Trach-or-Treat

    Thus begins the hospital holidays of 2017. On October 24th Emma began passing out again, and has done so almost every day since October 24th (from taking too many breaths in and not being able to exhale enough when something bothers her- usually tummy or gas issues- due to her trachaeomalacia and bronchomalacia) but she has been such a trooper when I take advantage of her good times and dress her up. Luckily although now the bad episodes have lasted more days, at least she isn’t passing out ten times per day like she did those three days in September. However, having her come home by Christmas seems to be an old dream, and now we’re hoping for January or February. 

   I did three photoshoots with Emma since last week. When my mom visited last Wednesday, she surprised me with a tiny Dorothy dress, matching onesie and ruby socks for Emma. Emma was kind of tired and crabby the day my mom was there so we didn't change her clothes. She was better the next day when I visited, so the nurse (Kim) took a bunch of cute pictures of us!! 

   On the 29th at work, I dressed as Hermione since I can’t just not dress up. Originally I talked about being a Slytherin since I always felt that those traits defined me the most, but after everything we have been through with Emma these past six months since I had to be in the hospital while pregnant, I feel like I’ve had to be a lot more brave, strong, and determined than I have before. That night I visited Emma, but she passed out right after I got there, then fell back asleep. I held her hand for 20 minutes, and on Monday she was better so I dressed her up for a few pictures. She currently weighs 7 pounds, 3oz and is 18 inches long. Growing slowly! :)

 ^^ that night she kept her hand in the holding position after I moved my finger, so I let Curious George (I just call him "monkey") hold her hand while she kept sleeping.

   Yesterday at home I dressed up as Dorothy then went to the hospital for more pictures. Nurse Kim had sent another picture and video of Emma (they use an app called EASE) smiling and having a good time in her swing right outside of her room. She was still in an okay mood when I got there and was wearing her “My First Halloween” onesie.

   Our neighborhood is a dud on Halloween night. There was not a single person walking around when I got home at 7pm. I guess next year we’ll have to try our luck in the bigger neighborhoods behind ours. I saw a Halloween shirt while looking up “costumes for trach babies” that said Trach-or-Treat, so that might have to be our family’s little inside joke over the years, even when Emma is older and doesn’t need her trach anymore. I was even talking to my co-workers about pushing her in a stroller next year, then I realized she might be able to walk by then! She’ll be a year and 4 months, so it depends on how quickly she heals after her knee surgery (surgeries?) in the summer. Our little Emmy is growing up so fast!