Tate, Mom and Dad Parizek, and I are home now. Mom and Dad Baumrucker will stay with the girls in the PICU until Mom and Dad Parizek relieve them some time in the middle of the night. Tate and I are going to take this opportunity to get some much needed sleep while the girls are under the watchful eyes of the PICU nurses and their loving Grandparents (Each girl has their own bedside nurse to tend to them through the night). We have been told that they will need our full attention and assistance with their care once they have been discharged to the ward which could be as soon as Thursday!!
Just before we left the hospital, we checked in with the night nurses. Everyone (the doctors and nurses) has been extraordinarily positive about their progress. The girls are being monitored very carefully. Elise's breathing tube was removed and she is now breathing well on her own. The nurses anticipate that Margot's breathing tube will be removed sometime around 2:00 AM if she is wakeful, showing positive pressures, and ease with her breathing. Based on the numbers reported from their vital signs, both girls are showing no signs of valve leakage. Elise has been off morphine since 4 pm. If her vital signs show any stress they will assist her with Tylenol. If all continues on this course, by tomorrow Elise will begin taking breast milk and the girls may even begin physical therapy. The girls are urinating, which shows the girls hearts are working well. The drainage from the chest is minimal.
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