Keep on Fighting

That was then... (the pic of the room is even minus some equipment)

...this is now!

Amazing, incredible,phenomenal! These are just a few of the words that doctors and nurses have used to describe Olivia's progress. We know it as blessings from our Heavenly Father. As Bill wrote earlier, Livi had a good day yesterday and a better day today. I feel like because we were in crisis mode and then critical for 6 days that now everything seems so euphoric. It's so great to read everyone's comments and feel all of your love pouring out to Livi and us. Thank you again and again and again. Today Olivia was sweetly surprised be her Aunt Gee (my sister Angie) getting in to town. She instantly grabbed on to her hand and didn't want to let go. Bill and I stepped out to meet some friends to start our fast and while we were gone Livi told Gee she wanted to sit on her lap. It was the first time in a week that she'd been out of bed. She sat on her lap for quite a while loving the arms that were wrapped around her I'm sure. When Livi was laid back in bed they noticed a grapefruit sized fluid pocket on the left side of her back behind where her port is. For the last couple of days fluid has been seeping out from around the port site. When this lump was found the thought was that the port may have somehow disconnected and the meds being pushed in through the port were being displaced in her back. They shot contrast into the port and took her down to radiology to do a fluoroscope (basically a light that would shine through her skin and illuminate the path the contrast had taken). Everything looked good. They took her back to her room, got her back in bed and...the grapefruit was gone! No one knows what it was. I say that was when a large group of us were starting our fast, about 6:30 pm.

Bill went to stay at the hospital for the night and I got to come home and spend some time with Aaron and my Aunt Yvonne who replaced my Aunt Karen for the next week.

Olivia is only on a couple pain meds, a now and then insulin drip and 1 or 2 other meds. She has both hands completely free so she can start signing again! (The catheter in her right hand came out on its own last night. I was holding her hand and noticed something wet. I told her nurse, Mike and he discovered the Houdini slip!) We are still in PICU but after having such great nurses there I don't know if I'm necessarily ready to leave. Soon though I'm sure.

Thank you for everyone giving there love so freely to our daughter and to us. We could not be doing this without everyone's support. When people ask how I'm staying so strong, I don't hesitate to say, "by what you are all doing."

Day nurses: Bryony on left(Wed. & Thur.). Lisa all the other days!

Night nurses: Sheri and Mike. (Angie, the other night nurse has escaped a photo thus far, but not our hearts.)