From one Lindsey to another.......

Praying from Taiwan!!!!! Thanks Linds! Safe travels!

This is REALLY cool! Oh, Lindsay. You can touch people with your story from around the world! WE love you princess! (I will post more photos of her at home a little later today so stay tuned!)

What everyone has been waiting for!!!!!!

Pictures of the Princess at home!! Cole just can't get enough of her!

Yeah, that pretty much says it all!

Lindsay was so excited when her daddy put her in her saucer. It had been a long time since she played in this!

Just wonderful!

Lindsay looking out the window of the van on the way home. So incredibly sweet.

I do have to share a quick little story with all of you. We got a few phone calls today letting us know that Lindsay's homecoming was on the front page of the gazette. So, I went down to the store to get one and when JR showed it to Cole he said, "Hey! There is Blues Clues!" Those of you that actually have the paper will get a kick out of that one!

I will type more later because I have to go give all of her meds!!! WOO HOO!!! Can you believe that I am excited about that?!! There's no place like home!

Love to you all!

Suzie

Homecoming

For those of you that were not able to be there but were there in spirit.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/07/shes_home_at_last_oneyearold_l.html

On their way home

They're on their way HOME!!!
They left the parking ramp of the hospital at 1:20pm. So those of you in the Parchment area, let's give them a welcome on Hamilton Street upon their arrival.

Saying goodbye is so hard to do

Our big girl!!!

Happy Daddy!

Lindsay didn't want Tommy to leave after his visit yesterday. Too stinkin' cute these two!

We are getting smiles!

Lindsay didn't want to say goodbye. Oh Jen, we are going to miss you soooooo much!

Isn't that a song? How do you say goodbye to the people that helped to save your baby? How do you say goodbye to the people that stayed past their shifts to make sure that your baby was ok and going to make it? Man, this is tough! We haven't been in tears yet, but when we were speaking to Lindsay's surgeon today, Dr. Devaney, I had to turn away a couple of times because I felt myself starting to fall apart. What do you do for the man whose hands helped to keep Lindsay alive until transplant? I'm sure all he has to know is that she is going home and feel good that his knowledge and skills helped to make that happen. Our hearts will also be forever grateful for all who were involved in Lindsay's care.

Lindsay has been INCREDIBLE these last couple days and even took a bottle today! She had about half of it and then she was tuckered out. But, she did it! We were told to start baby food, etc. right away and keep going on trying the bottles. Her focusing is improving slightly everyday and she is definitely getting her personality back! She is laughing and interacting so much more and getting stronger as well.

Tomorrow will be hard to leave, but at least we know that we will see everyone again in 1 month when we come back for clinic and we can share on all of her accomplishments. Here is a photo for you Jen. We love you so much!

I will share more photos and post again after we return home WITH OUR BABY!!!!!! God is so good!

Heart Blessings~

Suzie

Things are happening today!

Kyle, this one is for you! Learning how to stretch already!

This is how her physical therapy session ended today! ha ha She had had it!

Nurse Sarah, Mindy, and Megan. Lindsay is blowing kisses at the camera! Priceless photo for sure!

There are all sorts of things that are done before you get discharged from the hospital. Those things are for Lindsay: get NG out, start and regulate her bolus feeds, have another swallow study, get an echo and ekg, meet with the pharmacist to discuss meds and where we can have them filled as easily as possible, meet with the discharge coordinator to get info on in home nursing and physical therapy, ween off monitors and sat probe (mainly for the parents...), and get blood labs drawn to make sure all levels are still good before we go. Well, ever since Dr. G said that Thursday was the date, everyone has been in 4th gear and we have all but 3 of the above things done!!! We just have the echo and ekg, which will be on Thursday morning, meet with the discharge coordinator, and get her labs drawn, which will be done on Wednesday. Whew! Monitors are off and our baby is free of all tubes!!!!!! Except for the feedings but I don't think that tube really counts! ha ha Enjoy the photo of Lindsay and "her girls". She just adores them all!

What is missing??