Post-op day #13...Christmas at PCH

December 25th: It's Emmy's first Christmas...not the ideal way to spend it, but we'll make do! Our family will have a busy day trading shifts here at the hospital so that Emmy never has to be alone, and we each get some time away to spend with the family. My mom came in around 6am so that I could go home and open presents with Brinley. She's too young to understand what the holiday is all about, but she sure caught on fast that Santa was coming and bringing her TOYS!

I got back to the hospital around 9:30- just in time for Santa and Mrs Claus to come visit! We got our picture taken together and they gave Em a stuffed puppy dog. Her warmer is starting to get a little overcrowded with all of the animal friends that have moved in...it's OK though because she's rarely in there anyways!

I guess I should update everyone the medical side of things too! Emmy continued to have some issues with irregular heart rates and tachycardia last night and in rounds this morning, the team mentioned that one possible cause is the PICC line. The tip of the PICC sits in her heart, and could be irritating the SA node resulting in cardiac arrhythmia. Because of that, the cardiologist wants the PICC line removed. Other than that, the plan for the day includes weaning her oxygen and Methadone.

Evening update: Emmy's PICC line was removed this afternoon, so now we're down to just a peripheral IV and all of her medications are being given through her feeding tube...a good indication that we're getting close to going home! The nurse turned off the oxygen briefly this evening, but Emmy's sats quickly dropped into the 60's and she had to turn it back on. The methadone was also weaned from 3 times a day to 2, and she seems to be tolerating that well.

It's been a very busy day...not so much for Emmy, as for the rest of us! I know it's difficult on everyone running back and forth from the hospital, but for the first time since she was born I got to spend several hours outside hospital walls today and it was a much needed change of scenery! I'm so thankful to my mom and Bryan for making that happen:) Of coarse it would have been better if we could have all been together. We look forward to that day coming soon and we plan to have a pseudo-Christmas celebration when Emmy can come home and join in the festivities!

All snuggled up in her special Christmas blankies:)