Hopefully home TODAY

We should *hopefully* be going home today. Annabelle is finally breathing better, when the nasal canula comes out of her nose, instead of dipping to 60’s, she’s dipping to 80’s. Still not great, but better than two days ago. Her breathing is also easier, even though it is a little fast, she isn’t breathing as much from her belly, and her oxygen is down to 1/8th of a liter (we were on a half of a liter when we brought her to the hospital.)

They upped her diaretics, and it seems to be helping her offload some fluid, which is good. They now think, maybe, her issues with her electrolytes last week were less diuretic related and more heart failure related.

She got her last steroid treatment at midnight last night, and will get an ECHO and EKG this morning along with a BUNCH of labs. Please pray everything looks good so we can go HOME this weekend. Dr. Dodd is putting off making a firm decisions on when to do Annabelle’s heart cath until she sees how she does for a few days, but it could be as early as late next week, or as late as first of July.

Funny story:

I heard them getting her labs this morning (mostly I heard her screaming about it) but there were a couple of them so I stayed laying down, knowing I’d be more in the way than helping. A little bit ago, the nurse came in and saw that I was awake.

“I have some bad news.”

My heart plummeted. I just knew the labs were good and they were preparing me not to go home today.

“The blood was hemolyzed… so we are going to have to poke her again to get more.”

I almost laughed, and I think she thought I was crazy when I let out a huge sigh of relief. I am so used to my baby getting poked, this doesn’t phase me anymore. I told her she can poke all she wants (within reason) as long as the labs are good and let us take her HOME.

For me, I feel a little rested. I made myself sleep and let the nurses take care of her at night instead of getting up at every cry or ding. Being home isn’t easy, and I don’t get a lot of sleep, so taking this time to “rest up” I felt was important.

I am so excited about bringing my baby back home. Last time was a big party, but then there was a huge feeling of being overwhelmed with all of her care. This time, I’ve done it before… it will still be hard but more low key, and more familiar, for her AND me.

This will be a fun weekend though… Gabby’s birthday is Monday, so we will be celebrating with the family on Sunday. My baby is turning FIVE!!!! I’m praying to be able to have ALL my baby’s with me this weekend for the festivities! And Grandpa Phillips is flying in on Saturday, and we are all really excited to see him!!!

And next week, my 3 kiddos will be going to spend a few weeks with Grandma and Grandpa Phillips in North Carolina. Since our family can’t go on a “vacation” this year for obvious reasons, this will serve as their fun time, as they are going to a water park and will be spending time with their NC cousins.

I will miss them terribly…but it will be a good time for Scott and I to adjust to taking care of everything at the house ourselves, to getting into a good routine with Annabelle, before we are back to dealing with having all 4 of the kiddos, by ourselves, again.

Scott will also start looking for a job next week (we’ve been looking, but with back and forth from the hospital and preparing for Annabelle’s homecoming, there just hasn’t been a lot of time.) Your prayers on that end are really appreciated. I’m trying not to get nervous about it all… GOD has it in control and I DO know that. He’s brought us this far, I have faith he won’t drop the ball now! If he can handle Annabelle getting a new heart, he can handle a little thing like our finances!!!!

Will update when we KNOW if we are going home or not! EEEEE!!!!!