a few days during our last stay here. It was so nice to catch up with her last night! She noticed that Elle was having a pretty hard time sitting up last night so she ordered a "big girl bed." It can be lowered and the head can be raised more. Elle does look so small in this bed though! We left Elle sleeping sounding last night and told her nurse, Janie, to call when she woke up. I got the call at 3:30 this morning that Elle was awake and wasn't happy. I left Lee to get a few more hours of sleep and headed up here to Elle's room to find a not happy little girl. She told me she wanted the duck book. After a few reading of Little Quack and Curious George, there were signs of the pre surgery Elle. She was talking more (the raspiness of her voice from being intubated has slowly started to subside) and told me she wanted to be rocked. She still has a chest tube in so it has been difficult to hold her with all the other wires and the chest tube. Her asking to be rocked was the straw that broke the camels back and with the nurses help, I was able scoop Elle up and rock her back to sleep in the rocking chair. It was just so special to be able to hold her again!! Before scooping her up, Elle noticed my necklace and said "momma's necklace" and then pointed to my earrings and said "momma's earrings" and then my rings "momma's rings." Then she asked where my feathers were. I have 3 small feathers in my hair that Elle just loves so she got pretty excited when she saw them in my hair. It's the little things that make my day!! She went back to sleep around 6:00am and has been resting comfortably. Today is the day that the Lord has made - I will rejoice and be glad in it!

View from Elle's room as the day begins