Loving the CICU....

I tried to post a few pics last night and update about the rest of the day but was unable to get connected to the internet! Anyway, the rest of yesterday went pretty well. They took out all 3 of Teag's chest tubes around 6pm last night and her pacer wires! She also had her catheter taken out yesterday and lost her 'brain sticker'. So at the end of the day she had her lines in both groins, and one in her foot- but thats all. She is still on 1/2-1 liter of O's, her morphine drip, and milrenone drip. Here are a few pics of our sweet girl yesterday afternoon...


We are absolutely loving being here in our 'corner office suite' in the CICU. We ended up getting the coveted corner room with windows all around! (cicu stands for cardiac ICU unit for anyone wondering) Our experience here at the hospital this time has been so much more enjoyable. Not only because Teag is doing so amazing, but just seeing the familiar faces of the dr.'s/nurses and also knowing what all the numbers and 'hospital talk' means makes it so much easier to handle. I had the best day yesterday chatting with all the nurses and meeting so many wonderful families here with their little heart babies. I am continually amazed at the stories some of these families have and how strong and caring the parents are. We've had great nurses both days and nights including our fav. NICU nurse Jenn who had Teagan the first week after she was born- right before her first operation. I was thrilled yesterday when she told me that she was training on the cardiac side, which means we might get her for the next surgery! We also love Mari, Ingrid, Betsy,Katie and so many others... The way that they talk to these babies and love on them just as much as the moms do is so awesome! I've been staying at night until around 11pm and then sleeping at the RMD house and coming back around 7am. I figure I might as well sleep now while Teagan is so well cared for because I don't like to leave her once we're moved to the floor...

I had the chance to chat with Mia's mom Mimi yesterday and it was so fun! Her baby Mia is adorable and currently waiting for a heart here in the CICU. I had read Mimi's blog and knew that they were here somewhere so I walked around the ICU yesterday until I found their last name on the door! Mimi is so sweet and we had the best time popping into eachothers rooms to chat during the day yesterday. (they're just a few steps down the hall) Its so fun to talk to other moms who know exactly what you're going through. (and who are just as sleep deprived as me!) Its like a club that we all belong to and sometimes being here at the hospital feels like living in the college dorms again. You can walk down the hall and see all the moms in their pj's hanging out in their little rooms sustaining themselves on cafeteria food and lots of coffee!

I also talked to a sweet family from Montana who's little boy 'Drew' is in having his norwood right now. They have 2 other little girls with them and they are all staying together in one room over at the RMD house. On their drive out here from Montana their car broke down in Idaho and a guy from the dealer where their car was towed drove their whole family all the way to Seattle in his own car! Once their car is fixed in Idaho, the same man said he could drive their car back here to Seattle for them and then fly back to Idaho! Pretty awesome huh? Its wonderful people like that man who make these horrible times so much better! Please say a prayer for Drew today and for all the babies here in the CICU!