5-year-old Audrey was born with her lungs connected to her stomach and an incomplete esophagus (Long Gap EA/TEF or Esophageal Atresia). After two big surgeries and 142 days in the NICU in Utah, Audrey finally moved home but has since needed much more surgery, now in Boston. Much of her food still comes through a tube directly into her stomach, and she has had many procedures to help her swallow food, but she is thriving today. Thank you for blessing us with your love and prayers.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Thursday, August 18: Extubated!!!
Yaaaaaay!!!! Extubated (off the ventilator), chest tube out, and even the "placeholder" NG tube out--esophagus is no tighter than expected, so milk started again in small doses through the G tube--got to hold her for thirty minutes and she EVEN nibbled at a bottle before zonking out-- her face is clear of tubes for the first time since birth.
Immediately after extubation (removal of the ventilator tube) she fell into a deep relaxed sleep. Three tubes were removed this day-- the chest drain from surgery, the "place holder" NG tube down her nose (designed to make sure the esophagus did not swell completely shut), and the ventilator down her throat. This same day she moved back into a regular crib from the warmer bassinette, got to wear clothes again and her own soft pink blankie, and got a real water bath again for the first time in two weeks. That pink glove is pinned to the bed, was to keep her from pulling at her tubes. The bright red mark on her chest is simply her birthmark.
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