Amazing Madelyn Grace: Luke Combs? Is that you?

It’s been a long and snowy day at the hospital, but it has been a day of small improvements!

Since this morning, they’ve started lowering Madelyn’s oxygen intake. She’s gone from 100% oxygen to 45% and they will continue to lower it to see how much she can tolerate. They also plan on taking her off of her current sedative tonight to switch it for a milder one and change her pain medication.

We’ve been able to go into her room, protective gear and all, and talk to her and see if she will open her eyes. We have to wear protective gear just be safe since she’s at risk for infection. I went in there for a little bit, and all I did is elevate her heart rate. Such a little sister.

On the other hand, mom and dad went in a couple of times and she opened her eyes the first time around. The second time in the room, mom and dad were talking to her trying to get her to open her eyes. After a few minutes of trying to get her to respond, Scott decided to utter two words; Luke Combs.

That prompted Madelyn to all but jump out of the bed. The poor girl probably thought the man was in the room with her and she needed to say hello. It also sprung up a coughing fit and her trach to come unattached, but in my state of slight panic the doctor and nurses went in to help her. The doctor told us that the coughing is good and it means she’s getting all of the secretions out of her lungs, and her being able to breath off of the trach for a little bit is also a good sign. Mom and I have since told dad that Luke Combs will not be spoken about and that we shall refer to him in a Voldemort “he-who-shall-not-be-named” kind of way. Unless we need her to cough, then we know how to get her stirred up.

Luke Combs, if you’re reading this, Mad would love to meet you again some day.

Her heart rate and her blood pressure are both staying in a good spot. They don’t plan on doing the bronchial cleanse today because her lungs seem to be pretty clear. They have also been giving her breathing treatments that seem to be helping. We have been warned that she will probably get pneumonia in the next couple of days, but they have been preparing us for that since she was admitted. Pneumonia is no match for Mad!

Today overall has been an eventful but good day. The waiting room is starting to get a little crowded with new characters; apparently they call this time of year “trauma season.” We are very hopeful that next year we will be spending trauma season away from the hospital. ‘Tis the season!

It’s been very helpful to find some laughter in all of this. Us Owens folks are a silly little group, so being able to talk and laugh with the nurses and doctors and even with each other makes this all a little more bearable.

Proverbs 31:25 - She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.