Welcome To The Jungle

We have had yet another great day for our little daughter!  When we did our routine call in the morning to check on Elise's night, we were given the great news that she had been transitioned back to the conventional ventilator from the oscillator!! This means that her lungs are improving, and that she may soon be taken off the ventilator altogether! This is Elise's shiny new ventilator-- much quieter, much easier on her (no longer does she have a "wiggle") ;-)

That's her standard ventilator on the right

Elise has received two doses now of the indomethacin, a medicine being used to try to close her moderate-sized PDA found yesterday. She is tolerating the medicine very well, and has been making good wet diapers and has no signs of a tummy problems-- kidney issues and bowel perforation are complications of this medicine. She will receive the final dose of the medicine tonight, and then a follow-up echocardiogram will be performed tomorrow (Friday) to look at her heart and see if that worked to either close the PDA or at least make it smaller.  The doctor had her fingers crossed, and we will too ;-)

Elise still remains very fragile.  We are limited to about two interactions a day with her during her "hands-on" times, and it doesn't look like those interactions will be increased any time soon.  Conditions are just not where Elise (nor her nursing staff) want many visitors at this time.  Her isolette has the humidity cranked up to keep the moisture and warmth within Elise's body, and it feels like a jungle when we put our hands into the isolette to change her diapers and check her temperatures.  This is what the glass looks like most of the time (unless we wipe it off)...

You can barely make out Elise's tiny body and her little red oxygen probe on her foot

We know that many friends and family remain anxious to meet and visit with Elise, but her current condition just won't allow for much interaction. We look forward to a time when our Little Lady is able to be held and loved on by others...for now, she just needs to get familiar with her parents, her isolette, and her nurses and doctors. 

Little Lady Elise continues to thank Leah Watson for her blanky!

Yes, that little bow sticking out is the long-lost bow that was just discovered buried in her isolette today by her nurse Donna.  Elise is now decked out in her beautiful bow... Our little tiger surrounded by pink giraffes and jungle-like humidity!