Ellies August Update: The Light at the end of the tunnel! In late January we loaded up a car with 15 oxygen tanks, two oxygen compressors, lots of medicines, some clothes and faint hope. We left Brooklyn on a cold and gray day and headed to Durham, North Carolina and the Duke Hospital Lung Transplant Center. We arrived not eve sure Ellie would be accepted into the program. She was frail and very far along in her demise from her cystic fibrosis. It was difficult to just get her from the car to the room at the hotel (15 yards). It was cold here too. An ice storm moved in the day after we arrived closing the hospital and delaying our initial visit. The black cloud had followed us down I95. Fast forward almost 7 months, 2 double lung transplants, three seasons and a much crazier world, later... This Weekend we will be loading up Ellies car to drive her home to Miami!!!!! The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is upon us. So much has happened this past year. There have been tidal waves of emotions that started with multiple ICU visits last Summer at NY Presbyterian Hospital and ended here at Duke, dodging way too many near death experiences. There were times we felt that the end of the tunnel would ultimately present us with darkness. Winston Churchill once said, If youre going through hell, keep going. We did because we didnt have a choice. Ellie needed us. Ellie needed hope. Ellie needed strength. Ellie needed to live. To know Ellie is to know courage. While I think this past year has chipped away a little part of everyone in her family, she has regained her light. Since birth, Ellie has always been a walking star among us. So much has changed and yet with everything she has been through, she is truly stronger than us all. There is much to be learned from those who stand on the precipice of death and evade the fall. We look forward to embracing life and its gifts through the blessing of her being home again. Against monumental odds, a mother and father will have their daughter returning home. A brother will have his sister. I can speak for all of us by saying that there were times that we doubted (as did the doctors at Duke) that this day would ever be possible. But... Go doubt Ellie... Just try... This road will continue to have many twists and turns. A few weeks back Ellie developed a nasty pneumonia and was hospitalized briefly and put on an aggressive program of both IV and oral antibiotics. She improved and was strong enough to overcome another setback, in short time. We expect ups and downs. Nothing could be as bad as what she has already overcome. Now our goal is to embrace time. When time is almost taken from you, you quickly realize how valuable it is. We are blessed. There is a different bond with Ellie now. When youve been through hell, it hardens you a little. You have the war stories of the long days and even longer nights. Some you want to forget but cant help to remember. Now we can just look at each other and see where we have been. The support from the medical staff at Duke and NY Presbyterian... From our family, friends and supporters of this page have played such a big part in Ellies recovery. Your support has been overwhelming. Words could not possibly express the gratitude we have for all of you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Finally, as we leave North Carolina, we take with us an incredible gift... The gift of life. Somewhere in this country a family lost a loved one and made the decision to donate that individuals organs. Ellie was fortunate enough to receive their lungs. We pray for that family to find peace and comfort in the fact that those lungs gave life to another. There is no greater gift one can give and receive. Thank you and may only blessings come your way. We will keep you updated as always and look forward to hearing from you as always. Be blessed, The Levy Family
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:58:05 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015