MONDAY AM UPDATE GREAT NEWS AT 1:55 PM CT

Thank you all so much for your continued interest in following the updates and praying for Heather. As of 10 minutes ago, Heather has been extubated, (the ventilator is no longer supporting her breathing), and she is breathing on her own!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! They have transitioned her to her CPAP machine that she wears at night for sleep apnea, and they want her to breathe through it throughout the day. In a frail, small whisper she said two words to them, "I'm sorry", which she often says if she thought you were worried or of if she thought she was interrupting you. Nonetheless, she spoke to them!!!!

We have started an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection, called H influenza, which grew out of a culture that they took. This could be a contributor to her fever, but they are still thinking the fever is mostly a Neuro fever that is often present after brain surgery. She has been more alert and awake this morning on and off for about an hour which has been the longest period of time so far! One of her nurses came in this morning and said she was reading I Peter chapter 1 at 4:30 am before she came to work, and she told Heather that it made her think of her. An EEG tech who was actually in the OR when the WADA test was performed has been to visit her several times. She saw our family sitting in the waiting area through the glass windows, and with hand gestures we motioned to her that Heather was getting her ventilator removed, and she started jumping up and down in the hallway cheering!!! We feel your prayers! We feel you cheering Heather on as if you were here with us, too! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! She still has a long way to go, but that's ok. This is great progress today, day 7, since her surgery.

We are so excited about the medical personnel who are stating that they too, are following the updates and pulling for her and cheering her on as well. As soon as she was extubated, one of the men who was in the room at the time asked me about our faith, and the attending respiratory therapist who actually performed the extubation said that he had her prayer card posted in his office and had been following her updates. We will never know what all the Lord is doing, but it is a great comfort to know that only He can take suffering and turn it in to be something wonderful for His Glory.

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

1 Peter 1:7