Saturday, September 12, 2009

the trach is out!

hi babe=)

you did it. your trach came out wednesday. we got to the picu around noon and played with you in there for a few hours. you flirted with everyone who walked by and then dr rodgers got there around 3:00. there were probably just as many people in the room as last time, but you were loving it! you were maybe in the best mood you've ever been in. that worked out nicely. they got all the monitors on you and daddy just took it right out. i didn't even know it had happened until after the fact-you were laying on one side of him and i was standing on the other. i looked over toward you and saw the trach laying on the bed-i jerked my head over to you and realized it was out and you couldn't care less! you were just laying there looking around at everyone. wondering what the big deal was. your sats didn't change at all. i think they actually might have gotten better since you got it out. so everyone watched you for about 15 minutes-daddy played with you and threw you up and down in the air and you laughed at him. all was well and we were pretty giddy. you got a new boyfriend in the midst of all this, by the way. his name is pete. that's not to say that doug has been replaced-you still love him very much and light up when he walks in the room. so the next few days were spent staring at your neck and listening to your sweet voice-we love hearing you laugh, and cry...daddy is a little guilty of actually trying to make you cry just so he could hear that sweet sound=). we were supposed to go home saturday but you had consistently looked so good since the trach came out (and the hospital needed your room) so dr rodgers let us go friday! daddy asked if i wanted to take you to virginia beach to celebrate and i thought that was a great idea. we went home first to get some more food for you, then took off for the beach. all was well until we were about 40 miles out of richmond and we got a flat tire! so change of plans-daddy put on the spare tire while you watched intently, occasionally staring at the cars and trucks whizzing past us...then we drove back to sam's in richmond to get a new tire. it's 7:00 by this time, and since virginia beach was clearly not an option anymore we decided to take you to a japanese steakhouse to celebrate. i thought you'd like watching the guy cook in front of us and i figured it would keep a one year old fairly occupied during dinner. it was very fun=) so there's the story of getting your trach out. pretty non-eventful. but pretty incredible, nonetheless=)
i know without a doubt that i'm not fully comprehending what a big deal this is. we're so thankful, that's for sure, and i kind of realize that we have been blessed beyond our wildest imagination. but i just don't want to miss for a second or ever take for granted the gift God has given us in you. and all these steps toward health that you're taking. i pray that He will show me every day what a treasure you are-that He will remind me of where we started with you and in that help me recognize and remember His hand of healing and provision that He's shown us-and that i will be continually humbled by the fact that He chose daddy and me to be your parents and for us to be a part of this journey with you. we are so thankful. we are full of praise.
"Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things..."
-Psalm 103

you draw our eyes upward, sweet girl. i love you. you are our greatest joy=)
mommy

before...



and after!


talking to pete, your newest boyfriend


you're gonna miss having your suction tube to play with!
daddy and i, on the other hand, will not miss it at all.

wondering how to get out there...

such a happy girl=)


doug heard that he might have been replaced, so he rushed on over to reclaim your heart.
i think it worked=)


silly daddy and daughter


i love my sweet girl=)


you and me with megan and lindsay, the sweet girls who kept mommy fed while you were in the hospital=) (yes-that's a plastic fork in your hand)


at the japanese steakhouse!

you look like such a big girl!


this is how you reacted to the big flame! the cook asked if he should make the flame smaller for you but we said no-that you'd be alright. you just grabbed onto my sleeve for a second and then went back to your business. you big brave girl=)
this is a video we took about 15 minutes after the trach came out-we were goofy over your sweet laugh=)



this one was a couple days later before we came home from the hospital. you love your gilly fish. and your silly daddy=)

27 comments:

mommy to Kaden, Brody and angel Ava said...

YAY!!! What wonderful news! It looks and sounds like she is doing wonderful. Way to go Catherine!!!

K said...

Great news! It looks like Catherine is doing fabulously well. Miracles happen everyday in the medical world, I am so thankful that Catherine is one of those.

*super dude and super dog* said...

Yay Catherine!!! We are so thrilled. What a wonderful sound to hear her laughing. I have tears in my eyes reading this post. We look forward to realling seeing what you can get into now that you aren't tied down by that ol' trach.

Mrs. Southern said...

What a blessing! That is awesome news! I'm so glad Catherine is feeling good, she's adorable!

thedunns said...

Her voice is such a sweet sound to listen to!!! Aren't baby giggles the best??? We are so happy that everything went well with the trach removal & she looks more beautiful than ever! We love y'all!

ilse sears said...

Amazing!! Amazing!! It was surely a long road and, finally! we can hear her sweet voice, listen to her laughter!! I have no words to really express the joy I feel at this moment. I could never imagine your own feelings. I have viewed the videos over and over so I can hear her little laughter. Donnie, keep making her laugh and keep posting those videos. Love you always. Aunt Spanish.

Grannalisa said...

That is just awesome. God is so good and I am so thrilled for your sweet family.

Anonymous said...

So Amazing, I LOVE your laugh Catherine!!!!!!

Hannah D said...

Oh goodness, music to my ears to hear that beautiful laughter! Hooray, so excited & overjoyed for ya'll that the trach removal went so smoothly! YAY CATHERINE!!!!

DevonLeah said...

I have tears of joy for you so I can only imagine how you felt that day!! ( and still feel! ) Thank you, Jesus! Catherine is so beautiful and God has wonderful plans for her life!

Cathy said...

Yay Catherine! Such a precious baby, God has some big plans for that little girl=) Tears in my eyes listening tothe sweet sound of her voice!

johnson said...

That is so AWESOME!!! Catherine is beautiful!! God has blessed your family and I love reading your thoughts on your blog. My son and I have been praying for Catherine for a long time and am so glad that He has answered our prayers!! Catherine is so sweet!! Congrats sweet baby girl!!

Ashly said...

What an amazing praise! God is so good! Soak her up:)

Cori said...

love those giggles! simply love the sound and love how He has taken such good care of you, Donnie and Catherine!!! So happy for you three and the fact that her health continues to get better!

Scott and Katie said...

What beautiful sounds! Yah Catherine!!! We are so proud of you.

Lisa said...

Hi, I've been following you since before Catherine was born and wow what joy! I love that sweet laugh - I couldn't imagine not hearing my babies until after they turned 1. So glad everything went well. What a miracle that little girl is. God is good!

Abby said...

i have chill bumps. i can't imagine what it was like to hear her laughing. we could watch these movies over and over again. life is beautiful.

Brooke Hammel said...

oh my goodness. makes me cry! what an absolute and perfect miracle little Catherine is. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!" (Eph 3:20 & 21)

E said...

Tears are flowin.

Anonymous said...

that is one beautiful little neck! and her laughing.....the best sound in the world! so happy for you guys! keep posting videos of her making all her cute noises- they are wonderful to listen to!!

Raych said...

Amen girlfriend! She is the most precious little girl, and looking so much more like mommy! so happy for you all!

Jennifer said...

How exciting! I'm so happy for all of you. What a little miracle!

twinsplusone said...

rejoicing in tennessee!!!!!

TwoQuilicos said...

YAY!!! the quilico's are praising the Lord! how amazing. we pray that she continues to draw your eyes upward.

catymorris said...

That you for sharing Catherine with us all! God is Good....ALL THE TIME!

Debbie said...

Congratulations Catherine. You are so cute in the pictures and your laugh is wonderful to hear.
Bless you, your mommy and daddy.
This makes my day even though I'm a few days late in reading.
Much love to you,
Debbie in Decatur, IL
(Erin West's aunt)

Amy said...

tears here. I've followed your blog for quite a while. What a beautiful, special little girl!! So happy to read this post.