Ella Faith

2009-01-28T06:13:00.000-08:00

My Ella...
Things with Ella have been going very good, she is doing so many new things and is trying so very hard to sit up, rolling over and is always laughing. We have been VERY blessed to keep her healthy through the last few months. In early October the Pediatrician and I decided that maybe being in daycare was not the best thing for her, although she done great and I loved everyone there, she was staying sick a little more than normal. I hired a private sitter and it has been smooth sailing since then. She has really starting gaining weight and actually has little fat rolls. I am no longer working and am hoping to be able to get things back to normal with her therapy, play dates and all the doctor appointments we have. I feel like I have really lost my focus with her over the last year. Its hard to do the things I need to do with her when I feel like I have to work. I probably still need to work...lol, but I have to remember the faith that got her here and trust in that. Please remember to keep my family in your prayers. Until next time...

Wonderful blessings...

2008-08-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Its finally happening! Once again god has answered yet another prayer. As you can see from the picture Ella is holding her head up!!!!!! This is a day I sometimes thought I may never see and its here. She has really came a long way over the past few months and I am so excited. She is doing so good at holding her head up, she is still learning how to balance it and of course she gets tired after awhile but she does GREAT, not to mention she loves being able to sit and look around. The doctors have said for the past two years not to get my hopes up with her progress and I have had days that being positive and having faith was really hard, but once again god has reminded me he is in control. We have had a very eventful month, not only did she start holding her head up but she is rolling over too!!! She is rolling over so well that she actually rolled right off the couch, it was a little bitter-sweet. I loved that she rolled over but I felt awful the she fell off the couch. I think I cried more than she did. I am sure this is just the beginning of many "normal" little bumps and bruises. Keep sending up the prayers! Until next time...

The past 6mths...

2008-06-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know its been so long since I have updated Ella's blog... Life has been crazy as usual and I have been so busy. This year we have had a lot of changes in our lives. First of all as most of you know Clint and I got divorced, so that alone has took a toll on all of us, I got a new job (the first time I have worked since having Ella) and finally took the "leap" and enrolled Ella in the Henry Center. Things have been going good considering I am starting over... with three kids.

Ella has been doing great, she is getting so big and really looks like a little 2yr old. The Henry Center has been such a blessing to me and her, she loves it and is really benefiting from the therapy she gets there. She is trying so hard to sit up and is starting to hold her head up some too. She has become so much more vocal, of course her favorite word is "mom" but she will sometimes say Hi too. She is always laughing and playing and everything she gets her hands on goes in her mouth. She is leaning some basic sign and I think she sometimes tries to say mom in sign too. She will wave Bye-bye and has starting holding her bottle too. She has really come along way.

Health wise things have been going pretty good. I did have to rush her to the hospital at the end of March, for some reason she was having trouble breathing and I even had to pull over on the interstate when she turned gray. So after scaring me to death, we had a 3 night stay in the hospital and went home still not knowing what was really wrong. In June she had her first ambulance ride when she was sent from the doctors office with a touch of pneumonia. It was such a crazy time I was alone, so she rode in the ambulance all by herself, and I followed behind ... crying of course. When we got to childrens hospital they opened the doors to the back of the ambulance and there she was just looking around and smiling, it was so cute. The EMT said she was great and really liked the ride. She laughed and looked around the whole time. My little Ella... of course she would find joy out of something so scary, and she always gives me so much peace and strength.

I have some great pictures from her 2nd birthday that I am going to get posted soon and am really going to try to be better at keeping everyone up to date. Thanks to everyone for keeping Ella and our family in your prayers, I need it more and more everyday.

December

2007-12-18T11:13:00.001-08:00

This month has been so much better the last. Ella is feeling so much better and all of the doctor visits have been great. She is almost up to 17lbs now...WOW!We also have some new pictures made with Tara from DIXIE PIXEL, they are wonderful as always.I will post a few for you to enjoy. Anyway just a little update, have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Crazy November

2007-11-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Ella in the hospital.

Today I have finally found a little time to sit down and wright about our crazy month! This month has probably been one of the most trying months that I have had with Ella in awhile. On Sunday November 11 Ella woke up early that morning throwing up. At this point I was thinking it was just a virus and was trying to keep her hydrated and just keeping a close eye on her. After she threw up 2-3 times she began acting really different and the stuff she was trowing up was getting darker and darker. I Knew that something was not right because all she ate was her formula and that was definitely not formula she was throwing up. After a quick call to her doctor we were off to Children's Hospital. By the time I got her to the emergency room she was like a "limp noodle!" While we were in triage she was not responding and her blood pressure was really low. They sent us straight back and that's where the craziness started...

This is the time when I, like many other times, just thank God for carrying me through yet another tough situation. The doctor in the emergency room was great! She didn't play around and really took an aggressive approach with Ella. Someone
was working on Ella almost non-stop for the next 3 to 4 hours trying to find out what was making her so sick. Finally they did know she was throwing up blood but didn't know where it was coming from. They told me she was staying in the hospital but they was not sure if she would be in ICU or not. That was the time when I had a small breakdown... I thought I better get this over with now so I can stay strong for whatever is next.

At 9:00 that night we finally got put in a room. She was sill not very responsive but the IVs had helped and they had put a tube down her nose that was constantly sucking the blood from her stomach, so the throwing up had stopped.

On Monday morning she was put to sleep and a scope was ran. The findings were really sad to me. She had multiple erosion's in her stomach and esophagus and the feeding tube was causing an obstruction. While she was asleep they put a new feeding tube in that is smaller and hopefully will work better.Thank GOD!!! Nothing too serious!

By Monday afternoon things were still pretty much the same Ella had not really woke up and had still not ate. The GI doctor came in and told me she could go home...well for those of you that know me you know I was not about to let that happen! I told the Doc that she was not ready to go home that I really believed something else is wrong with her! Of course he just wrote it off and said well then she can stay tonight and we will let her go tomorrow. What in the world was this man thinking?

On Monday night Ella starting having breathing problems, she sounded like she had RSV or something like it. Still they wouldn't even let me see the house pediatrician until I had threaten to go over their heads. After that I had a consult set up for Tuesday morning!!! Finally someone was going to listen and thank God the did!

On Tuesday morning the house pediatrician came to see Ella. She was great, she knew right away that something else was wrong. She done a lot of tests and another chest X-Ray and it turned out that Ella did have a respiratory virus. She needed breathing treatments ,medicine and was even on oxygen at one point.Thank God for giving me a strong will and teaching me that my instincts are usually right.Finally on Friday we got to come home and I was so ready!!!

Ella is doing much better now. She is still on breathing treatments and some medicine but things are looking great. Her personality is really starting to shine, I can tell she feels so much better. Thank you for all the prayers and keep them coming.

Melissa

Update

2007-10-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

As most of you know the big thing with Ella lately has been weight gain. We have been going back to Dr. Denton every couple of weeks to check her weight and she has not been making much progress. On Wednesday we went back after a month of trying some new things to fatten her up, we checked her weight and she had lost a few ounces. I was not really upset or even shocked because I knew she had not gained any weight. The doctor was very disappointed , he is at a loss. He is not afraid to admit when he no longer knows what to do for her. He is on the same page w/ me you can tell she is healthy and happy and changing everyday so we know there is no lack of nourishment. She just can't gain weight. Now we have to look for new things to do, so first of all we will be meeting with a new doctor at childrens...a Nutritionist, hopefully this doctor will be able to give me something I can do or give Ella that will add on the pounds. Then the next step will be feeding her with a IV pump through her Mic-key Button while she sleeps. I have thought a lot about this and have not wanted to put her on pump feedings when she was smaller, but now I am ready. I NEED SLEEP!!! LOL I think it will help her and me... hopefully I will be able to feed her more food during the day and formula at night. So please everyone pray! Pray for her, pray for me. I know it will work -it always does.

On a different note...

We are moving and I want to ask that you please remember Olivia and Carter in your prayers. This will be an big change for them and I just want them to be happy. We do have a house...still in Rockwood for the moment. I have not taken them to see it yet but it is truly a blessing from God. It is a beautiful 2 story house all newly redone
bedrooms downstairs and up for my Ella... Just perfect.

Change is on it way!!!

2007-09-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Today I was looking at Ellas blog ...reading over all the past entries I have posted and Some of them made me smile them some of them made me cry. WOW!!! What a year. I am just so thankful for all the prayers and support I have. Things in my life are changing everyday, Ella is growing so fast and that alone brings some many new challenges my way. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to stay sane without being heavily medicated...LOL!!! We all know who is my strength. There is a very popular poem called "Footprints" that really touches me. I have known the poem and have read it many times but have never truly understood it until going through this stuff with Ella. Now it is like my life story... I know there have been many times when God has carried me, many times when I didn't even have the strength to pray, but as always he was there picking me up ...over and over again. I know when I was pregnant with Ella I felt broken and my faith was the only thing that got me through. The times I couldn't pray but just call his name and sit in the quiet of his presence because he knew I was hurting...there was no need for words. At the time I didn't realize how much I was hurting or how broken I felt, until the day I had Ella. That day I felt like a new person but I also looked back at the last few months in amazement. Amazed at how that hurt had become such a part of my everyday life that I didn't even realize it was there until it was gone. God had just carried me right through it all.
God is Good!!!

Melissa

A Hard Recovery

2007-08-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

It has been 47 days since Ella had surgery and I must say nothing has been the same since. I think everyday that I made the wrong decision. Don't get me wrong, things could be much worse she is overall healthy but she is so different. She cries more than she ever has and she won't take a bottle at all now. I know the issue is weight gain...but after a month with the feeding tube she gained no weight. I am just needing to see results, I am not always a patient person. :) The doctor keeps telling me to try to feed her more but I already feed her 5oz every 3hrs and that takes about 20 - 40 mins to do so its a little hard to find time in between feedings, diapers throw-ups...then clean-ups and all the other stuff to add other feedings??? I know things will get better with time when I get used to dealing with this new feeding tube, but in the mean time its crazy around here! On a more positive note- She is starting to do so much. She is always laughing at toys and loves music! She is showing really good cognitive signs like crying for me when I leave(not good for the person keeping her but good from a nuro. stand point)stranger anxiety and pushing her therapist hands away when she wants them to leave her alone.LOL These are all great things for her. She is so sweet and that little smile of hers will always out weight all the crazy and keep me going!

2007-07-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

The surgery is over !!!

2007-07-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

On Monday July 9 Ella went in for the long awaited surgeries. She was scheduled for 2 surgeries but ended up only having one done. She came thru the surgery great, done well with the anesthesia and woke up like normal. After she came out of recovery it was pretty rough, she was in a lot of pain and was very fussy. They gave her morphine and loretab but she still did not sleep any that night, so needless to say by Tuesday morning she and I both were worn out. After the house doctor came by to check on her they decided to go ahead and do the surgery they had not done on Monday, which was to put the tube in her right ear. Clint and I did not know what to do! We did not want to put her to sleep again but on the other hand we were already there and she was all ready prepped for surgery so we went ahead... The doctor came out of surgery tells us everything went great! Thank god! Ok Its over sent us down to her room and said we would see her in 15min or so. While we were sitting in her room waiting they called me from recovery and said not to be alarmed but they could not get her to wake up. WHAT? Don't be alarmed? Ok They said she is moving a little but we can't get her to respond or open her eyes so it may be a little while. So we just sat there and waited...Finally after about 30min the decided to bring her to me, she had still not woke up, but as soon as she heard my voice she popped open those little eyes. What a little stinker!!! That was a little scary!!! The whole day after that surgery she never really woke up good and had trouble breathing and was on oxygen most of the night. This outpatient surgery turned out to be a true 3 day stress filled circus!!! Finally on Wednesday evening we got to come home.

Wednesday night was very long. She woke up about every two hours and started throwing up every time we fed her. By 5 in the morning she had developed a fever and by 2 on Thursday we were back at the hospital. Now we are home and thanks to lots of prayer Ella is finally starting to feel better. She is still not back to normal but we are getting there...but I can't wait to see her pretty smile again. Thank you to everyone for remembering Ella and our family in your prayers!
Melissa

Busy, Busy,Busy

2007-06-08T21:58:00.001-07:00

Wow it's been awhile since I have actually had the time (or the mind) to sit down and do an update. The last few weeks have been jam packed with doctor appointments at least one test a week at Children's Hospital in Knoxville and then just the typical everyday therapy, colds, teething...etc.

Lets see where do I start? First of all we added a new Dr. to our on- going list... a GI Specialist. He was very nice, but he ordered a whole bunch of tests. Just to be on the safe side... never can be to careful. Those words make me crazy. Anyway, first she had a "PH Probe Study" she done well with that test. The next week we go to the hospital for an "Upper GI" once again easy test shes a trooper! Week 3 here we are again ...this time we have to have an "Stomach Emptying Scan" which is a series of 3 pictures that take 30sec. but have to be spaced out 3 hours apart! What???? Mind you all these test are at 6 or 7 in the morning and me and Ella have to find something to do for each hour in between pictures. This is great... well the first hour we had breakfast, yummy hospital food always a treat. Then the second hour we take a nice stroll over to the doctors offices to update my planner with more appointments .Then finally the third hour was here...god heard our prayers and the gift shop was open!!!! It was Ella's favorite I'm sure because she got a toy and a Binky! What more could a girl ask for?

On Monday June 11 she will be having a "Mod. Barium Swallow" hopefully this will be the last of the test. Then we will meet with the surgeon on June 20 ... the good one! Yes they accepted us! Thank the lord! LOL! And hopefully we will be having surgery by the end of the month!!! She will also be getting tubes in her ear at the same time she gets her feeding tube. I'm just ready to get all this over.

Our visit with the surgeon

2007-05-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since we had our visit with the surgeon and time has not allowed me to update ...sorry. The visit was not a very good one to say the least! First of all I didn't like the surgeon, he was very cold and had no beside manner, he didn't address Ella at all it was like she wasn't even a person. I had a lot of questions that I wanted to ask but he would not answer any of them. He talked to me as if I were stupid. Little did he know I've been through this surgery before with my best friends little girl. The whole time he was talking to me I was thinking ,"Oh no! What am I going to do?...I really don't like this man! I can't send Ella into surgery with someone I'm not comfortable with!!". The next day I called and asked if we could see the other doctor and was told that was not usually an option. What???? I had to remind myself that I was a christian. I talked to the office manager and was told that we will have to ask the doctor we seen if he will let his partner see us . It's crazy!!! I'm still waiting to hear if we got "approved"!!!! LOL

In the mean time we will having our first over night stay in the hospital (since the NICU) Wed. May 16. Ella will be having a PH Probe study done (kind of like a scope) this test will measure the amount(if any) of acid reflux she is having. After this test is done we should be scheduling her surgery... assuming we still have a doctor! :) Please remember us in your prayers and think of us Wednesday.

Melissa

Ellas Newest Pictures!!

2007-04-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

After my crazy day on Friday I got a call from Tara @ Dixie Pixel Photography. She had taken some pictures of Ella for me on Thursday and I was not expecting to see them for at least week...God knew what I needed. Due to her sleepless night on Thursday Ella's Pictures were ready!!!! They are amazing and I want to share them with all of you. Having Ella's picture made is not usually my favorite thing to do. Its really hard to get someone to take time with her and do things that look good. It is a huge reality check for me because she can't hold her head up and she can't do different poses...but these pictures are amazing!!! Tara took time and really captured Ella's personality. I really love her for giving me these special pictures. If anyone needs a great photographer please give her your business , she is Great.

If you want to look at more of Ella's pictures go to:
www.collages.net
user name: Ella
password: 10844

You can get Tara's contact information from there as well!

1 yr Check up W/ Dr. Denton

2007-04-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Friday April 27, 2007

Ella had her 1yr check up with our pediatrician. I was a little stressed about this appointment but things went pretty good. She weighs 15lbs 14oz and is 27.5in. She had to get 2 shots and a TB skin test but she done well with those too. So overall her check up went well.

When I first got to the exam room Dr. Denton informed me that he had just talked to the ENT about Ella...this was the part I wasn't looking forward to. We talked about the fluid on her ears and how getting tubes was probably going to be the best thing. We also talked about her feeding tube(NG Tube) he was very understanding and willing to listen to my point of view, that's what makes him a great DR. He said I could take Ella's feeding tube out for 2weeks and try to let her eat on her own. After 2weeks I could bring her back and have her weighed again to see if she can maintain her weight. He wants me to go see a surgeon and talk to him about getting a feeding tube (G Tube) placed in her belly. He thinks even though Ella is doing really good this will probably have to be done regardless , so maybe this will help me make my decision.

On my way home I was having a "breakdown" and I really didn't even know why. I called Clint in the middle of my crying fit and he was so good. He really made it ok for me...he said,"well look at it this way...at least we will finally get to show off her pretty face!" How sweet is that, what a good point. :) I should have been happy because I was finally getting someone to listen , I could finally try to feed her without the tube...but No I was crying like someone had died!!! I think for the first time I realized that my decision had already been made I was just not ready to accept it. I was having a "panic attack" about taking her tube out for 2weeks! I can't just not feed her when she doesn't want to eat!!!! How am I going to get her medicine down her???? What if she looses weight??? All these things were running through my head and deep down I knew this was not an option! So the tube stayed in.

After a few "breakdowns" on Friday and some denial on Saturday...Sunday was the day! I made the decision to go through with it. On Monday morning I called Dr. Denton to let him know I didn't take her tube out and I wasn't going to...I couldn't! He figured as much...he has known me for 10yrs. and he knows how I stress over her feeding! I want to make the appointment with the Surgeon ASAP and get this over with!

We will be going to the surgeon on Monday May 7 and hopefully we will have the surgery sometime soon there after. I have been a little crazy over all this and that's not like me , it was starting to scare me! I think I just got comfortable with things, they have been going so good(not that this is bad) and I let my guard down. I won't be letting that happen again, or at least not anytime soon! Also I guess I felt like I was "giving in" to her syndrome. I don't know??? For now I feel good about my decision and I know I can do this! Thank you everyone for your prayers...I know they made a difference and keep praying...I know I will need it.

Melissa

April 25...1yr w/ ENT

2007-04-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today Ella had a follow up appointment with the ENT(ear,nose&throat) Dr. Little. As usual the NP came in to talk to me and give Ella the "once over" before the Dr came in then the audiologist came and gave Ella a test to check her hearing? Basically this test measures the beat of her ear drum if there is no raise in the "line" then the beat of the ear drum cannot be detected...so that means she has fluid in her ear. Of course...Ella has fluid, they couldn't detect any beat from her ear drum. Dr. Little gave my a RX for an antibiotic and we go back in 6weeks to see if the fluid is gone, if not we will schedule a time for him to put tubes in her ear. This is really not a big deal and the procedure itself only takes about 5min. I was just shocked, I didn't expect that. Dr. Little was also upset to see that Ella still had an "NG Tube" he said the tube could cause ear infections and that he thinks we should get a "G Tube" placed in her belly. I'm still not sold on the idea...I feel that if the "NG Tube " were causing ear infections she would be having them all of the time...not just 3 within a year??? I was so surprised by his unwillingness to listen to my side of it and it made it even worst because I was by myself. I felt intimidated and then for a minute I started to second guess myself. I hated feeling that way!!!!

In the car on the way home I was thinking about all this and was very stressed out by it. I am not totally against Ella getting a "G Tube" but I have been through the surgery with my best friends little girl and it was horrific!! So I guess I'm a little scared? It seems that Ella having the "NG Tube" bothers everyone else more that it bothers me? She is doing well, gaining weight and I think that is our biggest concern.

I know that I am the only person she has to stand up for her, the only person that will believe in her against all the odds and the only person that can say NO even if the Dr.s think I'm nuts. But today being by myself was hard and having to make all these decisions is very overwhelming. Driving home I realized today for the first time that I'm tired...Mentally I'm very,very tired and its very hard being strong , being a mother & trying to do what is the very best. I just wish I had someone to tell me what to do... just so I don't have to think for a little while.

Friday we will go to Dr. Denton and I hope it will be a little bit better than today...until then I will continue to pray for strength.

-Melissa

Happy Birthday Ella Faith

2007-04-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

On April 22 we celebrated Ella's first birthday. We had a small party with family and friends. She had a really good time it was almost like she knew she was the guest of honor!!! She was in such a good mood and loved looking at the balloons we got for her. She grabbed a handful of cake and put it in her mouth then she wiped it on her dress. It was so cute she is the only one of my kids that ever touched their cake on their 1st birthday!!! What are the odds??? It was a great party and the perfect celebration for my little Ella !

1 Year Ago Today...

2007-04-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

One year ago today I was at UT hospital. I had just given birth to a tiny baby girl. She came at 3:08am, weighed 3lbs 9oz and was a little over 16in long. After months of waiting for what I thought would be the hardest day of my life it was finally here and just like that it was over! I didn't know what to expect when she came, Clint and I just held hands waiting to hear her cry and finally there it was the tiniest little sound. She was ok...well she was alive and breathing on her own. Thank you god! They even ask if I wanted to hold her. It was all really weird to me, here I was with this life changing thing happening to me and I had no emotion, I was so calm and had such peace . I know God was with me. After letting me see her and hold her,( or what they said was holding her) they rushed her away to the "NICU"... I went to my room and Clint went with her.

After hours of waiting for the Dr.'s to let me up I finally got to really see her. Clint had showed me some pictures the nurses had taken of her and I watched what he had video taped so I was prepared. I just kept saying "I can't believe she has bleach blond curly hair!" I always wanted a baby with hair, I just never expected her to have so much. Clint wheeled me to the "NICU" and finally there she was...she was so tiny, and her little legs were bent, she was bruised and they wouldn't even let me hold her. So there I stood with my hands through the holes of the incubator touching her hair, rubbing her head, holding her hand. She was so cute and they had an orange bow in her hair...my favorite color!!!

After all this had happened I still had no emotion, I couldn't even bring myself to pray all I could do was say thank you over and over again nothing else would come out...I would try but all I needed to say was "Thank You God...Thank You!"

We have been blessed with our very own little miracle, God has chose us to take care of this very special little girl. Through all this I have never questioned God about his plans only wondered with excitement for what he has in store for us. He had faith in me when he gave me Ella and wanted me to trust in him and for that I have been rewarded... Rewarded with "Ella Faith"

Melissa

6mth Follow-up W/ Dr. Sears

2007-04-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today we had our 6mth follow-up appointment with Dr. Sears(orthopedic dr.). Ella was born with both hips out of place and her rt. knee was also out of place. Since birth her knee has been fixed with serial casting but we have not done anything about the hips, therefore we have seen Dr. Sears a lot! The last time we seen him was in October 2006, so needless to say he was really impressed with the progress Ella has made. He done X-rays (once again) to see how her bones are shaping up and to see what her hips look like. Like everything else "rare" going on with Ella her hip dislocations are just another thing to add to the list! Most children born with hip dislocations have a very simple procedure to replace the hips and have to wear braces for awhile and then its over...but in Ella's case things are not so simple! If I decide to put her through the surgery it will consist of bone reconstruction because her hips are not "made" to be in place??? Who knows?? It will be a major surgery and I'm not sure if it will be worth putting her through it or not. I will have awhile to make my decision because he will not do surgery until she is 2, god willing her health will allow.

Today we talked about her Rt. knee and using a splint to keep it bent while she sleeps, we also talked about starting weight bearing exercises in physical therapy. I can't imagine her standing... she is so tiny but that looks like what is in store for summer. Dr. Sears tells me that he has seem many children learn to walk, crawl, run and even jump with their hips out of place...that seems weird to me but I guess if they don't know any other way then they will adapt. We will go back in another 6mths for another x-ray and hopefully we can start to make some decisions about surgery.

At this point I have no idea what to do! I hate to put her through a major surgery and her still not ever walk. On the other hand I hate not to do it and think that my decision is the reason she never walks. I just have to pray for guidance and let god lead me in the right direction. I already know I will have many more decisions to make and they will probably only get harder. I do believe in a "mothers instinct" and I know God will not lead me wrong. Remember me in your prayers, I will always need them...because I will always be a mother!
Melissa

Pictures from Ella's 1st Easter

2007-04-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2007

2007-04-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

With Ella's 1yr birthday coming up I have had a lot of people wanting to know how she is doing. So I will be posting updates here from now on. Please share this with any and everyone that wants to keep track of her progress, and remember to always keep her and our family in your prayers!
Ella now weighs 14lbs and 13oz. has 3 teeth and tries to talk. She can say momma , hi and no. She has developed the funniest personality and finally laughed out loud for the first time March 27. I think it was the cutest thing I have ever heard! She still has her "NG Tube" but is doing well taking her bottle and will eat from a spoon too.
Medically she is doing really well. We made it through the winter without getting too sick, no hospital visits and no new developments. We are really lucky! We are still watching the fluid on her brain but everything seems to be holding steady there as well. At the last Ultrasound the Nero-Surgeon seen that the ventricles in her brain were a little bigger this time than before but they were still in normal range. So as for now we just watch and wait...nothing to worry about yet. We still have yearly follow up appointments with the ENT and the Orthopedic Dr.'s but I don't think we will have any problems with them they are both just routine appts. She still has therapy 3 times a week and she doesn't seem bothered by it. She likes the attention they give her!
As for me...I can't believe she will be 1! This whole year is like a blur to me. I never thought I could be the mother of a child with disabilities...but looking back on my life I can see ways that God prepared me for the role. Guess that just goes to prove everything does happen for a reason! I will keep posting up dates so check back.
Melissa