Tranplant day!

Isabella was taken to the O.R. at about 4:30 this morning, and the most recent update that I just got is that the new liver is here, and they are prepping it and her.  The nurse said she is doing well.  I know many of you got very little sleep last night, but please know that Bella is an amazing fighter.  She is going to come out of this so well, and UCD-free.  She ordered a cheeseburger for her first meal, but I recommended that she take it easy.  Maybe in a couple of days.
Seriously, though, this is the expected chain of events over the next days.  She will be intubated when she comes to the PICU, and her stomach will most likely be left open.  This is because the new organ was from a 16 year old, so even the portion that Bella got is too big for her little belly.  They will leave it open to allow the swelling to go down and her skin to stretch a bit, then hopefully close it within a few days.  She will be sedated, or in a drug induced coma for most of this time.  They can't give us an exact time frame, obviously, because everyone is different. 
She will most likely spent about two weeks in intensive care, give or take.  Once she is stable enough to leave the PICU, she will be brought to where I am right now, the transplant floor.  This is an entire ward for tranplant patients, and the care is focused on these kiddos.  Again, her time here will depend on how things are going, but will be a matter of weeks.  The next step will be discharge, but to the Ronald McDonald House, not home.  We will be there for another period of weeks, going to clinic appointments as doctors regulate her immunosuppressant therapy, etc. 
Our prayers are that every step of the way will go as smootly as possible, and the time frames will be on the shorter end.  We will go with the flow, and remain positive and optimistic at every point.  We have discovered through experience that is the only way to go.  Bella is the most amazing child.  She is strong, happy, healthy and gosh darn cute.  She will meet this challenge like she has met every challenge since the day she was born, and we will all be there to support her at every step of the way.  She has shown us such strength and resilience in her (almost) 15 months, and is an inspiration to all of us.  Though she has perfected the skeptical "I know what you are up to Mr. Doctor or Ms. Nurse" scowl, she always follows with her bright, dimpled smile.  We choose to live our lives like Isabella teaches us: smile bright, smile often, and roll with the punches.  Oh, and give love, love, love to everyone we meet.