Now the real work begins...

Hello everyone. [Yawn] Yana had a pretty decent night last night. Except her sleep is pretty patchy. She's also not eating or drinking all that much, and she's been puking up some of her meds. Keeps things interesting.

But this is where the real work begins for us. Heather and I are on call 24x7 now; constantly at her bedside. At this level of care, each nurse has four patients, so they pop in every now and then. But the big reason we need to be there is to help her through the regular stream of procedures; and to be an advocate for our child. Because we generally know more about her than anyone caring for her, no matter how accurate their records. We've got to make the calls on Meds and painkillers; which ones will be best. We need to ask about the side-effects, and stay informed about what she's going through. That's what has to happen for her to get the best care.

So we really appreciate your continued prayers for all of us. We sleep when she does. We get breaks here and there. And thankfully, Nana and Bumpa are still around, so they can shoo us out of the room occasionally to go eat or get coffee. That's been a huge blessing. I don't know what we would do without the incredible support we've had from family and friends through this time. It's really been such an amazing experience for us to be so cared for all through this process. And of course, your continued prayers are a major part of that. So thank you again.

Yana's still pretty low-key. She doesn't smile very much. Understandable, since she's just had major surgery a few short days ago. So she's tired and she hasn't been eating well. But she continues to show good progress and stay healthy, so we are very pleased. It is wonderful to see her eyes open and clear, and to hear her little voice every now and then, saying "What's that noise?" or asking for specific things like "chips" or "oranges." We have our little girl. She is doing well. And we are very thankful.
- the Van Booms