We knew this time would come and here it is... Ella is thriving as she deals with SMA. She enjoys many pleasures in life. She's getting stronger as she continues with her Spinraza treatments, she recently spent a week at MDA Camp and loved it,and she's growing, too. At this point, she has outgrown her current wheelchair. We have submitted our request for a new wheelchair to the insurance company and the process has started. The only glitch in our plan is that the new wheelchair will not fit into our current car (which has a rear entry ramp and an easy lock system). So it has come upon us that we need to purchase a new van and have it modified with a side entry ramp (we can transfer the easy lock system to the new chair and van). The purchase of the van is something that we can partially provide for ourselves by using the trade in value of our current van. But the total cost of the van with the modification will be about $75,000...this van has to last us at least 10 years...

A corner has been turned and Ella's on the "straight" path to recovery. Her posture looks incredible as she sits in her wheelchair. Before this post goes any further it's important to us to send out a thank you to all of you who prayed for, thought of, and supported Ella throughout the past month...there is truly power there. Since we  have been home the progression of her healing has been astonishing to watch. Upon arrival in Naperville every movement of hers was filled with pain from some part of her frail body. Sleeping, moving, changing diapers, and bathing took 3-4 times as long as they usually would have had there not been a surgery. Keeping up with the medication regiment was imperative yet came at a price...constipation...which of course has its own remedy; this remedy was fully implemented.  Each day we saw gains and losses in terms of how she felt and her pain level...two steps forward and one step back seemed to be the call. Amidst a lot of screaming...