Day 77

Curly Q is doing so good. I get kind of excited because for once it actually feels like we are taking steps in the right direction. We've been standing still or moving backwards for so long, that it is hard to believe we're progressing.

Curly Q is starting to do better with her breathing. She was doing so well on 3 liters of oxygen so yesterday, they lowered her oxygen pressure down to 2 liters. She hasn't been that low, so hopefully she does okay on it. She needs to be down to 1.5 liters to start oral feedings. We're close!

Curly Q no longer has her special feeding tube that empties into her intestines. They've been slowly emptying her feedings into her stomach to get her used to it again. She's doing great. She's eating a little over 2 ounces (66 mL) every 3 hours. Yesterday, they put her feeding tube up through her nose instead of down her throat. It sounds a little gross and weird, but it is so much better. She can't pull it out as easily and there is less tape on her face to hold the tubes in place.

She's becoming a lot more awake and alert. She actually stays awake a lot longer and looks around. We brought a couple toys to hang in her crib to give her something to watch. She's so stinking cute. Her eyes are turning blue. And I think her hair is a lighter color than it was when she was first born. One of her nurses called Curly Q the 'big sister' on the block. She's in the little corner of the NICU with 3 other babies around her. All of them were born in the last week. One day when one of the babies was born and admitted, it was kind of crazy in that corner. Lots of people coming and going, lots of bright lights and machines being moved around. Curly Q's nurse propped her up in her crib so she could watch all the excitement. She just sat there, wide eyed, watching all the excitement. So cute! Anyway, things are going well. There might actually be an end in sight.