Day 10 at Le Bonheur

Yesterday, Ivee finally got out of her room. This lifted her spirits SOOOO much! She finally began to communicate with us again, and there was exchanging of hugs and sugar!!! We went to the cafeteria and gift shop, where she got a black doggie and a "Melissa and Doug" dress-up-doll set. (Melissa and Doug is a great company that makes wonderful toys. They are the best PT and OT toys you can find!)
So, she and mommy played dolls while daddy went to minister to a family that's 4 year old baby girl was in surgery for multiple tumors to be removed from her brain and spine. (She, the little girl, is doing tremendously well, and only a day after resection is getting out of ICU, talking and moving. What a blessing) We know what it is like to be flung into this new world of tumors and cancer. We have meet a few families here dealing with tumors and seizures, and between us and our friends situations, I hope we've given some hope and encouragement to these families just walking into this "new" life of theirs.
Ivee has been blowing bubbles to strengthen her lungs (which she loves) as well as getting albuterol and Chest PT treatments. She looks better, but she has very thick secretions. They are very difficult for her to cough up. Her vocal chord is still very tired. She still can't talk above a very, very soft whisper. We, Em and I, are trying to do all we can to get them out. We are using saline up the nose, and suctioning the mouth. We let respiratory use a deep suction up the nose and down the throat today just to get some out. You can here the rattle in her throat everytime she breaths. We've been able to take her off the oxygen for a few hours here and there, and if she had less secretions and a strong vocal chord and cough, we wouldn't even be here!!!
As for post-op side effects. Em and I have noticed some right face/eye drooping, but anyone else who didn't know her wouldn't notice. Dr. Boop has assured us that the nerve is working, it just may take a while for it to fully heal. She has a quivering in her lower lip/chin. It looks like nerve bruising, and hopefully this will heal as well. She drools constantly, and I'm not sure she can feel it or she would wipe it away herself.
She is amazing me with the way she is doing, though. She got out with her walker yesterday for PT and walked about 20 to 25 feet down the hallway. She moves her head without any hesitation. She wants to help do things. They come in to take her blood pressure and temp and she tells them where to put it and lifts her arm for them immediately. We are praying that the depression is over, and we think that it possibly is. The leaving the room and getting around has just made this more bearable...for all of us.
I believe they will release her on Monday and that we will possibly go home with Oxygen, a feeding pump, and possibly a suction machine. Nothing new for us, it's just been 4 years since we had to suction at home and use a feeding pump.
On a last note, she had seeping on the bottom of her suture, they keep it clean and put her on a small antibiotic for it. No concern that it will cause infection to the brain and interfere with the shunt.
So, if you are still praying, and I know many of you are...to be specific:
#1. Pray that the congestion GOES AWAY!!!! Then we can go off the oxygen and not have to take it home.
#2. Pray for the ticks and drooping to heal (nerves)
#3. Pray that perhaps we can go home tomorrow, and that our car ride home with be uneventful.