Hannah graduated!!

Today Hannah graduated from the PICU to the floor!  We are so unbelievably happy to be moving on to the next and hopefully final phase of our hospital stay.  The change of personality in her since we have moved has been absolutely amazing!  Even though she still hates the nurses touching her, I feel like my happy little girl is coming back.  She has smiled, laughed, and talked.  I can't tell you how great it feels to be moving in this direction.  She is still on the oxygen but very little, and is still being fed through the NG continuously.  I did attempt to give her a bottle today, but she did not seem interested.  I can't imagine she is to hungry with the feeds running constantly.  She did however eat a little bit of grilled cheese and some puffs.  I think tomorrow we are going to discuss stopping her feeds to get her hungry and see if she will take her bottle.

This next phase of her hospital stay is just as important as the first but just in a whole different way.  Now the goal is to work on getting her home and back to where she was prior to transplant.  Some things will come with time, but from a medical stand point she needs to be stable, taking her medications, and eating so she continues to grow.  They will continue to draw labs on her for quite a while, even when she gets to come home.  That is one of the main reasons for her broviac catheter.  I believe she gets them done twice a week for the first month, and then if she is doing well they start decreasing the frequency.  All the blood draws and doctors visits will be the next phase, and I know it sounds strange we can't wait to get there because that means we are home!

The transplant team is still very happy with the way she is recovering and her lab results.  All they say is how great she looks and how good she is doing.  I absolutely love hearing it, but at the same time they are so happy it makes me nervous!  I just don't want to get to excited to soon and it is very hard not too.  I am enjoying it, but keeping that thought way in the back of my head that there still might be some bumps in the road.  One of her levels has risen just a bit, but they don't seem to concerned as they say it is a very sensitive test.  It is those types of things that make me keep that reminder way back in my head.  Don't get me wrong though, I am thoroughly enjoying every smile and step up from our little fighter!  She is absolutely amazing, and we are so excited that she has even come this far.  That in itself is huge!

Yesterday her big brother visit and you could tell she was so HAPPY to see him.  The pictures just don't do it just it.  She smiled and wanted to keep holding on to him:)  He is so unbelievably good to her, and he has been such a strong and good little boy through this crazy time.  I am so so so proud of him.

We still need to keep the gremlins away so prayers are still welcome.  We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend:)