The Birthday Girl

I know I'm a day late with this post, but yesterday was a big day around here and we were having fun celebrating!

As you all know, Monday was a pretty terrible day around here, that ended with an absolute miracle. That day, I thought many times about what it would be like for us on October 22nd, Natalie's birthday. I couldn't imagine how we could make it through that day without her.

So yesterday, we celebrated in a big way with Natalie as she turned EIGHT YEARS OLD! I can't believe it's been that long since she made her way into this world, a few months too early, ready to take on life and start amazing us. She was so tiny; just two pounds, four ounces, but every bit a fighter. I still remember hearing her cry for the first time. She sounded like a kitten, and when her nurse (Laureen) brought her over to me, I didn't notice her size, just her perfect little button nose and beautiful face.

Moments after birth, October 22nd, 2006

Having a preemie is scary stuff. You never know what will happen from one day to the next, so we celebrated her birthday one day at a time, then one week at a time, then on a monthly basis until she reached her first birthday.

First birthday - a big milestone!

We were so grateful to have had that day to celebrate, considering her incredibly rough ride through the NICU, which included Natalie being flown to Minneapolis to save her life. Pseudomonas ravaged her little body, to the point where the doctor told us they had done all they could for her, and it was up to her to start fighting back: and she did. It was like a walk-off grand slam in the World Series game seven. She was our little champion. 

I can't say the past eight years have been easy. Seizures, surgeries, and other obstacles have come up along the way. Caring for a handicapped child isn't easy--but it's so rewarding. We've celebrated each birthday knowing that we are lucky to have her with us. But this birthday was different, mainly because it came just two days after one of the lowest points in her life. Who wants to celebrate a birthday in a hospital, with a breathing tube in her lungs, and in critical condition?

A birthday gift for us, though...Natalie graduated from the high frequency ventilator to the regular ventilator yesterday afternoon. Her doctor had planned on keeping her on the high frequency all day, but she was doing so well, that he felt it was going to be an easy change for her, and it was.

Back to the "regular" ventilator, which is much less noisy

There are balloons and stuffed animals all over her room now, which helps to make this hospital room look festive!

Stuffed animals, balloons, cupcakes, and a big sign from the hospital make Natalie's room look so cheerful!

I'm so sad I couldn't be the one to make Natalie's cake or cupcakes, but we'll have a big birthday party for her when we get home and I've promised to make her the prettiest birthday cake ever.

Meanwhile, she received a package in the mail from her classmates in Minot...get well cards that were meant to be delivered last week in Minot, but the day they were to be delivered, she was flown to Fargo. These cards made our day. Here's a glimpse at just a few of them. My favorite is the picture of all of her classmates, with Natalie in her wheelchair in the middle. It melts my heart.

Cards from Natalie's classmates

Uncle Tim stopped by to say happy birthday, and to play a special song he wrote and recorded just for Natalie. She loves it. It speaks to what we all feel for Natalie.

Here is a link to the song...I know you'll love it, too!:
https://soundcloud.com/tcolson90/natalie-by-uncle-tim

Uncle Tim stopped by

Natalie's brothers also came by to celebrate with her. The balloons were a big hit for Dexter.

Balloons!

She heard the birthday song many times yesterday, but I'm glad the boys were there to sing it to her, too.

At the end of the day, I got a nice snuggle in with her, the best gift of all. 

Snuggle time

All in all, it was a pretty special day. What a blessing to be the parent of such an incredible girl. I'm running out of adjectives to describe her.

So here's an update on her condition today: 

She's still on the regular ventilator, and they're slowly adjusting the settings to allow her to do more of the breathing on her own. Her sats are a little up and down, mainly because she's got a lot of mucus they are still pulling out of her lungs. She seems very comfortable, despite the fact that they're backing off of the sedation and pain medication a bit. Her eyes are open, and she looks around (although she's blind, so she doesn't see anything but shadows and light). It's nice to see her so alert again. 

She's headed in the right direction, but this hospital stay is far from over. Please continue your prayers that her lungs will heal and she will start to do more effective breathing on her own.

I think the plan is to keep her on the ventilator until at least tomorrow. Who knows what will happen after that? We'll see if she has more surprises in store for us in the days to come!