Our First Look

Soon after meeting with Dr. Spray, we got our first chance to see our little Grace after getting the great news that her heart had been repaired.

Yes, all the monitors say she is doing better...pulse ox at 99 or 100 (up from 91 the day before)...and all of her vital signs are functioning as expected. The little fighter is getting stronger by the minute.

And she looks so beautiful.

But it still is so tough to see her with needles in both of her hands and her left foot, and a drainage tube from her chest to remove any blood from the swelling. There's also a constant thermometer where none of us would want one. One piece of good news...her breathing tube was removed before we saw her, so she's breathing on her own, with a little bit of oxygen in her nostrils.

It's also tough to see her eyes, which are sometimes opened a little when she sleeps. But now, her right eye is wide open and her left is about halfway open. The nurses will put in gel every two hours so her corneas don't dry out. The opthomologists are stopping by tomorrow morning to take a look. They don't think it's a big deal, but even though we know Grace is resting, it's sad to see that blank stare of those still gorgeous blue peepers.

It's tough to hear her cry too...a faint peep of what is usually is...hoarse from the anesthesia. She's in some pain right now as they try to figure out the right combo of drugs to help her tonight. Sometimes, kids with Down Syndrome have a greater pain tolerance so they need more medication.

We know these are all temporary setbacks, and that Grace is a healthier girl tonight that she was when she woke up this morning. And we know she will soon be proving it over the coming days to those of us sitting at her bedside, stroking her hair.