Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Can you believe it?!!!

Our Graci Kate is out of the ICU!!!! It is so amazing how well everything has gone--we really never imagined it would go this smoothly! Graci is now in her own room in the Children's Surgical Unit. She's been watching movies and even making little crafts. This morning they did the cutest thing. All the kids in the hospital that were able to play BINGO from their own rooms. They had passed the most darling BINGO cards around, then had everyone turn on their TVs. They broadcasted a man reading the BINGO cards from the playroom in the hospital. When you got a "BINGO", you would call him on your phone and he would announce it on the air. So cute. Then they came to the rooms and passed out prizes (stuffed animals) to everyone that played. This is such a wonderful hospital. They've also brought all kinds of crafty things around for her to do-- fun, fun.

Tonight Graci wanted to get out of bed and go on a little walk-- YAY! She did great for a little while, then needed a wheelchair. She was so happy to get out of bed, but it really exhausted her. I took her to the bathroom afterward and she was falling asleep on the toilet. (: She's now sound asleep-- I'm thinking for the night.

The one bad thing about the day is that Graci's been coughing. It REALLY hurts her to cough, and she sounds awful. This is pretty normal after a surgery like this-- it happened last time-- but there is a concern that she'll develop pneumonia. So, the nurses are constantly trying to get her to cough it out-- which she hates-- and so she's been in a bit of a foul mood because of that. We have heard that coughing after heart surgery feels like a semi-truck rolling over your chest-- fun.

We've always joked that Graci wouldn't make a good vegetarian. I asked her what she wanted me to order her for dinner tonight and she said bacon, jerky, and chicken nuggets. Hmmm.... This is after requesting bacon for breakfast and lunch. I told her she could pick two meats and then she had to pick something healthy that wasn't meat. She asked if hash browns were meat. (: We settled on the hashbrowns (though I wouldn't put them in the healthy category), bacon, jerky, and lots of yummy fruit. Luckily, she's saving the jerky for tomorrow.

I am REALLY REALLY missing my other sweet kids!!!! Jeremy has been going back and forth-- he's still somewhat under the weather and doesn't want to be here too much. But tomorrow, the plan is to bring them all up here to the hospital to visit Graci and I'm soooooooooo excited! (:(:(: It's crazy how much you can miss your kids in three days. It's also crazy how sometimes after three minutes you can wish you had some alone time again. (:

It has been really fun when Jeremy is here with me-- we get to go down to the cafteria and eat together-- just the two of us-- and also have time to visit and hang out. So as much as it is stressful here, it's also had some very peaceful times too.

Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep. The nurse will be in and out of our room throughout the night to check stats and give meds, then Graci has an x-ray at 6 a.m.
Not exactly a perfect night's sleep, but possibly better than what I'd get at home!

--Christianne

4 comments:

  1. Christi! I'm so glad you update because I get so excited when you have a new post! I SO wish I was up there--I'm come visit you in a second! I keep thinking how brave Graci is. This time she knew what she was getting into. Wow. I can feel her itching and coughing troubles. After my last c-section I really had a reaction to the anesthesia and I was itching like crazy for almost 24 hours-so much that I could hardly sleep, but the benadryl they gave me made me so groggy and tired that I couldn't make any sense of anything. Oh and I had a bad cough so during the c-section i kept trying to cough but couldn't because i had a spinal block and my stomach muscles were numb. weird. but after it wore off and i tried to cough i felt like my stomach was on fire and my incision felt like it was ripping open every time. ANYWAY, it probably isn't even a little bit of what Graci's feeling, but I just keep thinking of her and how little and frail she is and I just want to go in there and cuddle her and tell her it'll be o.k. And then I want to do something funny & weird so she'll laugh. Well, if it doesn't hurt to laugh...
    I'm so glad the hospital is doing fun things to her. That's amazing.
    O.k. this is probably the longest comment ever. I should've just emailed you...
    LOVE YOU!

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  2. What a 'resiliant' child - like playing on the swings in GZ until she turned blue - and what parents - proof that God's hand's are on everything!

    Hugs, lots of love, prayers

    aus and family

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  3. Christianne- I am speechless (and tearing I might add). I am so touched by the journey life has taken you on. What an amazing woman you are. You have a beautiful little family. I love how you make an effort to for you newest little girls to learn and still be a part of their Chinese heritage.

    Having watched my own parents go through the adoption process 4 times (even though circumstances were very different), I know it can be, and continues to be difficult at times. What lucky little princesses to have a mommy and daddy who finally found them in this huge wide world.

    It doesn't seem like high school has been that long ago. I don't feel 14 years older. I find myself wondering about everyone now and then. Since I am so far away, I don't get to bump into people very often. This blogging thing has been so great in finding and keeping in touch with people.

    I hope your adorable Graci continues to get better fast. I will check back often. Thank you for finding me!

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  4. Hi, it is Danyale (LeRoy) Christensen. I got you blog address from Tiffany Streams blog, I hope that this is. I am so sorry that Gracie is in the hospital. I really want you to know that if you need anything. Please call (446-4981). Remember we are just down the road from you.

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