Update:
O. K Great news!!
She was de intebated Monday afternoon!. It was to the point that they left it in until Moday's MRI to do the "Leak test" on the esophogueal tract. Reason being is that she needed to be somewhat sedated because of the MRI proceedure. Test #1 went well. The repair site looks to be structuraly sound and in good standing order. She started to asperate into her lungs a small bit because of swelling still is present. Monday afternoon she had the breathing tube removed AND bladder cathedor!
Amazingly her mood has changed from angry and upset baby irritated with tubes and morphene , ataban , and constant poking and prodding , suction and any other baby cranking . . . . to a calm and much much more comfortable 1 week old baby. (As comfy as you can get with yet one IV, a "Pic" line , chest tube , and a colostomy, 3 sticky heart monitor tabs , a Nasalgastrointestinal tube, and a o2 sensor on your foot)
For the last 2 nights we have been up to see her scince this started and it is like a totally different experience. We can hold her , Bathe her , change her up, and really truly start to enjoy her. Granted it still is in the ICU, Granted many things still connected, Granted yet again that the upmost in care is needed with handling her and being in a sterrile environment ... ... but somehow it all dissapears in mere seconds upon arival. It is amazing how you can adapt and overcome obsticles when challenged.
Last nite she was taken out of her "Popemobille" style incubus and is in a small but standard Crib. Tonite it was decorated (And by the way UV sterrilization lights and HP Photo ink do not get along) with Faded freshly printed pics of her sister , mom ,dad , cats and other baby buddies all rooting for her. I am thinking of printing this out and bringing it up just to have by her bedside just to show her support that she has nationwide thanks to you.
Whewwwwww yeah emotional rollercoaster ... . you can say that.
So what now? in 4 more days another comprehensive leakdown test is going to be performed. Why? Well in 2 days they are going to start the oral feeding process from a bottle. THAT is going to be tough. The primal instinct is of course to suckle after birth. She has not excersized that primal need and may have what they call an adversion ... or no idea or even care to do so.
If it works with no issues muscle groups are going to start working that never had to before, and never could have unless the seurgons had not made the connection. Now being the muscles used to drink are at the repair site she needs close monitoring. If things go as planned then in 4 days another test VIA MrI is done to check for any trauma and leaks. If that works then they need to ween from test formula which is watery to a more stable "Normal" formula ... But very slowly because of the intestinal tract has no idea what to do with food.
A number of weeks are stil going to be spent in the NICU. After that 6 months later comes the BIG operation of reconstructing her lower intestinal tract on out. I am far too focused on the "NOW". NOW As for me I am going upstairs to crash.