Update #3

Wow!! We just got a text saying the doctors are ballooning Rebekah's left pulmonary artery! This is the small(er) artery that goes from the new conduit (that was placed in November) to her left lung. This is exciting news! Rebekah's cardiologist in Greenville, and her surgeon here in Charleston, did not feel that there would be any narrowing that they would be able to balloon or stent. This is terrific! It may not completely explain, or reverse the high pressures that Rebekah has had, but it will certainly help. If her LPA (left pulmonary artery) was severely restricted, it could be the culprit for the high pressures. Oh, I can't wait to talk to Dr. Baker and find out what the pressures look like after the cath is done! Keep praying for our little girl!

Nancy

Update #2

Rebekah is doing well. The catheters are in and the doctor is getting measurements and pressures. Please pray that he is able to get accurate pressures - this is the main reason Rebekah is having the cath today!

Nancy

P.S. Scroll down for the story of Rebekah and her ice cream. :)

Ice Cream Etiquette

This is the story of a little girl and an ice cream sandwich. Her first ice cream sandwich, to be exact. And, oh, what a story it is! Actually, there is really very little that can be told about this story, so I will let Rebekah share the pictures and video. Enjoy!

We're testing the waters here.

Never had one of these before.

Do I bite it? Lick it? Poke it? Eat it? Play with it?

Hmmm....seems like licking and biting seem to work well.

Or, poking and pinching, whichever you prefer.

Of course, the mash and smash method works well, too!

All in all, the best method is the one that gets ice cream into my mouth!

Which gets my mouth (and the rest of me) into the bath!

Oh, how I love bath time!

Rebekah's wrap-up: bye-bye, bubbles and being silly

Pretty pink piggies playing in a bubbly bath.

And that, my friends, is the story of a little girl and an ice cream sandwich.

Her first ice cream sandwich, to be exact.

Produced by Rebekah Ellis

Edited by Mommy

Update #1

Good Morning! Even though it's only 9:00, I feel like it's almost lunch time! I guess that's what happens when one gets up at 4:30. :) Rebekah didn't have a great night. I'm not sure if it was the fever, if she wasn't feeling well, or if it was just being in a strange place, but she was very restless and fussy all night. Drew and I were both up with her several times in the night. Add to that the fact that we had to stop her formula feed at midnight and switch it to Pedialyte (clear liquids) until 3:00. After that she wasn't able to have anything at all. Rebekah woke up signing "eat," "more," and "milk," and she repeatedly said "nack" (snack) and "pepple" (pretzel). I felt so bad that she couldn't even have a drink of milk!

Just being cute!

Thankfully everything was running on schedule this morning, and we really did not have to wait long with Rebekah. We checked into the hospital at 6:15 and were up in the same-day observation room by 6:30. Rebekah has a great nurse today, one that we have not had before. He is going to be one of our favorites! Daniel (nurse) and a couple of other nurses got all of Rebekah's current stats and then started in with all the questions that we have to answer each time Rebekah is admitted.

Hello, everyone!

Thank you all for your prayers last night and this morning. Rebekah did not have a fever this morning when she woke up. We discussed the fever with Rebekah's team this morning, and they are going to keep a close watch on her to make sure nothing develops. Rebekah is teething, so we're hoping that it might simply be that. Time will tell, I'm sure!

Baby and I are Charleston-bound!

We received our first update at 9:00, and Rebekah was doing well. Since Rebekah was first case this morning, they were able to take her to the cath lab and place the necessary IV's under sedation. That was a huge relief to us because Rebekah is a very difficult stick. She has extremely tiny veins that twist like a bowl of angel hair pasta. We are thankful that at least she was sedated before placing the IV's. As of 9:00, the doctors had inserted the first catheter in her right leg.

Thank you all for praying! We will pass along further updates as we get them!

Nancy

Rebekah was taken to the

Rebekah was taken to the cath lab around 7:30. No fever this morning! Update in about an hour.