No news is good news

Apologies for the lack of update yesterday (hence the subject, aptly quipped by a friend) - Daniel's mom spelled us at the hospital overnight - so we both got home about 10PM, hit the bed, and didn't move for a solid 8 hours.  Thanks, mom!  ;-)

At any rate - I'll keep this brief as it's late again (I'm back on night-duty) - but the last day or two has been reasonably quiet, and filled with (as expected or hoped for) "slow but steady positive progress".  The doctors even decided to forgo a lung X-ray this morning, as Evelyn's previous day X-ray looked so much better, and when they listen to her breathe - she sounds much better.  Evs spent all day yesterday awake - which though by the end, she was "ready for bed" - that is a first since Saturday.  So that is all very exciting!

Oh, and as per the picture - we did take a brief moment yesterday to "be with the Jackets" in spirit, in their ill-fated Orange Bowl venture.  No, Evs didn't actually watch the game, and that's probably what the issue was for the Jackets - sorry boys.  ;-)

We have had a few "minor" issues in the last day or two - there was some concern over kidney stones, but that (as of this writing) has been nullified - However, they're still keeping close watch over things in that department.  Evs also had a little agitation late yesterday - but I think I'd be agitated, too, by this point.  ;-)  Not at all to "downplay" or "mock" her feelings - but frankly we're glad that she's feeling well enough to express them.  :-)  We're also working through some more of her "regular" stuff that we've had to put on hold over the past month due to the hospitalizations - just getting in consults with some of her other doctors, and figuring out how to adjust various ourses of treatment given the added complication of being hospitalized (Rehab, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, etc).

At any rate, based on our most recent consult with Evs' pulmonologist - assuming Evs continues the uptrend, of course! - we expect to remain in the PICU through late this week, and then be downgraded to a "regular" room, where we'll likely remain through late next week.  As painful as a solid 2-week tour might be - I think her pulmonologist really just wants to see her "completely and 100% well" before giving us our walkin' papers.  Which is hard to argue with.  ;-)

With things on the up-tick - assuming they stay that way - I'll probably slow down the flow of "push" updates by e-mail a bit, just to give everybody's mailbox a break, and let the subject of this post be the prevailing sentiment. However, I'll try to continue to get several updates over the course of the week posted here, and drop a less-frequent mail or two to let you all know how she's doing.

A last update on the other character in the Forester household, as several have asked - Mr. Owen has been such a big boy, with all of this going on.  He has endured numerous car-rides, waiting rooms, caretaker hand-offs, bottle-feedings, late-nights, seeing lots of strangers, absence of "mommy AND daddy", not seeing Big Sister at all - ad infinitum - with exceptionally good humor and disposition. We continue to thank God every day that we've been blessed with a baby who sleeps well, has a good disposition, and tolerates all the circumstance.  We know very well that not all babies are "so easy", and we know that even Owen could "turn on a dime" in that department - but for now, we figure it goes to show "you get what you need, when you need it".  Anyway, all-in-all, for the positive - he's gotten lots of extra grandparent time, as well as enough praise and adulation from every passer-by that comes within 10 yards to give the kid a head the size of a  bowling-ball - so he's making lemonade out of his lemons.  ;-)

Anyway, thanks again, so so much, for all the thoughts, prayers, concerns, notes of encouragement, "Likes" on the Facebook posts, and offers & instances of help.  It's really hard to imagine grinding through all this in absence of it, and it is very much appreciated.