Friday, January 25, 2013

Yes!

                                    It is good news!





Great news in fact!


The only thing keeping us here is that crazy low INR. It is creeping up at the speed of a turtle with 1 leg. Darn. But you know what? This is a great reason to be stuck here! We can do this, we are pros now. We just really miss the family and we really miss home. So come on INR!
Explanation~
Ivy needs to have a therapuetic PT~INR before we can get discharge moving. 
INR stands for International Normalized Ratio. The INR is really just the standard unit used to report the result of a PT test. PT 
stands for prothrombin time. It is a measure of how quickly blood clots.
You and I and the average person who is not on anticoagulation should have an INR of approximately 1. The higher your INR is, the longer it takes your blood to clot. The happy spot/therapeutic INR for Ivy is going to be 2.5. She has been taking Coumadin for 8 days and she is still only a 1.3? She is taking 2-3 MG's a day. Tonight she got 3mg's and we really hope tomorrow she will be up! And the little stinker keeps eating broccoli! High in vitamin K which lowers your INR. We want her to have a normal diet with no green veggie restrictions at home so we have to let her eat the broccoli. 
It feels so good to say, we are only here for anticoagulation issues right now. SO GOOD!
In photo above her nurse had just taken us from our play time to get her PICC dressing changed..... Brave face time!

Today I am noticing so many new things about Ivy. And I am trying to just rejoice in them and not let it make me sad that she couldn't do these things before! She lets me tickle her now. And she says do it again. She likes to be tickled under her chin like her sister Lexi! She never let me do that before. She is so playful. She likes to play tricks on me and she likes to run me down with her shopping cart! Tonight when I was carrying her back to the room, she was telling me not to hold on to her, to keep my hand only under her little tiny bum. Before she would have to have one arm wrapped around us and her hand gripped on our clothing like she was dizzy and expecting to fall. She has been doing oodles of walking. After 3.5 weeks in bed, she has lost the very tiny amount of muscle she may have had, but that little girl walked the entire 42 bed unit today, pushing a shopping cart with at least 10 pounds of pumps and loot in it. She wants this! SHE wants it! She pushes herself for the first time since forever. She has a little friend (4yr old Maggie) and she goes down the halls saying, Wait for me Maggie!! Oh Lexi is going to be so happy that her sister is coming home ready to grow and ready to play!!! Oh how I miss my sweet little Lexi!!!
Tonight when I put Ivy to bed she could barely keep her eyes open but she did not want to go to bed. She is tired of this place. We both are. She feels good now and she just wants to go home and live life. Come on blood... Thin down so we can get out of here!!!

24 comments:

  1. Woo hoo! Come home soon, prayers were so answered.

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  2. Such amazing news!! Way to go Ivy!!! That girl is a fighter and it makes my heart smile that she is doing so incredibly well!! Come on INR, Ivy needs to go play!!

    Praying that her INR gets there so you girls can get back home to the family! So thankful to God that our little Ivy is finally ready to play. :)

    Praying in NYC!
    Fannie

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  3. Such amazing news!! Way to go Ivy!!! That girl is a fighter and it makes my heart smile that she is doing so incredibly well!! Come on INR, Ivy needs to go play!!

    Praying that her INR gets there so you girls can get back home to the family! So thankful to God that our little Ivy is finally ready to play. :)

    Praying in NYC!
    Fannie

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  4. woo hoo amazing news...so exicted!!

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  5. the INR level Ivy needs is on its way. i am predicting it will be where it needs to be in the very near future (perhaps Monday).. it is POSSIBLE!! it is on the HORIZON!! ...can't u feel it?? God has got this Mary. Do not be afraid to relax this time :-) That sparkle in Ivy's eyes, and smile, and personality are so very telling!

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  6. So so so happy for you!! INR, you can do. Like you said, no biggie! The big news is Ivy's no lease on life. What a miracle!

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  7. Oh how exciting!! Ivy and Lexi are going to have the most fun playing together so very soon!!

    KK

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  8. Keep going Ivy, we are all rooting for you here in California......Gyll

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  9. Music to everyone's ears Mary! So much GREAT news!!!!
    Praising God with you!!!!

    Love,
    Diana

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  10. Awwwww. Such a sweet update! There will be so many firsts and new adventures awaiting Ivy Joy! PTL!!!!

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  11. Go Ivy Go! What a brave and awesome little girl.
    Come on blood thinner do your job!
    Jumping for Joy news...

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  12. Praise God! Praying for low perfect INR tomorrow. Holly

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  13. Praise God! Praying for perfect INR tomorrow. Blessings, Holly

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  14. Awesome news!!! Just incredible!!! And incredible too that little Ivy knew, deep down all along, that something still wasn't right. What an amazing little miracle she is!!! Prayers and hugs that numbers get to where they need to be ASAP so you can head home to your family.

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  15. Oh, thank you so much for explaining in layman's terms what those letters mean! It is good to know. So happy for the progress the little princess is making. Thanks, again, for keeping us so well posted. :)

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  16. What absolutely awesome news!!! Ivy Joy is such a little warrior...your miracle girl. My daughter loves to see pictures of "Baby Ivy" now...today she said, "awww, her boo boo getting bettah". Ivy Joy has touched so many lives! Continuing to pray for a smooth recovery this time. -- Dawn in (Western) New York

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  17. Wonderful news! We are praying her INR improves soon so you both can get home to your family. When our little one had TOF heart issue corrected with OH surgery, we started seeing things we had never seen before too just like you are seeing with Ivy. Now that I look back I realized just how sick she felt and we just thought it was due to her background in the orphanage. Seriously 4 days after surgery she was a different girl. Amazing! I am so happy for Ivy and can't wait to watch her grow and amaze people more through your blog.

    Christy (Illinois)

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  18. Oh Ivy the valley has been long but the mountains are up ahead. I am so excited to see you climb to the top. Almost there mom!!

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  19. Get YALL RUNNING SHOES ON!! Something tells me Ivy Joy is gonna be catching up on lost time when she gets home!!! Come on INR!!

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  20. amen Mary, so very happy for our girl and you all!!!! Praying for that INR so you all can head home and play play play with Lexi!!!

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  21. Praying for thin blood, but WOW, how beautiful and miraculous that Ivy Joy is so renewed and doing so many wonderful things for the first time!! Rejoicing in ALL of this GREAT news!! You'll be home before you know it!!!!

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  22. Wonderful News!!! I hope she will be home VERY soon playing with Lexi!! Continued prayers for you sweet baby ~Holly

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  23. qu elle est courageuse votre douce Ivy.je continuerai a prier pour elle
    isa gwenaelle-anne et ellioth de france

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  24. So happy to hear how sweet Ivy's spirit is returning. God is healing her....We will be in Boston on Tuesday for a looong preop apt if you would like a visit??? Maybe you will get lucky and will be home!!! You can e-mail me if you would like huiandling@aol.com
    Jo and Leah

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