We have been back in Florida for just over a month now, so here are the first half of my top favorites from our time while we were in Michigan for two and a half months. If you have not seen the PICU Christmas post that I wrote in January, please check it out since I just added pictures that were not originally on there.
One of the first pictures I got of Emma when we saw her after we arrived in Michigan on Monday, December 11th. She had a 9-minute cardiac arrest when she got to the PICU around 3pm (due to her trach being clogged), but was smiling and happy to see us when we arrived around 6pm. Originally I was pretty bummed when I was told the day before that I was not able to fly up with her in the medical jet, but after hearing about the arrest, I am so very thankful that I was not there to witness the event.
12/15/17: Emma got a visit from Denver, one of the therapy dogs at Mott Children's Hospital.
12/16/17: Six months old now and laughing about something! :)
12/22/17: Working on holding her head up and tracking objects with Alice and Sarah, the Occupational and Physical Therapists at Mott. I was very excited that they worked with her on so many things, when I assumed they would only deal with the 3D airway splints, which was the main point of our stay. It is a really great hospital.
This is Emma's oral brush given to us by the Speech Therapist, Samantha. She showed us how to get Emma used to different feelings (to later use a spoon to eat with) and instructed us to practice holding Emma's cheeks together while using the pacifier to work on her sucking muscles. We either dipped the brush and pacifier into sterile water or formula.
12/27/17: Heading down early in the morning for the big surgery!! Lots of prayers were said the night before, during and after this surgery. Emma did so well. We could not be more proud of our girl!
12/29/17: Although heavily sedated and on paralytics, Emma peeked her eyes open for us this morning and gave us a quick smile before going back to sleep for a long time.
When Emma had recovered more from surgery and it was safe to do so, the nurse and respiratory therapists would use this percussor to "hit" Emma's chest and back in order to get the secretions moving up so they could be suctioned out of her trach. The tool was loud against her skin, but very soft and she really seemed to like it being used.
1/3/18: Emma was lifted off of the sedation and paralytics on New Years Eve. She still slept most of the day. This was a few days later when she did not require so many naps. This day her PICC line was moved from her left arm to the right arm because one of the lumin wires had migrated up her neck instead of being in a central spot near the heart where it should be.
1/9/18: I was very happy when one of the nurses, DeSharra, said I was allowed to sit in the crib with Emma! She seemed a bit confused by it, ha. :)
1/10/18: A few pictures early in the morning before Emma went down for another surgery- a tracheostomy revision so it would be easier to change the trach with the 3D splints placed.
1/13/18: Emma in her favorite place ~ Daddy's arms! He is so great at getting her to laugh by making silly noises, making her toys give hugs, and massaging her head.
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