Five years ago today I had just come home from my first date with the man who would become my best friend, my partner, my husband. That night I was so full of nerves. It had been quite a while since I had been on a date let alone a date with someone I barely knew. We went to Olive Garden for supper and then not sure as to what to do next I suggested we go see his dog. After meeting Miss Sidney, he brought me home. I remember calling my mom and telling her there is something different about this guy...I really think he is the one. I use to think people were crazy when they would tell me when you know you know. After our first date, I knew without a doubt I was going to marry Matt Hendricks.
Five years later I have had those nerves hit again but in a different kind of way. I have to forewarn you all that if I sound like I am rambling forgive me. It has been one of those days. Today I had the nerves a parent has. Ellie had a really bad day today guys. You know how we had been telling you all that we barely saw doctors anymore, well today we saw them about every 15 minutes. As I said yesterday and Matt said this morning, Ellie was still having high carbon dioxide levels in her blood. Friday it was 50, today it hit as high as 104. Doctors were trying every vent setting they could to get her back to normal. Nothing seemed to be working. I actually heard a doctor say we have to try this vent (the oscillator vent) and that is our last resort. What I didn't realize and maybe as a mom I blocked the worst out, was that the doctors were worried her lung was failing. Let me stop right here and say that after being in the NICU for 4 and a half weeks, we know enough now to be scared like we have never been scared before. We have seen and heard things now that we know when things are bad. Today we knew Ellie was at that point. After trying to make changes several times, around 3:30 in the afternoon, they called a doctor up who they call the king of the bivent (this is the type of vent setting Ellie is on). After looking at Ellie's check x-ray and looking at the vent settings she was currently on, he gave some suggestions to the other doctors and they made a change. They then decided they were going to let Ellie rest and give her about 3 and a half hours before they checked her carbon dioxide level in her blood. That time seemed to go by so slowly. When 8:30 pm arrived tonight, it was time to check her levels. God answered all of our prayers today! Her carbon dioxide level had dropped from 104 to 58! Praise God! He is so good! He put the fight in Ellie! I think every single person in that room was rejoicing with us. It was a victory for sure! Matt and I hugged each other and thanked God for keeping His healing hands on Ellie.
I have to give a huge thanks today to the respiratory therapists. They were so proactive for Ellie today. They were trying everything they could to help our Ellie. They were making suggestions and thinking of everything they could to make Ellie better. We just can't thank them and everyone today who was involved in Ellie's care. I always believe God places the right people there at the right time and today that was so true.
So, tonight after Ellie's good carbon dioxide reading, we headed out to Olive Garden to celebrate. The original plan was to celebrate our 5 year anniversary of our first date. Tonight that turned into a celebration of Ellie. She is such a fighter. I love that about her, but then I love every thing about our little girl. Matt and I can both say we never expected the past 5 years to be full of so many ups and downs. With that said, we wouldn't change a thing. God has given us so many gifts that we never expected to have. HE never said it would be easy, but with Him in your life I believe anything is possible. We just have to keep trusting and knowing that He is in control. He knows whats best. It's so amazing to finally to just to let your guard down and call out to Him. I did that today many many times. I was begging and pleading with Him to just let our little girl be ok. He responded in a major way. No one expected Ellie's numbers to be as good as they were this evening. To see that number drop so low, their can only be one answer-our precious Lord and Savior!!!!
Thank you all for the awesome prayer chains going today. We appreciate it so much. We know we still have a long road ahead of us, but seeing miracles like this happen today, fills me hope each and everyday.
Love,
Ellie's Mommy
