Day 47 update, late night

Greetings from the land of trees slowly shifting to autumn colors and darkness falling incrementally sooner as we continue through these days.
Sage had an eventful Sunday and Monday; it is hard to keep up with her and report on the progress!
Sunday found her at a minimum pressure support, and the plan was to continue to come down by two for the day and give Sage another trial run on the 'cpap', for maybe two hours.
Well.
A particular doctor came in - one that we know well, like and trust very much - mid-morning and with inimitable fortitude and style checked in with Sage, made sure she was up for it, and set her pressure support to zero. As in 0. As in "let's just go for it"  and see how you do, because if you don't try you just might not know - and Sage was good to go and gave the definite 'yes' and thumbs up for such a plan.

Sasha the doc and Sage talking shop about numbers....

vent settings

here we go!

She then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening - not just two hours - effectively breathing on her own and providing her own pressure for both the inhaling and exhaling breaths. She did great and her respiratory rate was equally great, so......
Monday found Sage with a trial run of being off the ventilator and connected instead to a high flow of oxygen - meaning some oxygen was being provided around the trach site. She, however, was generating the breathing in and pushing out of that air. In the world of respiratory therapy and pulmonary progress, this was big. Sage was doing the work of breathing, exercising muscles around her lungs that have been unused for awhile, and she did fantastically well. The only thing you have to watch for is to not tire out the lungs; it is a matter of pacing oneself, challenging and working the lungs but just enough and not overly so.
Sage stayed on the high flow all afternoon and into the evening, taking a walk outside of the unit and down the hallway before the evening came on. She skyped with her dad Mark and brother Nathan in Germany, watched more of the 'Bourne Trilogy' (third time in as many days) and had an ice cream sundae with hot fudge sauce before dinner.
 She had a great evening meal of broccoli, mashed potato, sweet potato and chocolate milk, watched 'Veronica Mars' with friend Mary from California, and promptly fell asleep around 11.
Earlier this morning, Sage had a moment whereby the 'cuff' around the trach tube (which inhibits the flow of air upward) was deflated and she actually spoke! albeit a whisper. The next step is to continue with the time off the ventilator, retraining the use of muscles,  vocal chords and airways that have been unused for a bit of time, and just keeping on. Sage's words, however, were clear, direct and very much Sage: "hello. I want to get out of here."
Gratitude and thanks to all of you for continuing to keep Sage in your thoughts, prayers and hearts. Good rest to all.