He gives us peace

Pin It Its been a pretty quiet day here. 
Quiet is good on a day like today. 
Bryan and I have made it a point to rejoice every single baby step of news that has come our way today as well as the miraculous news we put aside yesterday due to fear that overtook us. We traded our joy for sorrow. Never a good choice, but one that happens quite spontaneously when lives are shaken. So today, we traded our sorrow for joy! And it has been a much better day!
We avoided the operating room today by pumping loads of plasma in our baby girl. And bringing her INR up to a level that would be considered normal for you or I. And then we added the vitamin K. A scary thing for someone with a heart like Ivy's. But we had to focus on what could take her life away from us. Her bleed. It was that bad. And the bleeding was still really significant this morning. And we asked you all to pray as we trusted the one who made her. And we have faith that tomorrow her CT scan will reveal no more active bleeding. 

Our baby steps today are worthy of praise too.
Ivy does wake up when lifted from the drugs and she does act completely appropriate. She continues to have full use of both sides of her body and she answers questions by nodding yes and no. She squeezes my finger so tight and does the fastest head turn you've ever seen when she is looking one way and hears my voice from the other side. She is getting a little fluid overloaded, she's had an awful lot of plasma today. We are also using vitamin K. The doctors from both the heart team and neurology  have agreed that we need to put all focus on her head bleed right now even though we have a high risk of her mitral valve clotting with all this plasma and now vitamin K, (what causes your blood to clot)
We are holding on to hope that just as the Lord has given Ivy's old heart a second chance, He too will keep it strong as we focus on her brain and this bleed. 
She continues to be ventilated and sedated and showing us her will to get through this by fighting her sedation. She is thirsty! And she wants to wake up! Please keep that prayer circle going! 

It has been such a blessing to have my wonderful husband by my side. Being closer to home has us surrounded with family. We are so blessed to have my mom caring for Lexi.  And to have family close enough to visit when Little Ivy is feeling better. So tonight we rejoice in the baby steps. And we humbly thank you all for helping us get through this day with your kind words and fervent prayers for Ivy Joy. Our little Tiger Baby.

                  Time to go hat shopping! 











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Home is where the healing begins!

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                                                                    My heart is full!

 And Ivy's... Oh my goodness!!! She is just beaming! 
 We had the most amazing flight home. It was a mere 4.5 hours from
 the time we stepped in the plane to the time we stepped out! 
 We live in AZ!! Incredible!

 I gave Ivy her lovenox injection during the flight and had
 to choke back tears as I thought about all the hardship my
 sweet friend Kim and her beautiful family saved Ivy from
 having to go through by arranging this flight! 

Can you imagine having to give a baby a shot on a crowded airplane? 

Uncle Bryan and Ivy napping on the smooth flight.

                                                           Ivy soaking it all in!

 Our family and a few friends were all waiting when we landed. Ivy was    
 so happy to see everyone and went right to daddy and her siblings. We 
 drove home and as soon as we turned in to our neighborhood Ivy screamed,
 HOME!!!!!!! It absolutely melted every one of us! 

 She has not stopped beaming since we arrived! She is just in love with Lexi.

 Always looking for her and always copying her every move. She is eating  
 well. Not coughing or having any trouble with fluids!! She is talking like  
 crazy, I mean really just talking up a storm. Even the doctor commented on 
 it today. 
 We still have a bit of home nursing going on, courtesy of mommy. 4 wounds  
 that need dressings changed twice a day. Her lovenox shots (we stopped these 
 as of today). We go for INR blood tests every day. We saw the new  
 cardiologist today. She had an ECHO, EKG and regular exam. Her doctor was 
 pleased with what he saw. She goes tomorrow for another echo because the 
 person who did it today forgot to take photos of her coronary arteries as 
 well as to get her daily INR. We see the pediatrician on Friday. Add the 
 the fact that I do have 4 other children at home and that Im really trying 
 hard to just suck in every moment of this beautiful re entry and that is why
 it has taken me a few days to post. I am absolutely on cloud 9!! The girls 
 are so sweet with each other. Ivy has picked up right where she left off 
 with everyone. They are sleeping well and just so so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 The house looks like a tornado hit it but I have given myself until Thursday  
 night to get a handle on it (I hope wednesday is an extra long day!) 
 Thank you everyone for checking in on us and of course for your continued 
 prayers!!! I promise, if there was a problem I would have let you know. We 
 just really needed a few days to just be a family :) God is so great an life 
 is so good! 
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