Breathing Over the Vent

Oh Happy Day! For the first time since transplant, Parson is breathing "over" the vent. I guess she woke up and finally got the memo that she got her new lungs. Rodney & I are standing on either side of her bed watching her take deep breaths for the first time in her life. When we take our eyes off of her breathing - it is only to watch the vent display showing that she is taking spontaneous breaths on her own. Pinch me. New life & new breath is SO very powerful -- I absolutely LOVE IT!

"The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." - Job 33:4

Today we made the big move out of Cardiovascular ICU back down to Pedi ICU. It was a three ring circus to transfer with 4 chest tube drains, an arterial line, a central line, an IV pole with 9 med pumps, 2 catheters, a ventilator - oh, and a baby with new lungs. (And a partridge in a pear tree) 

Baby steps. The docs discontinued dialysis because her kidneys are working great. They resumed physical therapy.  Discontinued nitric oxide. Discontinued TPN. Gave a round of IVIG - immunoglobulin and upped her feeds a teenie tiny bit. Still a great deal of work to go in the coming weeks to get her off of her intense pain/sedation medication regimen, but all in all a great day to be Parson Blue. 

Par & Dr. Heinle -lung transplant SUPER surgeon!  I love a man that can sew - (His sewing skills put mine to shame.) He knit the tiny connections back together to give her NEW life!   

Ventilator display screen shot -- The little red peaks are Parson's first baby breaths she took on her own.  Amazing!  

The PICU welcome crew getting Parson settled 

I saved the best for last.... But since I cannot post a video here on the blog --  I am going to post a video of a BIG DEEP breath on FB. The video shows a spontaneous breath - one Parson initated on her own. You just gotta see it for yourself - it is AMAZING!  

Now, take a deep breath - you will be glad you did.