Ruby (and her parents) had a good day today. She lost over 400 grams of weight (about a pound!), roughly half of which was fluid drained off her right lung via the chest tube. At her early-morning weigh-in, she was 3800g (8lbs 6oz), so she has about 1kg (2.2lbs) of water weight left to lose until it's safe to do surgery on her. Her right lung opened up a little more, but it's still mostly closed. The doctors took Ruby's right lung out for a "test drive" this morning, and it did well. They had the ECMO specialist turn down the support and changed the ventilator from the "rest" setting to normal breaths for a newborn and turned up the oxygen going into the ventilator. She was able to oxygenate her own blood from the O2 she was breathing, above and beyond the O2 that the ECMO was providing. The surgeon and neonatologist seemed very pleased with this, and ordered the respiratory tech to repeat this procedure as "lung conditioning" for 15 minutes every 2 hours. This is to kind of prep her lungs, mainly her right one, to get them ready to be used again. If the doctor's happy, we're happy.
Here are some pictures from tonight of a somewhat skinnier Ruby. You can actually see her ribs and sternum again.
And the swelling on her head has come down a bit too:
Sweet Dreams, Ruby!
Visualizing lungs doing what
Visualizing lungs doing what they need to, so pretty Ruby can get to that next mile and the next mile and the next mile and the next...yes!
Marie
Ruby is looking good, even
Ruby is looking good, even after being on ECMO for awhile. Keep losing the weight Ruby and I know that chest tube is going to do lots to help Ruby rid the fluid from her body. That is wonderful the "test drive" of her lungs looked good...hope she continues to do well with these tests and keeps getting stronger. Praying for another GOOD day! Keep fighting Ruby!!
Thinking of you 3, Tracy - Ian's mom
If the Drs are happy.... Mom
If the Drs are happy.... Mom & Dad Happy..... Everybody Happy.
Had to check in on the little cherub..
so glad that progress is being made and it seems like the Drs are moving forward at a reasonable clip.
Ruby's Fan Club
Lots of smiles and hugs for
Lots of smiles and hugs for everybody.
Good work, little Ruby!
Good work, little Ruby! Wonderful news!
Pam
Hey Ruby-Good job! That's
Hey Ruby-Good job! That's great news Chris and Holly!
All right! That's what we
All right! That's what we like to hear! We will keep praying that Ruby will have good days like this and that her right lung will get stronger. Be encouraged. "As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!"
Fantastic news, I'm so
Fantastic news, I'm so excited for you three!!!
Keep working on it, Ruby! Pee, Ruby, Pee!
Tons of love,
Tami, Chuck, and Aisling
Wooo Hooo!!! Way to go,
Wooo Hooo!!! Way to go, Ruby! She does have a great pit crew! Such happy news first thing in the morning. Love and hugs from IA.
Yeah Ruby! Keep up the good
Yeah Ruby! Keep up the good work! Keep doing the exercises as ordered.... and keep losing that fluid... you know how girls hate to have chubby ankles... :-)
And please give that wonderful Mom and Dad of yours a hug for me.
Love you,
Elsa
:) Lots of love!!! Missy,
:)
Lots of love!!!
Missy, Larry and Anthony
Exelent News. Thank you for
Exelent News. Thank you for keeping us updated. Sounds like she's working up from test drives to running in the LeMans. Sounds like you've got an exelent pit crew, too. Keep it up, yall! We are all cheering out here in the cheap seats!