To see his face....

Today, I finally got to see my son's face, his whole face.  No tubes in his throat, no tape on his face. Just his sweet lil face!  Its been 9 days since I saw just his face.

Brayden was extubated (taken off the ventilator) about 1130 this morning.  He did great. He is so hoarse from that tube sitting between his vocal cords. He cried just a lil bit but it only took him about 5 minutes to start playing with the equiptment.  Within 10 minutes, he was smiling.  45min later, he said "ball" when Gran was talking about his ball. 

I am amazed at how good he feels.  He will just be sitting there and he will start giggling for no reason!  He licked a popcicle for the first time too.....and didnt gag!!!!!!!  That is an improvement in itself!!

Hopefully we will get to go home on Friday.  I cant wait to get my baby boy back home to his bed in his new-NON DIALYSIS-room!
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This is a poem/song that my mom wrote about Brayden's time on the vent.

So Still…
You’ve been so still—while our hearts pounded in our chests
So still, while we sat and watched the monitors.

You’ve been so still—while the nurses scrambled to fix you, to ease you, to mend you, and the doctors spoke with quiet words.

You’ve been so still—not your normal wiggling self.

No noses being “beeped”, no ball held high over your head with pride,

No “Ma-ma”, “Da-ddy”, or “Dai-sy”.

No toothy little grins.

You’ve been so still—while we waited and waited,

And waited some more for 9 long days, and 8 long nights.

So still, so still, so…STILL!



You’ve been so still—while we willed you to move, willed you to improve,

Willed you to take a turn for the better.

You’ve been so still—while your Mommy brushed your hair, rubbed your back,

And cut your fingernails.

While your Daddy whispered quietly in your ear,

And your jungle monkeys danced a little dance in your music box.

So still, while we updated family and friends,

And pleas were offered up on your behalf.

You’ve been so still—while the Hands on the clock wound slowly ‘round,

Twelve, twelve, twelve, twelve twelve.

Midnight and Noon, Midnight and Noon.

Tuesday, and then Tuesday again.

And STILL you were still.

So stilll.





So still is my heart, now that you’re awake!

So at peace, so comforted, so rested!

And now that this is over, now that you are wiggling again, smiling again,

living again,

This I know, Brayden Jay:

You ARE my heart, and I will cherish you until the day that I am…

So Still.

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My mom showed me that today, I cried.....Duh....



After Transplant, day 9, the day he woke up