Update on Vivian - 8/10

Vivian coloring at home with her nurse Ronke tonight

Vivian is doing so well!

After Vivian finished her last round of antibiotics yesterday morning, the nurse removed her port access. Vivian had referred to the tubing as "I don't like that string on my tummy" so we are thrilled for it to be gone.

Over the weekend Robert's sister Cheryl visited and convinced Vivian to eat an entire cheeseburger. Since then Vivian has been eating pasta, fruit, vegetables - pretty much all of her previous favorites. For the past few days Vivian has only taken one can of nutritional formula per day through her g-button (when she came home from the hospital, Vivian was receiving five). I anticipate that soon we won't need to use the button at all.

We had a quick trip to the ER early Saturday morning when Vivian's g-button fell out during the night. Surprisingly this was due to a defect in the button rather than to any action on Vivian's part. The ER doctor replaced the button without fanfare, and we were back home less than an hour after we'd left.


Late-night visit to the ER - Vivian was treated in the same room where she was initially seen on June 25 when she spiked her 107° fever

The staff in the ER were all familiar with Vivian; evidently they don't often see children as sick as Vivian was on her previous visit there so she is somewhat *famous.* They were ecstatic to see how well Vivian is doing now.

With Vivian's cast gone, her IV antibiotics finished and her need for her g-button diminishing, Vivian is very close to her pre-ICU state. (Wow!) Nurses continue to monitor Vivian's temperature and surgical incision for signs of infection. They also attend her to ensure Vivian's safety as she maneuvers through our house, especially up and down our stairs, but Vivian's need for their supervision is waning.

Praise God for His grace and mercy toward Vivian and us. Pray that Vivian's strength and balance recover sufficiently for her to be safe when she is unattended. Pray that the range of motion in her left arm improves. Pray that the infection in Vivian's body does not return.

Robert and I are enormously relieved and grateful about Vivian's recovery. Thank you for supporting and encouraging us throughout this journey.

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise Him in his mighty heavens. Praise Him for his acts of power; praise Him for his surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150