Pictures of our Amazing Little Girl!

Well today was a good day. Emma remained stable today and we aren't anticipating any problems going into tonight. We got up to the hospital at 7 a.m. because they were going to take her off sedation so they want us there to stimulate her. She really starts to move and open her eyes when we talk to her. And they wanted the doctors to be able to see that. They seemed happy with her progress and her head ultrasound didn't show any changes. She's completely warmed back up and I need to clarify what I wrote before. When they told us that they cooled her down we were lead to believe that it was 35 degrees Fahrenheit...well it is Celsius! AHHH...I feel so much better about that...sorry to confuse all of you...I was so confused my self. But yesterday when I asked about warming her they said that they had started and she was at 36 degrees...and I said...it's going to take her a long time to get back to normal temperature then...and the nurse said that they only had to get her to 37 degrees...I then said...oh...she must have been cooled to 35 C...and she said...yeah...what did you think?!? I was just so happy to know that she wasn't that cold! But we had all understood it to be 35 degrees Fahrenheit but it was a long night...I think Dr. Burkhardt was tired when he told us and we were very tired when we were listening to him! But she's all warmed up now and seeming to do well with that! We need to continue to pray for her right leg as her circulation hasn't fully returned there...she has a couple purple toes and we need to see them get pink. When they did take her off sedation she opened her eyes and looked at us...blinked...squeezed Jon's hand...all very good movements. And she flinched when the light above her got turned on! She also moved her toes when Grandpa Tim tickled her feet...I told her she'd better get use to that! Grandma Annie spent the weekend singing to her...which was so nice 'cause it gave us a chance to sit in the waiting room and relax, knowing someone else was in there with her. Her doctor for the weekend came in and checked on her this morning...he told Jon that he was the one who "landed" her on Thursday night (that means he was in her room to help her get settled in) and he would have never guessed that she'd be doing this well today from how she was on Thursday! We'll take that as positive news! But she is still very sick and we really need to be careful of germs and infection...and she still needs to take it easy and let the ECMO machine do the work for her. He's even thinking that she may still be on it until maybe Thursday and maybe close her up on Friday...but that's not a for sure thing...we need to take it one day at a time! But God is good all the time and He's helping her get through it...and us! Now it's my turn for my stomach to feel tense...I think I'm starting to relax a bit and I think the effects of having a baby 10 days ago is starting to kick in. So I'm going to just take it easy...sleep a bit...try to remain hydrated...and not get sick! Well I think that's all I have for now. So here are the pictures promised of our sweet girl. She's starting to look a little less puffy but I think she looks like a 3 month old...not the 6 lb baby I gave birth to! They are slowly starting to take some of the fluid off of her but even that is a long process! And in case and of you are wondering, we did take pictures of her open chest for her to see someday but we've decided not to post them. They are a little to personal for us to post them on here. They might be a little disturbing for you to see...I've only looked a couple of times under her blanket and I need to leave the room pretty quickly after seeing it. Okay...I'll close for now!
Love~
Jon, Ali, and Emmalee

P.S. I know Carrie had asked in one of her comments if we needed anything or anything done for us...right now I think we are sitting good because we have had a lot of family and friends around this last week but in the next coming weeks we may need something and we'll be sure to ask! Thanks for letting us do that! You don't know how much it means to us to know there are so many people who care for us and our little girl! Keep all the prayers coming and kind words...we are also able to get mail here at the Ronald McDonald House...the address is 850 Second Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902 ...you just have to put it attention to our name and they'll get it to us (Room 217)...I can't believe how amazing this place is and how many people donated to the families here...we have already gotten a quilt for Emma, a pillow case, and a beanie baby...and 2 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and toothpaste! Okay...enough for now...here's the pictures:


This is the ECMO machine...this is what is keeping her going...all her blood goes in and out of this machine and allows her heart and lungs to rest! It's the first thing you see when you walk into her room!

Sweet girl and her monkey!

Our little Emma!

Resting nicely!