Setting Records

As most of you likely know, we have been putting Norah on the Trilogy (home) ventilator for "trial" periods each day. At first, there were some days that she could hardly stand 5 minutes. Then she was gradually going up in time on the Trilogy: one hour, three hours, four hours... During our most recent meeting with the SDCH staff, we asked them to push her, just to see what she could do. So they've been doing exactly that. Her new record?

Thirteen and a half hours.

Yep, she is doing amazing. She used to get so tuckered out after just those few hours, but she is doing so well, that most days she is on it 10-12 hours. I'm not going to say that this is the reason for her doing so well, but I've been applying a respiratory blend of medical-grade essential oils to her feet almost every day. (Thank you Kelly!) I'd like to think that it may be part of why she's doing so well... who knows. 

I do know that our girl is one tough cookie. She definitely has to work harder on the Trilogy than she does on the Drager (the ICU-only ventilator), but it looks like there isn't really a way around that for now. But it doesn't exhaust her like it used to... in fact, she hardly seems to notice. I think she enjoys the things she can do on it that are more difficult on the Drager. She can go for walks, she can play in the hallway for a change of scenery... and... (drum roll please), she can finally sit up for a few minutes! It was so much more difficult on the Drager because it has a heavier circuit with so many more parts vs. what we have with the Trilogy. 

It's going to be an amazing Christmas with the four of us (plus some family!) at home together, for the first time since Norah was a frighteningly unstable 41 days old. And it won't just be for a few hours... it'll practically be all day! I'm not prepared to think about how difficult it will be to take her back to the hospital afterwards. The only comfort we will have is that she's so very close to coming home... I can practically taste it.

Happy and playful in the hallway outside of her room.
She's growing up, and we are beyond thrilled at her progress.