A not-so-fun day, but we're okay

This is Valerie, posting for Hollie. It's about 10:00pm on Wednesday, we're sitting with Elaina in her tiny little space in the wall that we're calling her room. We stole some chairs from other rooms and dragged them into our corner where we try to stay out of the nurses' way as they tend Elaina in a HUGE crib--this morning she had one that was way, way too small, so they switched it out, but now she is in this monstrosity of a crib--we have to stand on two stacked footstools to even reach her. It makes things adventurous, but the nurse says they'll need this big crib tomorrow.

This morning, we got told that Elaina might be going back in for a second heart cath, because the hole they ballooned last week had closed again; they were also talking about doing emergency surgery TODAY. Thankfully the doctors and surgeons listened to prayers and to Elaina; they decided against the heart cath and moved her surgery to tomorrow morning/afternoon. Elaina will be having a Bidirectional Glenn tomorrow; we're told the procedure will take "about four hours" but it may take longer for Elaina, based on all the problems they've had before establishing lines. She's the second case tomorrow, which means they'll be coming for her around 11:00am.

Fortunately for the moment Elaina is stable; she's still intubated, and she's been put on a constant drip of pain killer and sedative to keep her calm. Her stats are a lot better and more consistent than they have been all day. Although, she does not like being bothered right now--any time anybody touches her, moves her blanket, or really even comes near her, her monitors start beeping. So we're hoping that she can just get a good night's rest before the big day.

Elaina's Grandma and Grandpa Hilton are driving out tonight; they were waiting for a bed to be delivered before they could leave--isn't it strange how these things work out? Anyway, so they're making the long haul to Salt Lake from Kearney, Nebraska--a twelve hour drive all in one night! But we're all very glad that they're coming, as I'm sure they are too--Elaina's grandpa wasn't very happy he couldn't be with his bug last time, so he's making sure he's here this time around, canceling his classes and everything.

On a Ben note; talking with Aunt Kathy tonight she told us what Ben's high was tonight. Ben loved this new tradition and took with him to Aunt Kathy's and Uncle Don's--everybody goes around the table at dinnertime and says their high for the day and their low for the day. Today Ben said that his high was that Mom got to be with Elaina today. What a wonderful, understanding big brother!