A Much Better Day For Our Ellie

The title of this post should say it all.  Ellie did have a much better day.  They have started her on a new medication that's a sedative but not near as strong as the sedative she was on before.  They give her a dose of this every 12 hours.  It keeps her calm but she is awake and alert.  She was still gagging and getting upset when she was moved but it was not near as bad as the past couple of days.  They are also weaning her nitric down every 6 hours now, so....she should be off of that by tomorrow afternoon!  What a blessing!  We will be so excited to see one more machine gone!  The respiratory therapist also said that for a few minutes today Ellie was not requiring any oxygen.  That is awesome.  I have said all along Ellie is a fighter.  She proves that to each one of us every day.  God is just showing us miracles each day.  Matt and I will never be able to give Him enough praise for all He has done and continues to do.

I got to hold Ellie today for the first time since Sunday.  It had been way too long.  Since she started coming off her strong sedative and they cut her morphine in half, she had been really upset.  It was aggravating her to move her.  Matt held her on Monday and it hurt us to watch how uncomfortable she was.  Tuesday there was a lot going on in Ellie's room and she was upset and frustrated again, so we decided it would be best to just touch her and talk to her.  That hurt so much.  Matt and I just ache to pick her up.  We want to make it all go away.  When they moved her to me today, she was upset at first but once we got her positioned right, she was much better.  She actually stayed awake the biggest part of the time I was holding her.  I love looking in to that sweet little face.  I know holding her is good for her, but oh how it is good for me.  I never want to let her go.  It's such an awesome thing being a parent.  I can't even describe the feeling.  It is truly a gift from the Lord.

Matt and I LOVE music.  Music has brought such comfort to us these past few weeks in a way it never has before.  Today on the way to the hospital, we listened to the song "Bring The Rain" by Mercy Me.  That song has held a special place in my heart for awhile now.  It was a song I listened to a lot while I was pregnant with Maddy.  I know now God placed that song in my life for a reason.  I clung to that song after Maddy passed away.  It helped me to give me strength in a way only God could give.  God has brought us rain now for many months.  I know there are some out there that would think how could you praise Him with everything you have in front of you.  I could not imagine not praising HIM!!! In the midst of the rain, He has brought us so much joy.  He has given Matt and I two precious girls.  Maddy is our first.  She will always hold a special place in our hearts.  Ellie is our precious second.  What joy she has brought.   To look at her little face, it's a feeling I can't even describe.  She's our little girl and we love her more than words can say. God created two beautiful miracles for us.  They are unique in their own way through Him.  And even though this life has brought us some rain, we will continue to praise Him.  I could not imagine life any other way. 

Thank you all for your cards, texts, posts, emails.  They are all so encouraging to us.  I promise to try to get back to each one of you.  We are still getting in a routine ( I am not sure how well we are doing at that,  it's really hard with all of these changes she is having to not be around her and comfort her and just be there with her), but I am sure as time goes on we will get better at it.  We just appreciate you all so much.  I look forward to the day when Ellie is older and we can tell her how many people were praying for her.  She is one lucky girl, but Matt and I are very lucky parents!

Love you all!
Ellie's Mommy

Ellie upset - choking, gaging and crying