Breaking News . . .

The pulmonologist says one week, plus or minus, until decannulation (removal of the trach)!
Whoa!

Here's a video of DHV reviewing all the different kinds of trucks. I used to be quite confounded by tots and their secret language. Then I paid someone to subtitle everything and it was all clear.

And here's a video of Leigh trying out her voice. We just got a special "speaking valve" which allows air to go past her vocal cords. She sounds like the baby dinosaur-child of a goose that married a Wookie with emphysema. Enjoy.

Like that sound of one hand clapping? Another Rutledge liked to do that, too.

Family Photo

Danny and Leigh have a new cousin, Miki. We celebrated by taking our own family photo. Here we are enjoying some guerrilla (not gorilla, guerrilla; ie, Viet Cong) time off the ventilator. LRV was at this stage about two months ago when consecutive illnesses put a halt to our forward progress. Now we charge forward. Like General Pickett's Light Brigade.
So we enjoyed some time on the front step, minus the calming roar of the ventilator.
DHV refused to sit in DKV's lap for the family shot. He only wanted to sit in the bumbo, until he fell off the stoop.

Last week Grandma and Grandpa V ("zsambma and zsambpa" this time) came to help us with some yardwork. And also to wear D Hawk out while Janine spends a week at home in Germany. Holes were dug and big rocks were thrown in those holes. Zsambma and Zsambpa didn't stand a chance.Just horsin' around in our free time.