The Mitchells: 4th of July!!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

4th of July!!

We had a great 4th of July celebration. We went to a parade in University Park at The Collins'. It was great!! Ella didn't like the sirens and loud noise, so we watched from inside. Then we went to Mimi and Grandaddy's house (the Roughtons) and had a BBQ with the neighborhood. Everyone came over eventhough it was raining.

Sidenote: My sister Sara is still scheduled for induction next Wednesday (the 12th)...please be in prayer for our family.

Doctor dates:
July 11th-eye doctor
July 12th-developmental doctor
July 13th-pediatrician

Love and prayers,
The Mitchells

Patriotic Pictures!!

Playing with Mimi:

Aunt Sara and Ella (Ella and Micah were kicking each other!!)

Pooped after a day of partying...these girls need some sleep!!

4 comments:

Jodie Keeter said...: She's absolutely beautiful guys! We are so excited that you are now able to enjoy time with Miss Ella at home and with family and friends! We will keep you all in our prayers with the upcoming appointments! Love to All~ Keeter's!; 1:56 PM
mrchrishill said...: I want some more pics of dad with his shirt off... I've been selling those around the web to pay for my gas bills lately and the prices in memphis are killing me this 4th of july season...

Come on Joe, hook a brother up.; 4:05 PM
Christi said...: How cute! Ella's smile is beautiful! Lucas is just starting to smile too. Isn't it a blast! I think she is developing very well!

We are still praying for you all!; 7:19 PM
Michael, Sara & Micah said...: Your cousin Micah sure can't wait to see you next week Ella. He is so excited to see his little miracle cousin and watch her grow up big and strong with him. We love you all 3 so much and are praying for Ella Bella's little tummy. Love- Aunt Sara; 5:44 PM

Ella's Story

Elizabeth "Ella" Hope Mitchell was born on May 10, 2006 at 3:45pm...by 5am the following morning the whole world turned upside down. The doctors came in to inform us that while Ella had been resting in the Newborn Nursery, she began to have irregular breathing and seizures. It was touch and go for the next 3 days. We were told several times that she probably would not make it alive through the ordeal. She had contracted Group Beta Strep which had resulted in meningitis. Due to the seizures and the infection we had no idea what the long-term effects would be. After Ella spent a long and trying month in the NICU we came home to see where the effects of her illness had left us all.

A few months later, almost a year, we had an official long-term diagnosis...Ella has Cerebral Palsy. She is a happy and loving child. She struggles with physical delays, cognitive delays and all sorts of things that have come and go.

2-eye surgeries to correct lazy eye
3-EEG's to check for siezures
5-MRI/MRV/MRA to check actual brain damage
3-CT scans for brain stuff
1-G-button/feeding tube surgically put in (and then Ella removed herself)
10 (approx)-Swallow Studies
1-Scoliosis Study
2-Kidney Reflux tests
2-Upper GI tests
1-24 hr reflux test
8-hearing tests
countless UTI tests
seemingly a million developmental tests
a hand splint
bath chair
adaptive stroller/wheelchair
stander
gait trainer
AFO's

ha, not to mention all of the therapist...currently: OT 2X/week, PT 3X/week (2 land, 1 horse), ST 3X/week (2 oral motor, 1 speech), develomental 1X/week, vision 2x/month, and we are about to start ACCDAT camp.

As of 4/8/2009.