Another Maevey Milestone

My sister sent an email saying doctors removed my niece's breathing tube yesterday!

This is (in the classic words of a nameless Local 12 reporter) a big damn deal because that means Maeve is going to start trying to breathe on her own. Brig says she can now almost see Maeve's entire, gorgeous face. The Maevey Bean is back on oxygen - meaning she is still breathing on her own but has tubes of oxygen ensuring she is getting air through her nose. She was on oxygen for several months after she came home from the hospital and Brigid says this time it is cranked up to 100% - a much higher quantity than before.

Doctors say they would not be surprised if they had to put Maeve back on her breathing tube because she had it in so long and is used to having a machine do her breathing for her. The change is a lot for her tiny, little body to do on its own but it is good practice and a major step in her recovery.

Maeve had a new chest tube put in Friday - this tube went in to her right lung as opposed to previous tubes going right into her heart. This new tube aims to fight the pleural effusion, or lots of fluid built up around her right lung. Doctors inserted another chest tube into her left lung yesterday because of fluid built up there, too.

Brigid asks you all to please continue your kind thoughts and prayers about Maeve and her recovery. My sister says she got to see Maeve's little mouth blowing bubbles yesterday and that it was so cute. Brigid is anxious to give that baby her favorite orange pacifier.