Archive for March, 2011

Mom and me!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

So good to be home!

Hello!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Looking good!

I love books!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Sofia reading to me!

Swimming again!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Sofia, me and mom!

Grandma and me taking in some rays!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Fresh air makes me sleepy!

My Chartered flights!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

My Doc for the ride!

My new PT Sofia!

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

 My PT Geovanny who I see in San Jose is a professor at the University Santa Paula. He was kind enough to put my parents ad on the University facebook page. We had a good response to the ad and during my stay in the hospital my parents were able to interview four girls that were interested in the position of being my full time PT.  All four girls had just graduated in December and received their license to be Physical Therapists. It was important to my parents and me that whomever we chose would have to have the right chemistry with me.  After interviewing the girls, my parents had them each come to the hospital and do a 20 minute PT session with me in the hospital bed.  My grandma, dad and mom had their score cards out!  All four girls were very nice but there was only one that really grabbed my attention and her name is Sofia.

When Sofia came to see me at the hospital she brought toys for me to look at and things for me to touch. She was very well organized and even had a treatment plan lined out for me. She talked to me the entire time she worked with me in my bed. She has such a very sweet voice. She explained everything that she was going to do to me and each muscle that we would be moving together. I at once felt very comfortable with her and I really appreciated her talking to me and explaining to me what she was doing.  

Sofia, is from Cartago, Costa Rica. Cartago is just outside of San Jose in the mountains. It is colder there and rains more often she is in for a big change of weather in Delicias were it is hot and sunny right now! She is okay with that and is looking forward to a change of scenery.  Sofia has been with us now for three weeks and things are going very well. We work out two times a day together. In the morning and the afternoon. At first it was very hard for me to get back into working out so much. The good thing is that even though I was weak I had not forgotten to do the things I was suppose to do like lift my head. We started out very slow and easy. Today Sofia took a video of me lifting my head without any help whatsoever. She is not having to tell me to lift my head I am doing it on my own! 🙂

Little by little I am regaining strength. I think I am moving along quite well and just know that I will be back to where I was before in no time. Thanks for coming into my life Sofia. I know we are going to make a good team.

Love Malia

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

I would like to thank Hospital de Los Ninos Intensive Care Unit for saving my life. There were many dark days and many times even I did not know whether or not I would make it. Your constant attention and care to my health meant the world to me and my parents. Thanks to the nurses that helped in many ways get me thru my days. Some of you were truly exceptional. A special thanks to Cheverra who was head of the respiratory department for bringing in the Smart Vest and helping me make it off the ventilator. Also to all the respiratory therapists who helped me to breathe and get rid of all that gunk in my chest. Josey Mar you believed in me I thank you for that and for the many times you managed to get me to cough! A huge thank you to my team of doctors, Dr. Armando Perez, Dr. Ramirez, Dra. Boza, Dra. Porras, Dr. Baltodano, Dr. Victor Perez and Dr. Huertas. Thanks for all your help in saving me and making the right decisions at some very critical times. Thanks as well for putting up with the constant questions from my parents who were only looking after my best interest but at times I am sure drove you all crazy! Thanks from the bottom of my heart, you have a fine institution and I am proud to be a Costa Rican kid.

Love Malia

Adios Grandma Marg!

Friday, March 25th, 2011

After almost two months my grandma is leaving us. We tried to convince her to stay but she has to get back home! She has her friends and curling to get back to and maintaining her home! Grandma I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here for all of us. It meant alot to me that I could look over in my hospital bed and see you there holding my hand. Thanks for keeping my mom calm when we would not get the best of news about me from the doctors. Thanks for all that you did for us and most especially thanks for all the stories you read to me in my rocking chair. I do love my books! I love  my new pool and I am enjoying swimming in it daily. Also grandma thanks for all your help in our home once we got home. Looking forward to your next trip here but hopefully it will be for fun and nothing else! I love ya grandma!

Malia

Home Sweet Home

Friday, March 25th, 2011

March 25th 2011

It has been a while since my last posting. I have been enjoying being home. It is so great to be back home and sleeping in my own bed. It has been almost a month now since we returned back home. The first two weeks were mainly me just relaxing and having my parents and grandma spoil me alot. That was nice, I got to take it easy.

 I have had some readjusting to do with my eating. My tummy seems to have shrunk since I was in the hospital for so long. My mom and dad normally feed me lunch and dinner with a syringe thru my gtube but I have reflux and it seems to be worse now so we are having to take everything much slower. One night I started breathing very rapidly and my oxygen level dropped. Turns out reflux can cause me to breathe harder and cough alot. Mom called my doc and she told us we had to slow everything down and keep an eye on me that I do not reflux too much. Little baby steps to get me back to where I was before. Right now I have a feeding pump and I am taking in 8 ounces in over three hours, three times a day. Mom and dad get up at 4:30 am to give me my reflux medicine. I have to wait an hour before having breakfast for the reflux medicine to work.  Hopefully I will be back to eating like I used to do as right now it is a long time to be sitting in a chair for so long! I am just happy to be home though! Everything will be back to normal sooner or later it just takes a little time and patience!

Love Malia