Post Surgery 9:30pm

So I just want to start off by saving how much Zoey amazes me every single day. What she did at school today was something that moved me so much. She is a wonderfully caring little girl who has her moments but underneath the tantrums has her heart in the best place.

So Riley had her breathing tube removed at 6:30pm. She has been doing great - her heart rate is down to 150 and her respirations are 30-35/minute (just as a reference point she was normally at 180 resting heart rate and sometimes upwards of 60 breaths/minute). Her blood pressure is still high, but that is to be expected and they will keep monitoring and giving medicine for it. She does wake up every once in a while and she gets upset about it, but even when she is upset her O2 level in her blood never goes below 98! She used to drop in to the low 90s or high 80s. So everything seems to be going well for her. Michele and I both noticed and Nana has commented on it tonight even - she has a different pink color to her skin then she had presurgery. I'm sure it is just our eyes playing tricks, but she has more of a whitish pink to her then her old color. She has even started her leg kicking and a lot of mouth movements.

Now for the big news - if this keeps up at the pace we are going, there is talk of her going to step down tomorrow morning!!! Unreal how much of a fighter my littlest girl is. I have always thought of myself as strong willed and able to get through a lot, but Riley has me beat by miles and miles. I have never been more proud of anyone in my life then I am of my two girls today. One fought for her life and the other did a courageous and selfless act for someone else. For a 5 month and 4 year old I think it is huge steps. Thank you again to everyone for the outpouring of support, love and congrats. When Riley gets older she will be amazed at the amount of love and support that she had.