The Thrill of a Challenge

Dear Ellie,

I've never been a person too interested in winning at things.  What I'm interested in is a challenge.  To win without much effort makes me lazy and disinterested.  I don't train or practice quite as hard.  However, challenge me at something and suddenly I ply my full attention.  Today, you've proven once again that you are the same way.

You moved to minimal respiratory support this morning and haven't looked back.  Your oxygen percentage was nudged up in anticipation that you might struggle a bit, but they've progressively been tuned back down as you flap your little wings and fly away.  Compared to the ET tube ventilation, you are doing almost all of your breathing on your own.  It was a fairly big, unexpected leap from where I'm standing.  I was anticipating that it would come a week from now.  Paradoxically, you seem to often do better whenever we give you less.  Given a challenge, you only work harder.