Wide Awake!

Mary has made some great progress over the past couple of days. Luckily, she didn't have to go on a Methadone drip to help her get over her withdrawal symptoms. She is now off all pain/sedation medications and doing quite well. We also got to say goodbye to the CPAP and she is just on oxygen via nasal canula, so we can see her cute little face! Since she isn't on any meds that make her sleepy, she has become quite the looker! She loves to be awake and just look around at everything and she LOVES to be held and of coarse, we love to hold her! This is the first picture we have of her with her eyes open.
They are now working on getting her to tolerate feedings through her feeding tube and the doc told us they'll try bottle feeding her next week if all goes well. Since she was born she has been getting all nutrition through her PICC line getting continuous TPN & lipids. So they have to slowly warm her gut up and get it working since it hasn't had to to much work yet. Since they discontinued the CPAP, she has been tolerating her feedings much better.
A hematologist came by while we were there today and he is trying to see if he can find the reason that she developed "Hydrops", which is what her diagnosis was she was born so sick. At this point I don't really need a medical explanation for why this happened; all I know is she is our little miracle baby and she is getting better everyday! Her blood work is still not totally normal, but is definitely better too. Everyday she gets better, is one day closer to us bringing her home.
Grandpa Goodrich & TJ came down to see Mary Cate too and pick up Cathie from being down here helping me out this week. She is such a life saver and has pretty much become a Nevada resident with us down here! Between watching, feeding and bathing the kids, running to the grocery store, and cleaning up my house, she has been very busy down here and I love her so much for coming down to be with us. Thanks G & G Goodrich, we'll miss you (but I'm sure it won't be too long before we find another reason for Cathie to come down!)
I can't believe its been almost 4 weeks since all this started. It has been quite a whirlwind of events and is mostly all a blur in my mind... seems like a bad dream. But everyday brings with it something positive in Mary's progress and I'm just grateful she is here now and getting healthier. I know Heavenly Father is watching over MC and the rest of my family and it is very obvious to see his watchful hand in all that has taken place. And for that I am eternally grateful.