Was that a different girl?

We are approaching one year since we took our trip to Denver. It has been eight months since Lila has been admitted to the hospital. In that time she has had one ER visit and a handful of doctors visits. She has had some rough nights and plenty of breathing treatments. But each month, each week, each day takes us further and further from the child who fought to breathe, woke screaming with nightmares and the mother who was so afraid, so helpless, so exhausted. It feels like a different life, like a nightmare I once had from which I have now awakened. Maybe I hug her a bit tighter some days, maybe I watch her run and swim, marveling at how far she has come, but mostly, honestly I don't think of it.

Lila is a normal kid. She is so rascally. Just last week I came home to find that she had cracked two dozen eggs, half the contents of my spice drawer, and all our looseleaf tea. She says she was cooking. She doesn't really remember much about hospitals and I am thankful that she doesn't have to be reminded.

Denver changed our life. It was everything we hoped. You all need to know that. Aside from the mountain of medical bills, it all seems like another family. Yet I hope that I have brought with me a sense of gratitude that will stay with me always for the community that surrounded us and for the healthy children I have. We were lucky. We were given the means to change our path, to heal our child. She still has asthma but it is so much better. It's like a different disease than what she struggled with before. My heart aches when I think of who we were last year. Thank you for supporting us. Blessings to all of you.

Checking In

I have no idea if anyone still checks in here, and why would you when I haven't posted in four months? But if anyone is, I wanted to update and continue my gratitude. Part of why I have not posted was I was waiting for the chance to be able to explain fully the really difficult thing that our family has been dealing with that I alluded to in my last post. But we are still in the midst of it, still shaken and struggling, although hopefully over the hump - and I will explain when it is over. Meanwhile, we continue to value your prayers for comfort, peace, and truth.

As for Lila:

She's doing great. We have had some dips in her asthma over the last months but NO visits to the hospital, and only a few to the doctor. It feels like our own little miracle. And we are learning better all the time how to care for her asthma and reflux so that it is much less difficult for all of us. Springtime was a rough time for her last year and we are seeing it this year as well. This year though, rough means one night of coughing and five breathing treatments; last year it meant passing out and hospital visits. It doesn't feel effortless to us and we continue to worry. But so far we are managing the her health in ways that we were not able to last year. We really credit Denver for that. They cared for her and educated us in ways that doctors and hospitals here did not or could not.

She runs. She plays. She laughs. She is the picture of happiness and health. She no longer has nightmares. It gives me such hope and peace to feel like this piece of our life, where breathing is a struggle and worry is our constant companion, is behind us.

We are grateful for all of you and your prayers. Leave a note if you can when you read this so that we know if folks would appreciate more updates. Peace and joy to you all.