Miriam should be headed home this afternoon! She had a rough night with Daddy (Mommy went home to sleep for a few hours), but we think they have her pain meds worked out now so hopefully we can avoid another night like that. She is sleeping deeply now, and once she wakes up we have asked physical therapy to come and get her up and moving. With the chest tube in, moving was uncomfortable, so we’re hoping now that it’s out and she is rested that she will be ready to play! Once we see she is able to get around on her own we will be discharged and get out of here!

She’s awake! While we wait we open one more package and do some coloring. Thanks, Great-Grandpa Dave and Great-Grandma Sally!

Mr. Doug from physical therapy arrived and helped Miriam take her first walk around the hospital. She made it down the PICU hallway and all the way out to the courtyard by herself (with the help of her magic wand)!

Cecilia and Grandpa came to help Miriam get moving. Cecilia was so happy to be with Miriam (and see all the fun presents she got)!

As soon as we were dismissed, Miriam got into her new princess fairy regalia thanks to Grandma’s cousin Patti and Mommy’s friends Becca and Jason.

We stopped in the chapel for some grateful prayers of thanks, and then headed to the playroom, where the girls took care of dolls and did some imaginary shopping (and parents forgot to take pictures).

And now we’re home! Miriam has done well so far. She has climbed on and off her bed and the couch, and done some reading and coloring. She is in noticeable pain if her medication starts to wear off, but is quickly back to herself when she gets another dose. Hopefully she will wean off over the next week.

Thank you all again for walking this journey with us. We are so grateful for all of your prayers, as we know they have protected and strengthened her and us through the trials of this week. Please continue to pray for her recovery, and we will continue to update you. She is adjusting to a body with new proportions and healing some major incisions, so your support is still a gift. She will be having her first expansion of the VEPTR devices sometime this summer, but that should take only one or two days it the hospital (and will have a much easier recovery).