11/2/08 Day 6

Today we were able to hold Ashlyn for the first time in almost a week! John was able to hold her before he went home, which is what we were hoping for. Brooke saw Ashlyn for a little bit too. The took her RA lines and pace wires out, so all she has left are IV lines in her hands and her chest tube. She did not eat very well in the night, but she ate a few times for me in the day. I was able to hold her and feed her too. She had her first poopy diaper too, and the catheter is out so she will have normal diaper changes now. She smiled at me a few times, which made me feel better seeing she hasn't smiled all week. They think she is dehydrated, which they have to do to get the chest tube to drain and may have an infection. As a precaution, they started her on two antibiotics, one very strong. They also did a urine culture and blood culture to see. She had an Echo done to check on the narrowing and residual leak. We should know more tomorrow.