Leslee and I are puzzled. After a great morning yesterday, Ela progressively became more and more lethargic throughout the day. At first, we didn’t think much of it. I mean, she just had major heart surgery and she was on all kinds of sedatives and paralyzers the day before. However, not only did she lay around all afternoon without barely saying a word, we heard from her nurse this morning that she didn’t sleep at all last night! Most of today has been the same docile behavior.

Where is Ela? I mean, the Ela we know…the one that is talkative and sassy and spunky. We think she is in there somewhere. We saw tiny bits of her throughout the day. She faintly broke into song with me when we were watching Trolls. She, appropriately, corrected the nurses by telling them that I am not “daddy,” I am “papá.” The thing is that those were short moments today. Most of the day, we’ve dealt with a very somber Ela…an Ela that barely talked. No smiles or laughs.

Is she depressed? Is she adjusting to new oxygen levels…levels she’s never had before? Is she still getting the sedatives and paralyzers and pain meds through her system? We don’t know…could she be so overwhelmed with what has happened that she has shut down? Could this be neurological? The doctors hooked her back to the EEG just in case.

Where is Ela? She is surely in there…we’re praying that she just needs some more time.

Leslee and I have a theory. We think that (besides everything I just listed) Ela is greatly disappointed that she got her new heart and that she is STILL at the hospital and is doing EVEN LESS than what she was doing before the surgery. She can’t walk, or lift her arms well, or sing, and it seems like it even hurts to talk so she whispers (breathing tube). In her mind she knew that a new heart would make things better, but she feels like she is in a worse state!

Ela was supposed to get some melatonin tonight to help her sleep. We are hoping that will help. It is sad to see her like this. It could all just be a part of the “ICU delirium” they call it. We’re hoping it is only a couple days of this and that she will bounce back.

Thank you for your prayers. We hope to be able to post a video of her in better spirits some time soon! In the mean time, our request is that you pray for her to be ok neurologically and for her to get some sleep tonight. Blessings!