Slow and steady - Take 2!

Well, no extubation yet.  Ryder apparently likes to take his sweet time.  Yesterday he did 3 more breathing trials (settings turned down on the ventilator so he is doing more of the work on his own) and each time he did a little bit better.  He is less sedated now but probably still fairly weak from all he has gone through in his 5 weeks thus far.  He may also be holding out on us though - during breathing trial number 2 yesterday at about 45 min in his monitor was alarming (desats) and I looked over and he was watching ESPN.  Boys.  Figures.

So, since no extubation today (after a little bargaining with his resident Dr. this morning) they are going to work down his nipride drip and try to get him over to oral anti-hypertensives and some of his TPN (IV nutrition) is also being switched to milk...slow and steady progress!

Since no new pics of the little warrier for now (holding out for that tube to come out!) here is the little princess, who (shockingly) is so accustomed to cameras that when she sees one she reflexively throws you a VERY cheesy grin.  It's much trickier to catch her without that grin...




Until tomorrow - prayers for Ryder to stay strong and keep working on those respiratory muscles so that tube can come out soon!