One more thing.....

Emerson is scheduled to get a mickey button on tomorrow Monday August 30, 2010. All it is, is a different type of feeding tube. It is supposed to be easier to put her meds in and feed her through. So we shall see. :) Will keep ya'll posted.

My baby's smile is coming back! :)

Emerson has had a good week so far. Sorry I haven't been updating more frequently, it's been kind of busy around here since we are slowly preparing for the home coming of Emerson! :) As of now Emerson is due to come home on September 10 BUT if she continues to improve in her thearpies she'll stay longer.

This week in speech Emerson got introduced to more baby food, she had applesause. She also got some apple juice and orange juice. She loved both the applesause and apple juice and swallowed it pretty well. The orange juice on the other hand so didn't care for too much but she swallowed it very well which is good! So since she is doing so well with that she is going to have a swallow study done next week. It's to make sure she is not asperating (sp?) anything into her lungs and it's making a clean straight way to her tummy! :)

In physical thearpy this week Emerson went from holding her head up for 30 seconds to 10 WHOLE MINUTES!!!! :) GOOOOO EMMY! woohoo! She also held it up right after a short break for 6 minutes and then again for 2 minutes and then again for 3 minutes! I am so proud of my baby, she truly is a strong little girl and is my hero! Emerson will be put in a stander this coming week to get her body used to putting all the weight back on her feet. She also got her left foot cast off and her foot is back to it's normal self! YES! But she has to wear a foot brace during the day to help support and keep it there.

In occupational thearpy this week she is pretty much doing the same. Still getting good range in her arms and her hands look so much better, they aren't so tense.... they are open more. Also too Emerson is TRYING to swat at things presented to her but her muscle tone is stopping her from reaching it, so hopefully it will get better and she can began REALLY swatting at things.

Also too today Emerson smirked at us! About three different times. Also too her pupils got really small, they are back medium sized BUT they did get small so that was strange but just God's way of working I suppose!

Daddy's letter to his Emmy!

A letter to my Emmy,

I never thought that I would have been blessed with an angel for a daughter. Everday that goes by I wonder why God is making mommy and I go through this, but I realize that God feels mommy and I are strong enough to handle this. My wishes for you are simple, I want you to tell me that you are never going to talk to me because I kicked your boyfriend out the house. As much as I am going to hate to see you go to prom I am going to love every minute of it too. I want you to run up to daddy because mommy made you mad. I want you to experience love, pain, and saddness. Things that just are apart of life. I want bug bubby to put the fear of God in some boys eyes and the day you get married will be the biggest day of your life and mine just to see you smile at someone the same way I smile at your mom when you get married and as I still do today. Every moment I have with you I cherish so much. Emerson you are my world, my heart, my everything! This whole situation that your going through right now just means that you will make the world a better place because of how strong and reslient you are. My whole life has been hard but somehow I push through it. Never thought that you would have to go through something like this, but as strong your being I know deep down inside me you will be fine. Everyday I look at you in that bed and wonder what I did wrong, then I look somemore and just smile because your my angel. You deserve to have a life full of laugh, happiness, and fun. that's what we will provide for you. Im the luckest man alive just to know you and spend all that precious time with you. Things in life are hard but seeing what you are going through just means that anything is possible with God by your side. Emerson I wrote you this letter because I am so happy to be your father. I want you to know that a lot of family and friends are PUSHing for you. You mean the world to me and you make me a stronger man and for that I will forever think of you as my daughter, my hero and my angel. I love you Emerson! God's on your side and we are here and everbody loves you!

Faith isn't beliving that God can, it's believing that God will!

Britten and I have so much faith in God that he WILL and is slowly healing our precious baby girl Emerson. I know that some doctors are already saying what we see in her is all we are going to get, but what they don't understand is that our faith in God and HIS final word is what we are going to get and ALL things are possible with God, and we are patiently, waiting all in God's time.

Emerson had a really good day today. In physical thearpy she held her head up for 30 seconds (without shaking, lol). Emerson is also almost able to sit like a big girl with her back all the way back and BOTH her knees bent and her hips. She truly is making steps everyday. In speech today she kept her speaking valve on the first time for one min. and then popped it right off. The second attempt she left it on for 6 min. but at the 1 min mark began screaming, it was so wonderful to hear her scream :) Emerson is also definitly scheduled to have a swallow study done sometime next week because she has learned to sit up like a big girl and is continually controling her secreations, ice, and liquid chocolate! YAy Emmy Lou! :) In occupational thearpy today she also held her head up for 30+ seconds again without the shaking! Yay Lou Lou Bean!!!! :) Emerson is also continuing to get more and more range in her arms and her little fingers. It's so wonderful to see her progress. Now we are just hoping, wondering, believing, waiting, needing, and trusting that God is in control and he is!

I came across this and if you remember in a previous post I mentioned that I have always had a peace that everything will be okay, well I couldn't have come across this at a better time: When you feel the calmness of your soul and the peace in the midst of chaos of the waves, that's God's answer telling you everything is going to be okay. :))))

True friends are few and far between

Well this post doesn't have much to do about Emerson's progress, just kinda venting.
I think Britten and I are blessed to have had this happen to us. We are so strong and it has made our marriage even stronger. It has also brought our families closer together which I never thought would happen. I do not know many people to be able to handle this situation as hopeful as we are. God has also opened our eyes to what's important in life and who our friends and family are. It's sad though because the people I thought would be by my side and would give me a shoulder to cry on were nowhere near when I needed them most. We are not expecting ANYONE to stop their lives for us but since June 28th I am sure there was at least one hour out of your busy schedule to come vist, text, or make a phone call. Especially when a phone call or someone told you what was going on. It's been some family members as well as friends. I guess Britten and I now know who our true friends & family are and they are few and far between! But it's okay because we have each other to lean on! I hope everyone has a blessed day!

God is AMAZiNG... Tuesday August 17th- Saturday August 21st

Well a lot has gone on this week and thank God they have all been pretty good things nothing really bad.

Okay so first Tuesday 8/17 Emerson had a triple Evoked Potential test done and that was to see if she can hear, see, and feel. How they tell is by putting electrodes on her head and seeing if they light up when they present light, sound, and touch to her. Also too we got the P.U.S.H. for Emerson shirts in! And bubby LOVED showing them off!

On Wednesday not too much happened except that she was on her belly in occupational thearpy and loved it! Emerson is also slowly getting full range back in her arms, and what's good about her is that once she gets the range back it stays. The thearpist said that with some kids they can get to a range one session and the next they have to start over and they end up never getting anywhere but with Emerson once they get the range she doesn't loose it!

Emerson getting her 1st cast off

Thursday Emerson got her 1st set of serial casting off and this was the test to see if the serial casting was going to work....... well it did!!! Before the casting began her feet were at -35 and when the casting came off they were at -10! YAY! So the same concept applies here some kids when they do the casting once it comes off, their feet go right back into the "ballerina" position but hers didn't. So Emerson is truly making progress everyday! Since her feet responded so well to the casting she got another set put on........ this time they were pink!

She also got some new wheels. Emerson was using her stroller to get her back and forth to thearpy. She wasn't able to sit in it bc she would just slide right out. So we had her sitting indian style in it, but with the cast it was just getting more and more difficult to get her in and out so Mrs. Lori her physical thearpist decided that it would be best to get her some new wheels that would help her with sitting and allow her to be out and about more and be more comfortable. Here are her new wheels....... what ya think? Okay right. They freaked me out a little because it looks too much like a wheelchair to me. But it's okay because it is just temporary it's not forever. She will be outta that thing in no time at all!

Emerson will also be featured in Children's Hospital monthly magazine for the month of September with Mrs. Leslie for Thearpist month. So Emerson got to have a photoshoot with her, and it was quite adorable.

Emerson also kept her speaking valve on for a whole 5 minutes. Which is the longest that she has yet to have them on. BUT she broke that record on Friday when she kept the speaking valve on for the whole 30 minute session! GO EMERSON! :) Emerson is also doing more and more everyday with her little mouth! It's sooo cute. She is now making a "o" with her lips, sucking her bottom lip more, following with her tounge whatever you present to her lips (ie. ice, chapstick, or gauze pad), and smacking more. Emerson also sat straight with her knees bent and like a "big girl" as Mrs. Lori says in her stroller for over 30 minutes!

Gosh how I love reporting good things my amazingly strong baby girl is doing everyday!

Saturday Mommy and Daddy took Emmy for a stroll around the floor and visited with the nurses, doctors, and some of the patients.  Big bubby has also been begging for us to let him in sissy's crib with her so finally we did. And Emerson immediatly realaxed and Joseph was in heaven. It's one of the best sites I have seen in a while, they just melted my heart seeing them together like that. Saturday mommy & daddy also got the results of her triple evoked potential testing that was done on Tuesday..... it's not bad news but it's not great news. Emerson can see light & dark and possibly peripherally but it is delayed. Emerson can also hear and feel but it is again delayed. The doctor who read the test said that since children's brains are always growing and learning he would like to retest her in 6 months. He also said that nothing is completly knocked out so it all has the potential to come back and fully function. We'll just have to wait and see and continue to stimulate her brain. FINGERS CROSSED!

Joseph also had a couple of exciting things happen this week. He started football practice and he met his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wilson. He is so darn excited about school! And I am glad to put some sort of routine and normalicy back in my poor babys life. I hope he has a wonderful school year full of friends, learning, and memories! Here is his name tag he begged I take a picture of (lol) and him in all his football gear! Enjoy! :)

Please continue to P.U.S.H for Emerson! :)

My Letter to my Princess Emerson

My dearest sweet baby girl Emerson,

It has taken me a long time to come to grips with the fact that this was an accident. Your father and I have blamed ourselves and each other. Your big brother Joseph has even blamed himself. You are so precious to us and I miss you dearly! Yes I know you are still with us and we are beyond blessed to still have you, but mentally you are not with us YET! And I miss you! I miss your smile, your laugh, your cry, your words, your adorable walk, your personallity but most of all your hugs and kisses! Emmy I feel as though I am missing all the wonderful times I should be having with you. Learning new words, your first dentist appt, getting taller and smarter! I just miss you so much words can not even express. Most people do not truly understand how critical you were and to me still are because your mind, hands, legs, and senses are not fully functioning. You know we forget how hard it really is to do some of the most simple things in life until yourself or a loved one no longer does it and has to work extremely hard to be able to do them again.

We have been at Children's Hospital for almost two months now and everyday God helps me to continue to be strong for you, your dad, and big bubby! Daddy and I bless you every morning and every night. "By his stripes you are healed!" I pour holy water on you as we repeat those words because God suffered for us and our healings.

Emmy you have had so many visitors you have had several people from the Father Seelos center, Father Archbishop Hughs, several preists, family, and friends. We are blessed that we have so many loved ones that have asked for them to come on your behalf. Father Seelos has one more miracle to make before he can become a saint and one of my wishes is to have you be his last miracle so that he may be deemed a saint! Emerson from the day that this happened to you I have had a peace in my heart knowing that you will come out of this and be a normal fully functioning little girl, but the road to get there is tough. I can't image all the things you are going through I also pray that you do not remember ANY of this, how it would break my heart if you do. I also pray that you are normal and functioning enough to spread God's word and to be proof of what God has done for you! I want to be able to tell you this story later on in your life. I want you to go to school and be normal if you need help educationally it's okay i'll be by your side forever and help you go through that. I want you to go to dancing, be in softball or any sport you want to. I want you to have slumber parties. I want to do our nails together. I want to go shopping with you. I want you to tell me to get out of your room. I want to fuss you to clean your room. I want you to go to prom. I want you to date. I want you to get married and have babies. I want you to know how to love and feel love in return. I want it all for you my baby girl! And I pray to God EVERY SINGLE day that you will be able to experience all of this. Afterall he blessed me with you TWICE. My sweet Emmy Lou I love you and can't wait to see your smile again!

Weekend & Monday

Emerson had a great weekend. Friday the occupational thearpist said that vibration and shaking stimulated her and she liked it and suggested we get a vibrating bouncy so we did. And she really loved it but she is just about to heavy and long for it, but oh well.

Notice her curve and "ballerina" feet

Emerson also got a mobile that I found. It plays Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Nature music has lights and goes around in a circle like a regular mobile. I got it because we are trying to get her full eye sight back. All we know that she can see is lights. But all the thearpist are noticing that she is trying to track anything that's put in front of her face. So hopefully through her mobile, the thearpist and most importantly God she can regain her full sight back. But Tuesday Aug 17th she'll be getting a hearing and vision test so we'll know what she can see and hear. Fingers crossed.

Today Monday August 16th in speech Emerson has gotten really really good at "popping" off her speaking valve. She's smarter then the doctors give her credit for. lol. And Mrs. Verlencia thinks so too. She knows that something different is on her and she moves her right arm to try and pull it but while she's doing that she reevs up her breaths and POPS it right off everytime! And as soon as it's popped off she calms right down like "yep I just did what I was intending to do" lol. My little princess! :)
(The purple on her trach is called the "speaking valve" and for those who don't remember or didn't read the previous post the speaking valve allows air in through her trachea but she has to work to get the air out through her mouth and nose and it is also one step closer to getting the trach out!)


In occupational thearpy today she also did well she is continuing to hold her head up but still hasn't been longer then 1 min. But it's okay she'll get there! She also still has amazing range in her right arm and left and we are just continuing to get the FULL range back!

In physical thearpy today she also did well, fell asleep like usuall. lol. She has almost full range back in her left hip but we are still working on getting more the a 45 degree angle range back in her right hip. A work in progress but she is making progress and that's all that counts. Emerson all got a cast put on both her legs. No she did not break anything, the casts are used to try and get full range of motion back in her feet so that she is able to begin walking again. Your foot naturally goes 90 degrees well Emerson's left foot only goes -20 degrees and her right only goes -30 degrees. With putting the cast on they strech her foot to the -20 and -30 hold it and cast it. It will be on until thursday and the goal is to get that range completly back and not just when Mrs. Lori pushes it and then push her foot to get even further range cast it again and repeat those steps until she gets the natural 90 degrees back. FINGERS CROSSED AND PRAYERS PLEASE!!!! Here are some pictures of the process.

God's word supersedes man.

" I don't deny what the doctors words say, I just deny that it is the final word because God's word supersedes man."


Well Thursday I wasn't at the hospital because I had to bring Joseph for his Kindergarten testing, yes kindergarten. I can't believe it either! So my mother-in-law stayed with her! Emerson got an MRI today. She went to her morning thearpies and had her MRI around one o'clock, and didn't finish until about two o'clock. Well her MRI came back and the doctors say that now her brain damage is "global". I got the call from my husband since I wasn't there. I hung up and sat there for a min and thought what could they mean global? Everywhere? In the center? I was trying my hardest to think of it meaning something else besides global because I just didn't want to hear it. Well it meant that her damage was everywhere more then they saw in the first MRI. As I sat there crying and just thinking about what Britten had just said I just stopped because all I knew was that it was more then they thought BUT everyday my daughter is improving and doing new things everyday! No matter what their "picture" said GOD's word is final and supersedes man's word! So I dried my tears got in my car and made my way back to the hospital! :) 


When I got to the hospital it was late and all the neurologists had left for the day so I had to wait until today Friday to speak with someone. So Friday is here and I had the oppurtunity to speak to a neurologist but Dr. Tilton wasn't here and wouldn't be here till September! So my choice was to speak with Dr. Wong, yeaaaa so I do not have a good first opinion of him so I passed on that option and spoke to Emerson's physical thearpist who was there Thursday when Dr. Tilton was there and explained it to her as well. 


So here is the explaination..... your brain has a billion neurons in it that send and recieve signals to the brain and nervous system. Once a neuron has a lack of oxygen for 3+ min it's gone, it doesn't regrow or heal back. Well Emerson has several dead neurons scattered globally throughout her brain BUT let's just say that each catagory has 20 neurons but only 2 were damaged in one area 6 in another and 1 in another she has those 18, or 14, or 19 neurons left in the area that could take over and do what the dead ones were doing.  


So I am taking this news and turning it into good.... just because their "picture" says what it says my baby will do more!


So on to how Emerson is progressing!


In thearpy Emerson has to be streched so when we go to Mrs. Lori the physical thearpist she trys to get Emmy to hold her head up and streches her legs, hip joints, knees, and all that. Well Emerson's left hip rotates just fine but doesn't rotate in, but it is getting better. Her right hip wasn't even allowing her leg to go up much but with working it she can now get it pass a 45 degree angle. WooHOo!!! Yeah but that's NOT it! In occupational thearpy right now they intertwine with physical so Mrs. Leslie is also trying to get Emerson to hold her head up and she can do it for 13 seconds BUT we realized that if we bounce her she can hold it for one whole minute!!!! Yea I knew weird you'd think bouncing someone they wouldn't be able to control their head and hold it up but not my goofy Emmy she is holding it up longer Mrs. Leslie got the biggest kick out of it that she had to call her supervisor and everyone in to check Emmy out! And they just laughed and the supervisor said that the vibrations from the bouncing are relaxing her muscles which is allowing her to have some control which in turn is allowing her to hold her head up! So I guess I'll count it Emmy held her head up for a whole minute!!! :)))

Holding her head up with Mrs. Leslie! :)

So another thing Mrs. Leslie gets a big kick out of is that most kids hate being streched out because it hurts them and don't get me wrong Emerson does cry sometimes when they strech her but 9 times out of 10 she loves it! Here are some of the weird positions Emmy loves!

Here is Emmy trying to track a "rain maker" I believe that's what they are called.

In speech Mrs. Verlencia introduced a "nuk" brush sprayed with chocolate flavoring. Emerson didn't know what to think about it at first but Mrs. Verlencia said she responded well to it she crinkled her forehead smacked and swallowed! Emerson also got the speaking valve put on again, she did so good but the little booger has figured out how to pop it off and when it pops it sounds like a damn firecracker! haha! So she figured that when you breath real heavy and fast your able to pop it off and I am telling you she knows because as soon as it's off that's it no heavy breathing no fast breathing. What a mess.


So like I said I don't deny what the doctors "picture" tells them and what they say to me but God's word supersedes man! And my baby is living, breathing proof! <3

The most beautiful sound..... my babies cry!

Well Wednesday Emerson got a speaking valve put on her trach for the first time. For those of you who don't know what a speaking valve is, it is an attachment put onto her trach that allows air into the trach but Emerson has to do the work to push the air out up through her vocal cords and through her mouth and nose. So it is a big step for anyone with a trach because it is one step closer to her not having to keep the trach in forever! So back to the good news. Mrs. Verlencia told us before we even began with trying out the speaking valve that she would not like it right away because it was new and uncomfortable at first. So it was time to put the valve on, Emerson held her breath and her O2 dropped to 85% and she had it on for 2 min. Off it came. Mrs. Verlencia let Emerson catch her breath and relax and put it on again. Emerson kept it on for 20 min and the lowest her O2 level got was 95%! WooHoo! The most beautiful sound ever........ my babies cry! We haven't heard her voice in shoot over three weeks all we could ever see is her face "crying" but never hear her. Our first trial couldn't have gone any more perfect.

In occupational thearpy her left hand which is her bad hand got even higher in extention. She also sees her trying to follow lights even better now and it's less delayed. In physical thearpy Emerson laid on her belly for the first time in 7 weeks since we have been here, and she did ok. 

Emerson also had botox today, yes botox! The botox is used to relax her muscles to relax her muscle tone. Initally she was supposed to get it in her R & L forearm muscle and calf muscle BUT Emerson not only got it there but she also got it in her R & L latissimus dorsi, her paraspinal, and R & L biceps. So all in all my baby got stuck 12 times! And my Emmy has been botoxed up. lol ;) They say we won't start to see a difference in her tone until 5-7 days! So we can't wait. 


Since Emerson got her botox around 2ish on Wednesday her afternoon thearpy went on as scheduled, very mild, but it went well! :)       

My Family!

Tuesday August 10, 2010

Now that I have started a blog and am pretty much up to date on everything I am going to be posting Emerson's progress at least every week if not everyday.


So yesterday Emerson got a different trach. She got a trach without a cuff, longer one, and a flexable one. So far so good with it! Emerson also has added to her list of boo boo's an ulcer on her left bottom lip. :( Yesterday Dr. Tilton (our favorite neurologist) changed up her medicines a little. When we started on the regular floor Emerson was on valium .6mg every 4 hours; robinul .25mg every 8 hours; propanolol 2.5mg every 8 hours; zantac 20mg every 8 hours; a clonidine patch replaced once weekly; and chloral 200mg every 8 hours as needed. NOW Emerson is on Valium 1.2mg every 6 hours; propanolol 5mg every 8 hours; Zantac 20mg every 8 hors (stayed the same); a clonidine patch replaced every 5 days; Baclafin 5mg 4x's a day. So Emerson is no longer on robinul which was used to thicken her secreations because she now has pretty much full control of her secreations. And she is also no longer on chloral which was just used to put her to sleep because now she is able to calm herself and put herself to sleep.


In Physical thearpy today Lori noticed that she was calmer and still trying to hold her head up just for the 13 seconds still though. In Occupational thearpy they noticed that she is producing more tears and her left arm muscle was not as tight and her veins aren't as pronounced.  Speech today went well too, Mrs. Verlencia (yes it's ver not va, lol) noticed that Emerson is blinking more when something is in front of her face, she's swallowing more, controlling her secreations, and is realizing somethings in front of her face but isn't quite tracking it. I am in love with the fact that my Emmy is making progress like we all say "Baby steps are better then no steps at all!"

First Week of Thearpy

Notice the inward legs and the pointed toes

So Emerson finished her first full week of therarpy. Emerson gets thearpy for three hours a day. She begins at 10:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm with a two hour break inbetween. Emerson has physical thearpy, occupational thearpy, and speech thearpy. Right now in physical and occupational thearpy the goal is to get Emerson to hold her head up! She can hold her head up for 13 seconds about every 10th try. Hey it's a start, and we couldn't be happier. :) Occupational thearpys goal is the same as physical right now but it's also to get her to use her hands and legs more and to reduce the tone throughout her body. Emerson has shown a lot of progress. Emerson's tone is like someone who has had a stroke, except she's unique because her elevated stiffness is on her left hand and right leg. Emerson also has what they call ballerina feet. But we are working on all of that. Over the weekend of Aug 7-8 Emerson devoloped an ear infection, pink eye, teething (getting her 2 yr molars), and so constipated that it was pushing on her diaphram. So overall Emerson had a great first week of thearpy!

The Begining

Emerson was born December 24th 2008 and was a healthy beautiful baby girl. Most of you that know her knows that she really has never been sick.


So here is where our journey begins. On Monday June 28th 2010 I was in my bedroom changing about to head to the mall with the kiddos and my husband was home for lunch brought the kids inside and he and our 5 year old son Joseph came in the room with me while I finished getting dressed. I called for Emerson and didn't hear her little footsteps coming so I went to look for her. I walked out into our back yard and found her in our pool bellyside up with purple lips and not breathing. I screamed for my husband and he, my brother, and son ran into the living room. I placed her on our living room floor and began CPR. (I was such a mess that I did not perform it the proper way even though I am certified) I was screaming and panicing so my brother took over CPR. Still we didn't get her back so my husband scooped her up and ran to the car and we drove her to St. Charles Parish Hospital which is about 3 minutes away from my house. My daughter was not breathing for a total of no more then 10 min. STCP Hospital did revive my daughter. They then transported us to Childrens Hospital where her true Journey began. (Emerson got out of our back door (which is a pull down knob, that we forgot to lock) and got into our swimming pool by climbing the ladder (that yes we didn't take out).

The second day Emerson was at Childrens she did not look at all like herself. Her eyes were all puffy she was intabated (helping her breath), blue, and had tubes coming from everywhere! Emerson's first days in Childrens' consisted of them keeping her in a drug induced coma keeping her cool and making sure she was stable. Emerson also had a CT scan to check for swelling and bledding and she had none, but we weren't out the clear yet it hadn't been 48hrs which is the hours of risk. But they did an MRI and she still had no swelling or bleeding BUT she does have permeant brain damage in her basal ganglia and her thalamus. The basal ganglia controls cognition, movement coordination, and voluntary movement. It is also the center where all the information is processed and then released to the other systems through the thalamus. The thalamus is located above the brainstem and it process and relays movement and sensory information. And recieves information from the cerebral cortex where the basal ganglia is located. So needless to say where her damage is it is very important. Here she is......

Begining the third day in PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) Emerson was already being lowered her respirtory help and breathing half on her own. She was urinating well but had trouble regulating her blood pressure, which is one of the many causes from her brain damage regulating her bp and temp. Emerson also had a Echocardiogram which was perfect. Thank goodness because we sure didn't need any other problems. During Emerson's stay in the PICU her tempature flucuated a lot.

By day four Emerson was lowered even more from the ventalator because she was breathing over the machine!! Also Emerson was coming off the sedations. Emerson also got a feeding tube put in through her nose and began getting fed 5ml. That day we found out Emerson is A + because she needed a blood transfusion because she was not making her own RBC (red blood cells) Emerson also contracted the H flu which is a bacteria infection. Also on day four Emerson was given steroids to help with her throat to not swell because she was scheduled (all things well over night) to get off the intabation! This day was also only the second day she got her teeth brushed and her hair washed :)


On day five Emerson was comletly off of her ventalitor!!!! Woohoo!!! Breathing completly on her own! :))))

Day six July 4th (Happy Late Fourth!!) Emerson had a lot happen this day. She had her a-line and catheter taken out. Her feeds were increased and her fluids were decreased. And she was scheduled for a rehab consult the coming Tuesday. Emerson was also being given breathing treatments because she had a partial collapsed lung, which will heal in time. Here is our baby girl the first time we got to hold her since the accident.......

Showing off her g-tube ^ brown tube...

By July 9th Emerson was well enough to go to the floor and begin thearpy. Emerson started thearpy at bedside because she was still in the evaluation stage. During our stay at the 6th floor Emerson had pulled out her IV in her neck and her feeding tube from her nose three times so by that point Emerson got a g-tube on July 15th.

Our stay on the 6th floor didn't last long because on July 18th at 9:00pm my daughter spiked a 105.8 fever and was struggling to breath. Doctors told us "This might be it, you may wanna call your family." And so we did. They rushed Emerson back to PICU and got her stable.

July 19th The doctors came in and suggested since she was struggling and spending all her time, energy, and calories on breathing it would be a good idea for her to have a trach (an opening in the neck leading directly to the trachea) because it would more easily and safely deliver oxygen to her lungs without working so hard. After much deliberation we decided that yes it would be best for her to have a trach so Emerson got her trach on July 23rd. Emerson spent that weekend in PICU and did sooo much better with her breathing so Wednesday July 28th she got moved back to the regular 6th floor back in her old room 612! And she began her thearpy consult. Her thearpy consult went better then the first time so we began full thearpy 3 hours a day for a week.

Daddy & Emmy before trach surgury!

Mommy & Emmy before trach surgury!