Marshall’s progress can only be equated to a complicated dance between progress and set backs.

But overall the momentum is going in a direction.   Which I’m not sure of but a doctor on the heart failure and transplant team assures is a forward direction.

Yesterday he nursed some.

Win!

And he laughed at his grandma.

Double win!

And he smiled a lot!

Triple win!

But…since we are doing this dance, we found out he has some fluid in his lungs (detected in yesterday’s chest XRAY.)

The ICU floor doc assured with the proper adjustment to his meds, chances are good for letting medical magic pull the fluid.

He impressed neurologists with his recovery from the strokes so far.  They reminded us that next 3-7 days are important and we all need to concentrate on making our hopes for him greater than our fears. 

All of the teams will make the determination regarding his transplant once he gets the strokes far enough behind him.

Which he seems to be doing slowly.

Overnight Marshall did well.  He ate twice (WIN!) and slept great.  This morning he wasn’t happy about being NPO (WIN!) and absolutely happy dancing, playing, and GRABBING WITH BOTH HANDS (WIN! WIN! WIN!)!

The strength in his right hand is returning.   Yeah, little man!!

So I am thinking all of those good thoughts (that I unabashedly begged for) yesterday worked. 

I truly and entirely can’t thank you enough.

And because of this delicate dance our little miracle is doing, I (again unabashedly) have to ask for more powerful thoughts and prayers.

Please.

Please.

Please keep them coming. 

Today Marshall has a sedated MRI to check on all of the arteries and veins in his brain.    They are also going to place “a more comfortable line” (why they are messing with this is a mystery to me).

Which means he has to be intubated.  Which means he will take a step back until the tube is removed.  Which means my (and many others’) concerns are heightened even more.

I spent the early dawn hours of today coaching Marshall to power through. I promised will feed him as much as he wants once he gets back from this latest procedure.

As always, here is to hope…

Please hope with me if you have any to spare.