Today marks one week post-transplant for Emerson.

She is making excellent strides. In fact, aside from her being tired, to spend time with her, you wouldn't know she just had a MAJOR surgery! The Children's team oversees various facets of her health, including blood pressure, oxygen levels, respiratory and heart rates, and blood chemistry. Up to this point, all these measures have been precisely where they hoped or anticipated them to be.

Her heart rate is still quite elevated, hovering around 130 bpm, which is typical for someone who received a transplant. The heart has endured trauma starting from the donor's situation, followed by transportation, and then surgical insertion. We've been informed that it can take several weeks for the heart to decrease its rate and "settle" into its new environment. A researcher at Children's has indicated that complete integration of the heart may take as long as six months. Remember, it's a muscle, and anyone who's experienced a muscle strain knows how long it can take to heal (especially as one gets older, like in your late 40s!).

Also, when they removed Emerson's birth heart, they severed the nerves that control heart function. Severed nerved typically do not regrow (only in about 20% of patients). This means that her heart rhythm is controlled by hormones in the blood -- such as adrenaline. As you might know, once released into the blood, hormones such as adrenaline take time to be metabolized and leave the blood. All of which is to say that Emerson's body will slowly find a new way of existing with its new heart.

In other news, her cheeks are rosy, and her hands and feet are consistently warm for the first time! It's incredible what a new heart will do.

She's had a lot of difficulty sleeping, likely from the many steroids that she has been on. Those steroids have ended today, so we're hopeful for a well-needed and good night's sleep. Slowly, she is being weened off the "induction medications" that she had immediately post-transplant, and they are working on establishing levels of maintenance medications that she can go home with.

Here's a fun tidbit: there's a "Ticket to Home" checklist that both staff and parents must complete before her discharge. For instance, both Allison and I need to spend 24 hours managing her medical care and medications in the hospital. This demonstrates to the medical staff our knowledge and commitment to caring for her at home. I've been assured there's no written assessment!!

Emerson has been going on several daily walks, which generally tire her out (especially since she hasn't been sleeping). Yesterday, she visited her friends from the 9th floor. She's made many deep friendships with other children and staff -- saying goodbye will not be easy.

Overall, things are going well, and we're looking forward to everyone being reunited soon!

Thanks for your support --