One year ago today Ellie suffered her first stroke that led to her diagnosis of Moyamoya disease and her first of two brain surgeries. For her one year anniversary blog post I thought I would go ahead and tell her story again since we've met plenty of new people in the past year and others might have only heard some of Ellie's story. I started writing and got to the moment she had her 2nd stroke and couldn't go on. I guess I'm just not ready to relive all of that just yet and it's hard to find the words to describe what our sweet Ellie and our family went through.
But today I view as a celebration. How could we possibly not be thrilled when Ellie is still with us and is doing so well? I know how close we were to losing her. And I saw other families in PICU who didn't get to take their child home and my heart still breaks for them. What they wouldn't give to have their child back and to be in our position to celebrate their child. Yes the past year is full of pain but how can I sit around and feel sorry about our situation when I know how incredibly fortunate we are?
So today we will celebrate! We will celebrate Ellie's life and the lives of Payton and Skyler too. We have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you God for continuing to return Ellie to better health. Thank you God that she hasn't suffered anymore strokes or seizures. Thank you God that we are home together as a family.
Thank you God for Ellie's neurosurgeons who are kind, caring, and brilliant. Who checked in on Ellie for 81 days in the hospital even when she was no longer under their direct care because she was in rehab and later under the care of general surgery.
Thank you God for all the wonderful nurses and nurses aids who helped care for Ellie when she was in the hospital. For PICU nurse Katie who gave me a big hug and comforted me when I was upset, not because anything had happened to my own daughter but I was upset after my Ellie's roommate coded. And who a couple hours later rushed to Ellie's side and told her to "Breath!" because her oxygen dropped during a seizure. Thank you for Marlene, the nurses aid who prayed over Ellie when she was bleeding internally and who sang "Jesus Love the Little Children" to her daily to help bring down her blood pressure. Thank you for the nurse that gave Ellie rescue breaths when she stopped breathing in the recovery room. Thank you for all the nurses in Pediatric ICU, who have one of the hardest jobs in the world caring for critically sick children for 12 hours a day. Thank you that I could create an entire blog dedicated to all of the amazing nurses we have been blessed by.
Thank you God for Ellie's pediatricians, rehab doctors, and all others who have gone out of their way to help and support her and our family.
Thank you God for all the therapists who really invest themselves in helping Ellie to get better. Who don't just care about Ellie's hand or leg or speech but who care about Ellie as a person. And who care about our family. I spend more time with Ellie's therapists then I do other friends and extended family members. They have become my friends and offer support to me on a daily basis.
Thank you God for all the people in our community who make us feel welcome and accepted despite our differences and disabilities. For the ladies at Payton's preschool who have taken such good care of her, for the librarians at the public library, the ladies who work at the Galveston Children's Museum, those at the church we have started attending, and so many more who are always welcoming to us.
Thank you God for all of our family members and friends who have been there to support us through all of this. Thank you for their prayers and for the strength and comfort You provided for us, even during the scariest of moments. Thank you for my Mom who has been willing to hop in her car at a moment's notice in order to be here to help us.
Thank you God for Payton, who has been such an understanding, helpful big sister who cares deeply about her little sisters. Thank you God for Ellie. For her smile, her laughter, and her ability to say, "I love you" without speaking a word. Thank you God for sending us Skyler who is the perfect fit for our family. Skyler, who is so calm, patient, and who smiles and laughs often. Thank you God for Charles, who is the rock of our family, who is always there for each of us, and who would do anything for our family.
Thank you God that your plans for us are not to harm us but to give us hope and a future. Thank you that You will never leave us. You are always there for us. Thank you for all of this and so much more.
