Dear Ellie.
Yesterday morning you exchanged your high flow canula for a low flow canula. What does that mean? It means you are one step away to being off of oxygen all together. As of now, you are getting just a tiny bit more O2 than what is in the atmosphere itself. It's remarkable to think that just 3 weeks ago you nearly suffocated when the ventilator malfunctioned. At the time, your lungs weren't functioning much better than the days after you were born. But now, just a short time later, you can practically breath on your own.
The only hang up, I suppose, is your eyes. Your Retinopathy has progressed from stage 1 to stage 2. We're a bit more nervous about it, but if it gets any worse there are plenty of treatment options. Again, bad eyes are the least of our worries. You'll be in good company. As a matter of fact, you have a bright and talented friend out in the world named Winona. She was a micro-preemie like you but she was born before there were very good treatments for Retinopathy, so her Retinopathy was a lot worse than yours. She hasn't let it slow her down one bit.
Oh, Dana! You've made me cry...again! Such sweet words about my Winona. We hope you don't need any of the masses of info and resources we've gathered over the years, but if you need ANY we will be right there with and for you folks.
ReplyDeleteNow, Miss Ellie, you keep on taking these giant steps so you can go home and Winona can meet you! We're thrilled to be a part of your story.
~Debby
Even several states away from her, I have watched Winona grow up...lucky that we live two doors down from her grandpa. I can attest to the fact that she has never let anything slow her down, and I know in my heart that Ellie will be the same way. Ellie has already shown us her tremendous courage...she is going to go far. --Debby's "sister", Marlene - Clemson, S.C.
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