On track

We are back from our appointments at UCSF with great news. Silas's vocal cords are working well enough to take the next step toward decannulation. They're not functioning 100%, but they're close, and good enough for him to get plenty of air in and out of his lungs. He was a brave little guy today as the ENT specialist placed a scope up his nose and down his throat while we plugged his trach. He cried and showed the doctor what she needed to see - an open passage. He forgot his tears a few minutes later and was back to pointing at everything with wheels or wings (or possibly edible).

While there are still some hurdles to overcome, such as making sure he can still receive the extra oxygen he needs at night and making sure his feeding is coordinated enough to prevent aspiration, we are encouraged to have gotten through this first test. We're barely able to be cautious about our optimism for decannulation this summer. We are already imagining the party. You're invited.

Here are a few photos from this past week. We are so grateful for friendship. And trains.

Silas and Ellie. He can't believe his luck to have such a beautiful companion for Mommy&Me wine tasting day (beach day was canceled on account of tsunami).

With friends at a party in Santa Barbara. The Ipad really quiets the room. We're not sure if we should be proud or embarrassed that Silas knows to press the buttons on phones but swipe his finger across anything made by Apple.


We also stopped at a train museum in Goleta so Silas could ride the miniature train. Alas, he was a few inches too small, so we'll have to come back for that, but he loved everything he saw.

Trains above our head in the gift shop!

Follow that train, Dad!

Finally, we stopped an bought up some Thomas the Train movies and toys from a boy that had outgrown his collection.

All aboard!

Thanks for your prayers and support this week. We're still chugging along and happy to be on the right track.