Baby Steps

The bad news from today:
- Sister has an eye infection. When I first got there today, she opened her left eye to look at me, but her right eye was crusted shut. She eventually broke it open to look at me, but it was pretty nasty. They are giving her antibiotic eye drops over the course of a week to clear it out. A friend of mine (who so wonderfully drove me to see her) told me that squirting breast milk in a baby's eye can clear an infection ... so if those drops don't do it, I am going to be that crazy mom that asks the nurses to squirt Nixie in the eye. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. 
- Phoenix's color is looking a little pale (pale was the nurse's word; I think she looked kind of translucent), which means she may need a blood transfusion in the next couple days. This isn't really an indication of anything wrong ... they just draw a lot of blood for test, and she can't keep up.
- I saw her puke for the first time today. It looked like she was trying to suck on her ventilator tube and just gagged. But she covered her face, neck, shoulders and the blanket ... it was quite the clean-up job.
- Her PDA is the same ... keep praying for that dang hole to close!

The good news:
- When I was there at 11 this morning, she was up to 17 cc's of breastmilk at each feeding! Which means that the doctor is going to stop her nutritive drips today and just give her clear fluid instead (to keep her hydrated). That means she will be getting all her good nutrition from me -- which makes me feel like I am actually doing something to help her!
- At six tonight, they are starting her on a very short steriod regimen to prepare her to come off the ventilator. It is the same steroid I mentioned before, but this time it will only be meant to reduce inflamation around her vocal chords so she has a clear airway when they take out the tube. With only three doses, there aren't really any associated side effects. So she will come of her ventilator tomorrow! But Josh and I are trying not to get too excited ... she's been off it before, so who knows what will happen. But I am excited to get to hear her little voice again!
- Theoretically, if all goes well in the next couple days, we may get to hold her soon! I am peeing my pants just thinking about it.

Side note -- It's a good thing her little umbilical cord stump will be gone by the time she comes home ... I have an overwhelming urge to pick it off (which I'm sure is a terrible idea). You can judge me.