Recovery going strong

Muriel continues to astound and amaze.  I really expected that we wouldn't see much change for a few days as she stabilized after surgery.  But here we are just 30 hours later and she has already accomplished:

• Ventilator oxygen from 60% post-op to 21% (normal air) while holding her oxygen saturation levels
• Pacemaker "half" off, where it is only pacing her ventricular beats at her normal 130bpm
• Naval "central line" (arterial tube where they were drawing blood for tests) removed
• Epinephrine drip eliminated
• Nutrient fluids restarted (sugars, lipids) with blood sugar levels back to normal (from 400 post-op!)
• Swelling reduced and fluid balance nearly zero (she is still taking in slightly more than she is peeing)
• Reduction (by half?) of the sedation drugs, which should allow her to become more alert tonight

Removing the naval central line

Plans for the night staff include eliminating the Nitrous Oxide mix in her ventilator and perhaps reducing the ventilator rate - to allow her to "breathe over" the ventilator rate unassisted.  There is some talk of having her ventilator tubes removed on Thursday.

Grandpa visits from Dixon

My father and stepmother drove in today from Dixon and had a nice visit with Muriel, Megan, and I.  As with the NICU, we can only bring one visitor at a time into her room.  My father recently had heart surgery himself, so they were able to compare scars.  Hers is smaller.

I've been badgering the poor nurses all day with technical questions about how the equipment works and what the sensors and screens represent.  Megan finally told me to leave them alone and save my questions for the doctors!  They have all been extremely helpful and tolerant, though, and even brought me zeroxed pages from textbooks and marketing materials :)  I'll have the ventilator running Linux by tomorrow, surely.

Some schooling on electric signals in the heart

In a nutshell she is recovering at a rapid pace, showing what a very strong little girl she is.  We are very proud of her, and cautiously optimistic as she gains strength.  We still have absolutely no idea what it will be like to bring her home and take care of her without this army of super-beings at her bedside with us, but I am sure it will become clear soon.  I think they are being careful to keep us focused on what is happening in the present so the long term plan can unfold on its own.  One day at a time!