Monday, June 4, 2012

Stay strong, Lydia!

Lydia has made a giant step forward in her recovery today, as she has continued breathing on her own.  She is doing very well.  We see an answer to countless prayers for Lydia to stay strong.  Yesterday the nurse told me that removing the breathing tube and asking Lydia to breathe on her own, is like asking her to run a marathon, after being inactive for over 2 weeks.  Your continued prayers for her strength and healing are appreciated. 
She has a croupy sounding cough but, considering the number of broken ribs she has, and how painful it must be to cough, we are thankful that she can cough at all.   
She has had a restful day, but is more awake now, and moving both arms. The physio therapists, and Grandma have been doing some exercises for Lydia.  Grandpa is reading to her. 
Tomorrow, Lydia will likely be discharged from ICU and moved to the 5th floor, where she will receive more rehab therapy.   The charge nurse commented that they are all so pleased with her progress.  Deep thanks must be given to the medical team at the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at Sick Kids, for their fine care of Lydia. 
She remains in a coma.  In one blog, I misspelled coma, and said she was in a comma.  There is much truth to that statement as well.  A comma calls for a slight pause, a separation of sentence elements.  Our lives have been separated into before May 17, 2012, and after, just as we felt on the day she was born, that our lives would never be the same again.  We do not know the gift we will be given when Lydia emerges from the coma; if she will be fully restored to us, as she was before, or if a new Lydia will be ours to love.  One thing we do know, this pause, or lapse of time, is full of the workings of our God.  We trust Him for the gift He will give to us, in His time.