She worked with physical and occupational therapy and was able to sit on the edge of the bed for 10 minutes with support. She also stood up with assistance and was transferred into a bedside chair. These may sound like small things, but after everything she’s been through, they are huge milestones.
She also had a swallowing study today to see how safely she can eat and drink. The good news is that Evelyn did very well overall. The test showed that her swallowing muscles are working well, but she is still a little slow to coordinate swallowing liquids, especially when taking several sips in a row. She had a small amount of liquid go toward her airway once during the test, but did much better with slow, single sips. The team diagnosed her with mild to moderate swallowing difficulties, which is very common after being intubated for so long, but they felt comfortable allowing her to begin eating and drinking again while taking things slowly and carefully.
And the moment Evelyn had been waiting for finally arrived, her first real food! 
She requested strawberries and chicken Alfredo, and she absolutely loved it. Not only did she enjoy every bite, but she also did very well eating and swallowing.
More milestones today: Evelyn had her femoral line removed and was able to stop both her TPN and lipids (the IV nutrition she’s been relying on). She will still keep her NG tube for now to help supplement her nutrition until she can take enough by mouth on her own. The next goal is transitioning more of her medications from the tube to taking them by mouth as well.
Seeing her sit up, stand, eat her favorite foods, and continue moving away from some of the lines and support she’s needed for so long feels incredible. We still have a long road ahead, but today was filled with progress and hope.
Thank you all for continuing to follow, pray, and support our sweet girl.
How You Can Help
We raised over $10,000 at the big fundraiser garage sale for COTA for Evelyn’s Heart! Thank you again to everyone who donated items, all of the amazing volunteers who took their time to make it happen, and endless thank you’s to everyone who stopped by!
Missed out? Here’s how you can join our rally for Evelyn: