Dear Friends – I thought you should hear it directly from me first. Isabella was having trouble breathing, and actually stopped breathing en route to the hospital. She was resuscitated and is in critical care, where she is fighting for her life. Her vitals have stabilized but doctors say it will be a long time before she can be taken off of the respirators and feeding tubes. It is tool early to tell whether there was anoxia or permanent damage. The doctors believe she contracted a common flu virus, which attacked and inflamed her delicate lungs.
When I got the call I was en route to the USA, on a layover at the Bogotá airport. I am now on my way back to Brazil. It will have been 20 hours since the incident by the time I arrive at the hospital. Poor Corenne. Please pray. It is very, very difficult. Philip
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.
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.
