Post Opt Night 7

Lacey's good day yesterday continued into the night but she became quite tired and sore. She was able to take a shower and move around quite a bit but it took a toll on her. She rested well through the night once she finally got comfortable and she didn't have to get up and walk during the night for the first time in a few days. She has been waking up quite uncomfortable and needing to walk to the halls to work out the soreness but last night she rested very well. She did wake up this morning to more pain than usual, but nurses and doctors seem to think it's a result of her activity yesterday. We had a wonderful time last night in the hospital room when we were able to have Elyse here with us. She got in the bed with Lacey and we held her so that she wouldn't shake the bed too much. To see Lacey interact with her was truly a joy. We miss her so much, but I know Lacey is missing her incredibly. We've been in the hospital either here or back home for 45 of the last 60 days, which means we've been away from our daughter that many nights. It is so hard. However, as happy as we are in each other and with our daughter, we know that our source of joy and strength is not in each other and not Elyse, but it comes from our Heavenly Father, in whom we will never be separated from. We long for Him for our strength and He is able.
The surgical team came by today and said she was still making great progress but that she would probably be in the hospital at least another 5 to 6 days. This was not news we wanted to hear. We were hoping to get out of here Wednesday but not sure that's gonna happen. They are very cautious after this major surgery and don't want to discharge until it is obvious that the GI tract is working normally. They also will remove the central line in her neck today and insert a picc line back into her arm so that she can continue to get TPN for nutrition until they are sure she is able to take in adequate nutrition by mouth. She continues to get insulin in her IV and her blood sugars are very stable. So for today, therapy will continue, liquid diet will continue (she's had no nausea for 36 hours now!!), and the new picc line will be inserted. We will continue to wait for her gut and intestines to begin to move food through then she will hopefully be advanced to a more solid diet and less of the TPN. The goal before being discharged to the hotel will be food intake by mouth, minimal insulin by shots, and normal food flow through the body, as well as strength for activities of daily life and the pain must be controlled by oral pain meds. We look forward to that day of discharge and to some nights with our baby girl, but until that time, we will continue to call out to God and beg for his continued mercy and blessings. May He continue to be glorified through us.

Lyrics to a song on my mind this morning:

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

Not a person, thing, situation, medication, doctor, or any other entity in this world can bring peace and rest to the children of God. He sent Jesus, and just as the the thief on the cross cried out to Jesus as He sufferred so shall we call on Jesus, and long for nothing else. For with worldly things and people, the joy provided will be temporal, but from morning's rise til death's call, the peace and rest of God through Christ will never be a failure upon us.