Short and sweet.

This will be short and sweet...I am at my sisters in Berrien Springs, and haven't been able to post anything on facebook from her computer, so I thought I'd try this. Here's a picture of some of my kids and grandkids at a baby shower for Tandita.

Maria and the baby are both home now and progressing well. Maria is doing rehab as an outpatient. Although she still relies on her walker, she is able to walk without it indoors. The baby now weighs 6 lb. 13 oz. and has learned how to use her lungs if the bottle doesn't come in a timely fashion!
Maria continues to get stronger and is gaining more and more use of her limbs. Her progress has been remarkable even though she still has a long ways to go. When God blesses, remarkable things do happen. I receive an e-mail prayer chain daily, and as I have recently read of families who have lost young loved ones, it gives me pause to consider why some are given the blessing of life while others just as needy are not. I can only hope and pray that Maria and all my family realize what a blessing we have just received as well as how to bring glory to God through it.

Giving Thanks

Today was a real thanksgiving day. Maria is tube free. (no NG tube and no feeding tube) No more breathing treatments since last night. Did well today, tho tired. Hopefully all that is behind her, and if she continues her pattern of improvement through the weekend, she could be moved to rehab by Monday. They got her in the best rehab facility here RHI. It's one that the NASCAR injured drivers go when they need it. I'm not sure how much her insurance will pay for, so it's a good thing she's making rapid improvement. We all thank you for the prayers and support you've given all of us through this ordeal. Maria still has a lot of work to do, and of course we're hoping the turns are all upward, so your continued prayer for her will be appreciated. However, my updates will come less frequently. I hope all of you also had a thankful day and that God blesses you abundantly.

Maria gets some food to eat.

Maria ate clear liquids yesterday and is on full liquids today. She's eating cream of wheat right now. PT came earlier, and she's always excited to see them. Usually they come a little later, but the therapist came to see her first this morning. When they let her sit up on the edge of the bed, her heart rate went up, and she felt dizzy, so they decided to let her rest and try again later. She hadn't had her meds yet, and the nurse thought she'd do better after the meds kick in. They've started her on lopressor because Monday night she started periodically having an elevated heart rate, and her blood pressure (though better than before) is a little higher than desired. Overall she is doing amazing and is very happy to be able to eat. Yesterday she ate her applesauce and jello herself (fed herself). Also yesterday, her doctor came in and told her that there was only one reason why she was alive and then pointed up. We have had many, many hospital personnel telling us that they were praying for her. Last year, Indiana was the state that put the motto "In God We Trust" as the regular license plate...not the vanity plate. I don't think they are doing it now, but did last year.

Za'Mya had another "event" yesterday during feeding, and this time they had to rub her chest to get her to come out of it. So they won't be dismissing her right away. At first they were going to since she brought herself out, but now it'll be next week before she gets out. We're not happy for the reason, but it means that Maria will be able to see her each day and makes our responsibilities less at "home". Still don't know where we're going after Dec. 1, but hope we get it figured out before Don leaves to go home.

Vanessa, Tandita and TJ are on the way here for the day and should be here soon.

One month

Today is the one month mark of Za'Mya's birth. She is not coming home today, cause she had an episode in which her heart rate and oxygen levels dropped suddenly. It corrected itself, but Saturday night her oxygen levels dropped again and corrected itself. Because of these two events, they will keep her up to 5 and probably 7 days longer, which is helpful for both Maria and us. They haven't done the ultrasound on Maria yet for gall bladder but are supposed to do that today. I left at 4:00 a.m. and she slept about 4 hours. I think she slept more after I left but not sure how much cause I haven't talked to Esther yet. We had an undesirable nurse the last two nights, and we are telling the charge nurse that we don't want her to care for Maria again.

Somehow I misunderstood our accommodations status, and we have to be out of the house where we are by Dec 1, not Jan 1, so we are trying to figure out where to go. May check with the academy to see if we can stay in their annex dorm, but we won't be able to take Maria there because of the steps. At least it does have laundry facilites, and Stan Detweiler lives there, so we might be able to wrangle some kitchen priviledges. We'll see. God has worked things out for us so far, so I know all that will be resolved, too.

Lookin Better

Maria had a great day today, nausea this morning, and a little tonight. She called us on the phone this morning, and we could hear her speak clearly. She looks really good tonight, but is tired from the lack of sleep and having company today, I suppose. She's getting ready to sleep now, so hope she has a really good sleep tonight. Still wanting someone to stay with her overnight, and it's probably good until we know she's not throwing up so suddenly.
The charge nurse rigged up a way for her to be able to push the call button with the back of her hand. (Her staff is calling her McGyver.) Maria is doing her exercises and progressing. Tonight she took the back of her hand and lifted it to her face to try to push the hair back out of her face.
We took boxes of chocolates to the MICU staff...two marked "Day Shift" and two marked "Night Shift". Of course had a thank you note for their incredible care giving that we all signed. It was received with big smiles, and one of the techs came over to Maria's room to say thanks since he didn't see us bring it in.

Friday night

The hard part of watching Maria go up and down physically is mostly past. Now we are going through the emotions of Maria watching Maria go through the ups and downs of recovery. Still on a feeding tube, but tonight they are stopping the feeding and clamping the NG tube because she is having bleeding, and they want to give her the stuff you take to reduce the risk of ulcers. I'm hoping that it will at leaast stop the vomiting that comes now and then and hope she can get some rest. Please pray for her, cause she is still having bad dreamss/thoughts and not as many hallucinations nor as dramatic ones, but still harassed now and then. Right now she keeps twitching, and I just keep praying for her and for the presence of Jesus, etc. She has been afraid to go to sleep, and is really dozing for the first time in two days, but it is a very restless dozing.
Her voice is getting stronger, breathing much less rapid...reasonable. She got to go down to see the baby again, mostly cause Esther kept after the nurse to do it as she was promised. She had PT today and sat on the edge of the bed again, but doesn't remember doing it.

The baby is being dismissed Monday,so I'm concerned about her mental state about not getting to go down to the nursery to see her. Just keep on praying, please. And thanks for your support as well.