Homecoming

The echo from yesterday afternoon shows Ainsleigh's ductus all but
closed; there's just the barest squirt of blood flow through it, and
they think it's on a trajectory that will have it completely closed
over the next few days. As it has closed, not only has the aortic
coarctation not gotten any worse, but it has actually vanished
completely. Blood flow through her aorta is now entirely normal.

This wasn't really supposed to happen; I'm inclined to use the word
"miracle" myself, but won't hold you to this description. What we do
know is that the inside of her aorta, just below the junction with her
left subclavian artery, had a clearly visible obstruction on Friday,
Sunday, and Tuesday that was clearly not present on Thursday. Call
that whatever you want.

Anyway, soon after the echo our cardiologist pronounced Ainsleigh
healthy and ready to come home. After some paperwork and infant CPR
training, we left the hospital at about 6:15 yesterday afternoon. By
7:00 we had our daughter at home --- still two days before she was
technically "due" to be born. We have some follow up to do with
cardiology (she's still got those septal defects, for instance), but
she appears to be healthy and happy to be at home.