Tubes and Meds

God has given us a very strong daughter!

Elizabeth is doing well. The doctors took out a couple of tubes this morning and are starting to wean her off of her medications (one of them is done totally!). They just started her back on to breast milk, which will increase in volume slowly as time goes on. They're looking to take out the breathing tubes in her nose tomorrow. Her color is good and her response to stimuli just where it should be (as far as I can tell). And even in her sleep she is making the sucking motion with her lips, so retraining her to feed isn't looking to be much of a problem. :-)

They were going to take out more tubes later today, but there was a little more bleeding than they would have liked from taking out the first couple of tubes, so they're just going to hang back and watch her while she rests the remainder of today. This provides Steph and me some much needed down time as well. We've been reading and sleeping and playing cards. Last night saw the longest game of two-player Uno in history. :-)

Thanks for all of the prayers and support you all have showered us with. God has blessed us thru you and thru Elizabeth being so strong.
Grace and peace,
Allen
p.s. Haven't seen Derek or his wife yet today, but we did hear that the doctors were able to close their son's chest this morning, so hopefully all is progressing well on that front.