HISTORY: Isabella was adopted into the Smith family July 18, 2008. She had been born 2-months prematurely, and was 2 months old when we got her. One week later, she suddenly had a breathing crisis and was rushed to the hospital following a traumatic resuscitatation.

This was the begginning of a (now) seven month odyssey. Isabella suffers from Bronchial Displasia, related to premature lungs at birth. Whenever she gets a cold or flu bug, within hours it can become life-threatening.

Between medical incidents, Bella (or "Bellaboo" as Marc calls her) is strong, fat, healthy, robust, smart, active, alert. She is an EASY baby, happy, sleeps well, eats well. However, over 40% of her little life since birth has been spent in the Intensive Care Unit -- with either her Mommy or her Daddy at her side.

August 7, Thursday: Four Scary Episodes

Isabella had four serious “episodes” this afternoon, with a plunge in her vitals, requiring the hand pump to get everything stabilized. This is really a tremendous setback.

She was doing so much better relatively speaking -- any improvement is excruciatingly slow, so is a matter of miniscule improvement every 2-3 days or so. We’d had about 6 days of stability, which was reason for real optimism and even called for celebration.

The doctor’s say Isabella’s episodes were related to a buildup of fluid in her lungs. At this stage, doctor’s are saying she might remain in ICU for quite some time, perhaps several weeks.