The Mitchells: Ella's Newest Trick

Monday, August 27, 2007

Ella's Newest Trick

We have been working on this and now she's doing it on her own...granted she only does it when I'm not ready with the camera. She pushes up on both arms making them straight with her legs underneath her. It's the next step towards crawling and with upper-arm strength. Keep praying for development!!

10 comments:

Stevenson gang said...: Go Ella!
Go Ella!
Go, go, go Ella!

P.S. Is there a child on this earth who smiles more -- I love it!; 12:42 PM
Debbie said...: Woo Hoo Ella! I know you can do it!; 3:12 PM
Chrystie said...: Oh my gosh, Andrea, this is HUGE HUGE HUGE!!!!! Ella is a rock star supreme! Are your therapists beside themselves? I think Ellie started getting into this position at about Ella's age and everyone was so excited about it! I have the hugest smile on my face right now, because I know what happens once they get they get this position down, tee hee!!! Sure, it may take a while (it did for Ellie), but once Ella masters this position, she'll be zippin' around, sticking her fingers into light sockets, and pulling electrical cords...YAY, YAY, YAY!!! I know your mama-heart has been wanting to babyproof for a long time now!!! Celebratory hugs and prayers of thanksgiving all around for sweet Ella!; 6:41 PM
katherine said...: Wow! What a great announcement! Great news to wrap up my day! I love it!! Gooooooo Ella!

We're praying for you guys!; 7:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Yay God!!!; 8:08 PM
AW said...: What a great achievement Andrea! Fabulous news!; 9:18 AM
The Bratchers said...: Yeah Ella, awesome job! Kuddos to her therapists and you as parents for helping Ella achieve such a wonderful milestone! Also so very important, thanks to God, for he is good.; 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: Yay Ella! I am so happy for all of you, this is huge! Keep up all the great work!; 8:35 PM
Andrea "The H family" said...: Hey Andrea, I left you a comment in your 'update' blog post on the 17th..I believe.
She's doing amazing!!! Go see my comment!; 9:14 PM
Anonymous said...: sooooooooooo excited! i know these "little" milestones are HUGE to you!!! i am always amazed at the beauty that is so deep within her expressions!!! and.....may i say that you, andrea, are absolutely as beautiful! your smile lights up your face. it inspires me to see your happy family picture on your blogsite-what a wonderful family miss ella has been born into. God knew just what he was doing!!!:) gram jan; 10:34 AM

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.