PICU living...

So Gracie was extubated this morning with no problems. 😄  She was able to talk immediately and has had no airway difficulty. Our challenge for the day has been pain control. Obviously, Gracie's pain has been pretty bad. We are trying to balance the pain control measures with breathing and blood pressure decreases. It's a difficult line to maneuver, but we are working hard on getting it under control.

Gracie is being a real trooper. She is clearly in pain, and also uncomfortable being stuck in a certain position. We're trying to gently reposition her to avoid any pressure problems, but Gracie's anxiety and pain when being moved is making it more difficult than originally anticipated.  Again, we are working on this to move her as gently as possible. 

Jim and I are also trying to deal with the challenges of being both parents and medical professionals. We're walking a very blurry line but trying to respect the boundaries. It's a pretty tough place to be. Please keep praying for our girl and for us. We are really thankful for all of the good stuff happening, but the tough stuff is still looming and hard to deal with. We are so thankful to be here getting such amazing care, and we're so thankful to have so many people thinking of us and praying for us. Those prayers are working and we are so very grateful!