The Mitchells

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Andrea at Ella's Age

We've been asked who Ella gets her curls and blonde hair from...here are pictures of Andrea 3 weeks older than Ella is now.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Uncle Mike Brunch

Hanging out with the Witschorke's at Brunch.

Storm...what storm?

This is how Ella felt about a tornado hitting DFW on Friday night.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Catherine Couch's Birthday Party!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

11 MONTHS OLD!!

Guess it's about time you learn how to BBQ...daddy tried to teach but Ella was enjoying just hanging out.

Backstory: Every New Years my Aunt Judy and Uncle Roger have our family (and some friends) over for games. Since Mike wasn't here this last year then they decided to do a "New Years" party in his honor. Here are some pictures from the night.

Button Bath

1st Bath after Surgery

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Easter Pictures

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.