In your Prayers...

Thank you for keeping Seraph in your prayers.  We are praying for something very specific today--that Seraph is able to come off the vent today or tomorrow.

So here's the problem.  She loves to move around.  All that physical therapy strengthened the muscles for rolling and grabbing and pulling out IV's and tubes.  They have to keep her sedated and on a heavy muscle relaxant to keep her from pulling out lines and tubes.  That same muscle relaxant is working too well on the muscles she uses to breath.

When they try to wean her off the vent (that's breathing for her right now), they turn down the muscle relaxant and she starts thrashing around and pulling on anything she can get her hands on (which is pretty much everything).  She does this BEFORE (or maybe instead of) trying to breath on her own.

This morning they switched her to a new muscle relaxant that should keep her drowsy without inhibiting her ability to breath on her own.  They have to wait for the other drug to clear out of her system.  So, later today they'll turn down the drugs and the vent for a spontaneous breathing trial.  (The vent lets her try to breath on her own, but breaths for her if she doesn't breath well enough on her own.)  If she does well, she'll come off the vent.

If she doesn't do well, the doctors are getting very close to the point where they'll consider her progress stalled.....the point where they'll stop feeling like she CAN progress.  They're already a little baffled by how well she's done since January.  They want her to do well, but it makes more sense to them for her to do poorly.

Mom and Dad have not given up hope.  Seraph has had so many prayers and positive blessings.  Deep down, I really feel like she's going to be OK.  But, it's also important that her doctors don't give up hope either.  So, that's why we're praying that she'll come off the vent today or tomorrow.

Plus, having the vent off today would be a pretty great birthday present for her :)

Please pray for my little girl - I'll update you when I find out more.

Thanks.