February 3 - February 17, 2016 - We are HOME!

Anna's surgery started only about an hour late, which I'd pretty much consider on time in "hospital time". They wheeled her into the OR just before 2pm. Then we got to sit and wait... Surgery was supposed to be done around 4pm, but it was almost 5pm before the doctor came out to report how things went. Everything had gone well with both the PDA ligation and hernia repair. The delay was more caused by the anesthetists trying to get an arterial IV line, in which they were unsuccessful.

Once Anna was back up in the NICU it was just a matter of controlling her pain and also watching her blood pressure. Often when older babies have their PDA closed, they struggle with high or low blood pressure as their heart adjusts to the change. Fortunately this did not end up being an issue with Anna.

Ryan and I checked into the Ronald McDonald House again, so we could be close by, It has been such a blessing to have this be an option whenever we've needed it. This was our 5th stay!
Thursday was just figuring out what level of pain and sedation meds Anna needed to be comfortable. By Friday, they started to wean these pain meds and she was completely off all medications by Sunday midnight. She was also able to continue to work her way off of the ventilation settings as she came off of the sedation medications. By Sunday we were able to hold her again and by the afternoon she was just on humidity with 25% oxygen.
They do not plan on worrying about weaning her oxygen right now, as it will take time for her pulmonary hypertension levels to come down.

Anna continued to do very well recovering and was back to her normal self quickly! The doctors looked at what her breathing trending looked like and she was doing very well all week.
On Thursday we had a family meeting to discuss taking Anna home! The date decided on was Sunday, the 14th - Valentine's Day! We were very skeptical whether this would actual happen, but hoped and prayed it would. She will be coming home on 25% oxygen, so we needed to get things in place for oxygen use all the time (instead of just in case of emergencies). She will likely stay in oxygen all winter as they don't like to make changes during RSV season.

We took Anna for a car ride on Friday. Just as a practice for what we need to take whenever we travel with Anna and also what to do in various scenarios. Travelling with Anna is anything but light. Everywhere we go with her, we need to take: a suction machine & supplies, an oximeter (sat monitor), oxygen tank(s), feeding pump & supplies, "go bag" (emergency trach supplies)... plus all the regular gear for a baby.

Ryan and I decided not to tell anyone we were taking Anna home - until she was home with us! So it was a surprise for our kids, family, etc when we messaged them a picture of Anna in our house! She spent a total of 162 days in the NICU at Mac.

We are a little sad to leave behind all the friends we made in the NICU. It was our other home for the 5+ months Anna was there. They provided amazing care for our little Anna. She was known by pretty much anyone who worked in the unit - be it nurses, doctors, rt's, specialists, or even the cleaners! She had many visitors every day - who just had to check in that she was doing well.

Settling into home has been going well so far. The kids are absolutely thrilled to have Anna home! Ryan is off part of this week, helping us find a new home routine. We have had lots of visits from the various places that supply Anna's equipment, as well as those that support her care. On Tuesday, we had a nurse in for her first shift overnight. This was great as the 2 nights Ryan and I had done on our own were quite tiring. Anna requires frequent suctioning, someone to get her feeds going and then just the regular baby love. She isn't exactly sleep trained either yet - with her whole life being in the NICU. We are covered to have a nurse in 6 nights a week (Sunday-Friday) from 10-6. We get the same nurse Sunday-Thursday every week and then one other nurse is doing the Friday night shift weekly.

Thank you all for your continued prayers! It is so great to finally have our girl home and to know that all of you would be rejoicing with us! Anna's development will be slow, but we will try to share with you all of her little victories!

Anything your curious to know? Feel free to post a question in the comments. I don't always think of things that our everyday to me - but probably not to most of you.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-17