Can I go to bed now?

Thank you mom for being here and helping us out so much!  We love you!

I have to vent. (My mom made me edit this) I'm sooo-o upset at the doc tonight! I know it's not your kid or even the critical patients, but I care. It matters to me! Avery has been WIRED, so stoned and unable to sleep all day. It's 12:30 and she's been awake since 6:30 a.m.

Ok. Avery's nurse just called and said Avery just fell asleep. SORRY. I knew if I confronted the durn doc, I would just end up crying. Avery's had some great nurses and doctors, truly we've been blessed. Then there's the pretty good nurses who are nice too. I am tired.

Avery was into wearing people's glasses today. Eric's, grandma's and one of the nurses. :)

Ave's nurse from the night before dropped off this cute apron and baker's hat for Avery.  It's really cute, and clearly Avery is thrilled. (just stoned).

These flowers are from Eric and Zach on Easter, and they're from our garden! 

This is the face we saw all day.  Poor stoned thing.  Her hands and feet were shaking all day.  I feel so bad.  Her neck i.v. line clotted and so they had to take it out, stopping her morphine and ativan early - now she's on oral meds for pain.

The nurse told us the shakes could last up to another 2 days.  Please don't use drugs.  It hurts your mothers.

Today has been a good day. Avery was awake all day and I got to hold her. She is having a hard time getting off some meds and she has the shakes. So, to help her ther're switching to Valium and methadone. I know it's medically sound, I trust, but it sounds sketchy. Avery is cool as a cucumber and shows no emotion. Anyway, she is coming along well and will be happy tomorrow if she sleeps tonight.

Hopefully I can upload some pictures tonight.

10 Ways To Find Out Your Gas Gauge Doesn't Work (by Eric)

1.  You run out of gas on Route 23 on Easter Sunday as you are taking your son to his cousin's house to spend the next week while your daughter is recovering from open heart surgery in the ICU, your wife is in the Ronald McDonald house, and you hope to get caught up on all the work you have been putting off at the office.

Ok, so I don't have 9 others, at least not to talk about here.

We were outside of Marion when the car started to sputter.  I looked at my gauge and thought, hm, half full.  Then I looked at the trip mileage...340, on the 8 gallons I put in the other day.   Sure, its a Nissan, but I knew right away, it doesn't get that good of mileage anymore.

Well there we were, on Easter Sunday, on the side of a highway, with the next exit miles away.  I asked Zach if he wanted to pray with me so we could find some gas, or someone to help us... "Sure Daddy" and he quietly folded his arms.  After we prayed, we got out and approached a wooded area that appeared to have some homes within.  The barbed wire made me think twice about sending him over, but Zach let me pick him up and over so he could climb down on his own.  

As I climbed over he shouted, "Dad, be careful!  There are tigers in the forest.  We have to hurry."  Well, we made it through the woods, and found an abandoned home.  I felt impressed to start walking south, and we found a family that had just returned from Grandma's house and Easter dinner.  They were kind enough to give us a ride to our car, along with a few gallons of gas.

As we drove away, Zach said a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for protecting us from the tigers and helping us find some gas.  I thoroughly enjoyed spending the weekend with him, despite the circumstances.  I'm thankful for such a memorable teaching moment about the power of prayer.

A Good Day

Happy Easter! Today was a good day. Avery's temp is gone and I know she is getting better because she kept waking up. They suctioned out a bunch of junk from her lungs and once she got so upset she clamped down on her vent and kicked the nurse and bit her finger - all while under mild sedation. :) She also bit her cheek while she's been chomping on her tube. I think she has shown spunk. The vent is really bugging her and they'll likely take it out tomorrow!

We had a great visit with Eric and Zach. Zach said "Oh, I'm so excited to be here!" Really, he wanted to go downstairs and play foosball. I agreed anyway. I missed my little big boy.

We feel the strength of the Lord through prayers for Avery. We are so thankful for that and it means a lot! I got a wonderful Easter basket of sweet notes and treats and it so brightened my day! Thank you.

Avery looks so big, older a bit. I have noticed her pink toes. :)

Easter Eve

Today was a good day overall.  I was kind of discouraged this morning, but things always seem to keep changing.  She takes her time.  Her temp is better.  They took her off the cooling blanket (wretched thing) and she is maintaining a good temp. :)  Avery's had great nurses.  All of them are different and focus on different things, but have been great for what Avery's needed.  Tonight, her nurse has cleaned the whole bed, and Ave, and is redoing all her meds/drips/tubing stuff.  I do love clean and organized.  The day nurse, cleaned Avery's mouth and didn't give her more sedation (yay) when she was trying pound on her to get the junk loosened from her lungs. 

I scrapbooked a little, met Avery's roommate's family, who speak spanish - de ja vu.  My mom was able to come up last night and part of today.  My mom is great and after hearing the conference talk about getting the most out of your relationship with your mom, I knew I had a special one.  Thanks mom.

I got to help give Avery a bath today, or really, a quick wipe down.  Avery's been very sedated today, but she stirred a little during all this, which made me feel better, that deep down she was there. :) 

I don't think I put these pictures of Zach trying his new bike.  He's still getting the hang of it.  It makes him look so grown up-like.

This was a funny pic of Ave at Jan's house.  Jan is very kind to let my kiddos try and get into her stuff while we visit.

First 24

First night. 

Poor little thing "cuitadihno".  She has one pony tail left in her first 24 hrs.  Nurse Amanda did her hair, including pink bows, which have since fallen out.  A girl's gotta try to look her best.  I think the ponytail reminds me that she's just 2 and in a couple weeks she'll be high stepping again.

This is puppy dog doing what he can to help.

Avery is pretty much still sedated.  Her fever had gotten worse last night, but it's lowered since.  She'll be intubated (breathing machine down her throat) til Sunday maybe.  She's stirred off and on, but she's upset and grabs at the tubes to pull them off, so they quick sedate her.  I know she needs to rest to get better.  The first few days are always up and down.  Her heart is doing well.  It's her lungs that have always been the issue post surgery.  That's our gal. 

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers in her behalf.  God hears and answers prayers, everyday.

What else to talk about... next post will be about our Easter last week.  Hurray for sunshine!

Pre

They're done with the surgery and working on closing her up right now.  We haven't talked to the surgeon yet, but the nurse was smiling so things must have gone well! 

Yesterday Avery had a good day.  She played and let the doctors listen to her heart and except for her kicking and screaming during a simple e.k.g. she was great.  Eric came with us yesterday and I'm so glad he was here.  One of us could talk to the doctor, while the other was with Avery, and he was just a big help and comfort to me.

Avery had an MRI and sedated ECHO done yesterday.  They gave her something to calm her down, for "separation anxiety" when they took her away.  It was funny because she got loopy and couldn't sit up straight, but had a nice grin on her face.  She did great.  After it was done, we tried to give her some food in her g-tube, but both tries it didn't sit very long in her stomach.  She was all swollen with fluid, especially in her face.  Avery was so content to play with her puppy dog and stroller, hurray!

This was during dinner last night.  She loved the pizza and had fun making a mess.

Somewhere we lost her pacifier.  Avery kind of NEEDS it to go to sleep.  Thankfully someone gave one to Eric when he asked.   Sha-woo!

"Lo, lo" -that what she calls a phone.  Avery jabbered on the phone pretty often last night.  She has lots to say.

I was just taking this picture when they called her name, and they both looked. :)

This was right before they took her away.  She was holding a toy cash register scanner, as a phone of course.  I don't talk that much on the phone, but she does.  Avery did really well with everything.  She pushed her stroller around the pre-op room while we waited.

Next post will be her set up in her room. :)  Zachery is having a good time with his grandma Christensen.  Thank you to everyone for your prayers, kind wishes and support.   We feel the strength of the Lord with us.