"Love is that which enables choice. Love is always stronger than fear. ALWAYS choose on the basis of Love"

The past week we placed a feeding tube in order to boost MercyMay's nutritional status and place her on continuous feeds during the night. Another bitter sweet. Never a good time watching something get placed down your child's esophagus...then the nurse says to me.."Are you going to give her meds to her through her feeding tube?" OM*G! What a difference!! Each morning we start out with 10 to 11 different medications/vitamins that were usually given to her orally.....this used to (literally) be an all day process......BUT NOT ANYMORE !! (Or at least while the feeding tube stays in).

This morning was the selection committee meeting for Mercy to be placed on the transplant list. Good news, she got accepted!! (which, Dr. Narkewicz told us, is usually a no-brainer with babies with biliary atresia) So now we wait for the insurance company to OK it, and hopefully get the call tomorrow that we are actually ON the list. We were told that she is the only pediatric recipient waiting on this region's list.... BONUS!! Hope this helps increase our chances of getting a healthy, perfect fit :)

Tomorrow marks 14 days on her antibiotics which means she will be taken off of them and monitored for 24 hours. If she is stable, doesn't spike a fever and stays relatively 'normal', we will be discharged this Saturday. Grandma and Grandpa drove down for the weekend to help us with the transition of leaving the hopsital and moving into the Ronald McDonald House (RMH), which has been extremely helpful.  Dr. Narkewicz is suggesting we stick around the Denver area for at least a few weeks for follow up so the RMH is our best option. It is very close to the hospital in a case of emergency. I will be required to change and replace her feeding tube weekly, monitor her continuous feed through the night as well as flushing and maintaining her PICC line.  A home health nurse will be assigned to us and come to the RMH to help with these things which is comforting.  Superhero Aimee said she is here to help also......everyone needs a superhero nurse friend in their life :)

Speaking of superheroes, UncleAlan (Dr. Bielsky) stopped by to see The Merc...always a pleasure to see him, it had been a few days. Mercy had been napping, heard his voice (I'm assuming) and came out of her sleep to give him a huge smile.  Those smiles lately have been few and far between, but for some reason, there's always one waiting for him :)

Although she is obviously not feeling her best still, we manage to get a few "Zen Moments" in, at least that's what we're calling the good, happy times these days.  Today's Zen Moments were accompanied with a beautiful bouquet of flowers (complete with my favorite, lillies) sent by some close friends back home. Flowers always add a ray of sunshine :)

Tomorrow we are scheduled to meet the transplant surgeons that will be taking care of MercyMay and we are looking forward to enjoying a day of peace, smiles, and grandparents. (A little sunshine wouldn't hurt either, Denver).  Good night to all........keep the positive vibrations flowing!!