An Overflowing Cup of Thankfulness

Dear Friends, Family and Loved ones,

Today we want to share with you several things. First and foremost we want to let each and all of you know just how much your support, both in person and from afar with prayers and healing thoughts has meant to our family. We are continuing forward with Mila's treatment with hope and faith in our hearts and the love of each of you in our minds.

Mila does not yet know how many people love her already, but we are going to make it our job to teach her what an unconditional community has built around her out of love and hope for her life. Our situation is a difficult one but there is so much to be thankful for and among them are all the ways that you have all come together to support us in our support of Mila. Thank you to one and all.

Now on to the news. Mila's treatment has been ongoing, she is wearing her glasses everyday as long as she is awake. It can be uncomfortable for her and in many positions we are unable to keep them directly on her eyes. The ear pieces push them up or she pulls them down over her nose. But we continue to encourage her and put them back in their place in the hopes that she is finding out everyday that life, although not always easy, is a journey of learning.

At our last appointment we were hoping for a clean bill of health, less drops for each eye and a needed break from the weekly trips to Duke Eye Center. We got much of what we hoped for, but it seems that life is never exactly what you expect. We had noticed over the last week that Mila's left pupil was markedly smaller than her right. We thought that might be due to the lower dosage of dilating drops in that eye. however, when I asked the doctor about that, even though she was glad that we had noticed, she did not have good news.

Here we need just a bit of explanation: When Mila's cataracts were removed, a majority of each lens was also removed, leaving a rim behind the pupil onto which the eventual Inter-Ocular Lens (IOL) could be implanted. For now, the glasses will serve as the lens and will focus light into her eyes so that her retinas can pass that information on to the brain through the optical nerve.

The rim of the lens that was left behind in her left eye has apparently attached itself in some fashion to her pupil. As the lens realizes that it has had a part removed and inevitably tries to close itself (much as a cut on your skin tries to heal) it is thus closing the pupil as well.

Of course we wanted to know how much she could see, what could be done, what will have to be done, etc. Dr. Freedman, in her wisdom put it this way. As long as we can see in (as long as the black of her pupil and the back of here eye is visible) Mila can see out, even down to a couple of millimeters. And if the pupil remains open that much then she will be able to continue seeing and we can detach the lens from the pupil at the time that we put in the IOL. However, if the pupil continues to close it will be necessary to go in surgically and detach the lens from the pupil so that she can continue learning to see.

Huff...........Not what we wanted to hear. So, here we are, looking into our baby's eye trying to see if we can see in. The measurements are very subjective and we have orders to call the doctor immediately if we become concerned or see very little of the back of her eye.

This is where we are friends. We want desperately for this to be behind us, but we know that obstacles are often put in our paths for a reason. We believe wholeheartedly that Mila's life and sight will be as close to normal as any of ours are. It is difficult to think anything else. So we ask for your continued prayers and support, knowing that you have already done so much we regret having to. But such is life, and we know that you love us. Thank you again for reading and for keeping our little Mila in your thoughts and prayers.

We will keep you posted.

TP&M