A decision has been made!

I can hardly believe it, but the doctors have come to a conclusion: Sophie can go home!

It won't be for a week or so yet, but the cardio docs, surgeons, and her neonatologist agreed that they do not want to try to repair her VSD right now. The hole is getting smaller and they want to give it every chance to close itself as she continues to grow. She might need surgery somewhere months down the line, or maybe not ever if it heals itself. They feel that surgery would be an unnecessary risk at this point since she's doing so well. And since she is still growing (5lbs 5oz now), they can go ahead and release her to us.

They will have to do a small procedure on her early next week that's related to her feeding tube in preparation for going home. Recovery from that will be a few days, then another 3 or 4 to get us prepped and trained up on how to care for her. But her doctor told me about a week after the procedure, she should be able to come home.

Obviously, we are very excited about this. It has been so long that we have been doing this without knowing what the resolution will be, that it's nice to finally know an outcome. Of course, now we have to get used to the idea that she will actually be here at home and what that will entail. (I don't think that part has sunk in yet.)

Also, the orthopedist came and put her back in the brace. She has to wear it for another 3 weeks 24/7, then will have a period of 4-6 weeks where we start gradually taking her out of it more and more: 4hrs/day for a week, then 8hrs, to wearing it only at night, etc.