from Travis & Priscilla

We are happy to report that Mila's second surgery in as many weeks seems to have gone very well. According to the amazing surgeon we have been so lucky to have caring for our daughter, there was a small calcium deposit in her right eye, along with the cataract. This, it seems, is not completely abnormal and will have no more effect on her vision than the cataract would have. Thankfully, both of those have been removed and Priscilla and I are now sitting by her side as she wakes up.

Being that the hospital was a bit short on beds for pediatrics, Priscilla, Mila and I have been sent to a very special place in the hospital. To get here we had to walk through one door into a waiting area where we donned shoe covers and were instructed to wash our hands thoroughly before we passed through a second door to enter the ward..

As we sit in the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Ward of Duke Hospital, we are thankful for so many things and we realize just how lucky we really are. The problems that we face, no matter how important and world shaking they may be to us, are small in the nature of the world. We have so many things to be thankful for including the wonderful care of Duke Medicine, our relative geographic proximity to that care, and the amazing technological advances of the last 10 to 20 years that have made this type of surgery routine and relatively uneventful. Of course, the mention of all the family, friends, and fellow human beings that have stood up and offered their support is overwhelming and it lifts our spirits to know we are cared for, and that our daughter is coming into such a loving community.

Dr. Freedman says that Mila's left eye (the first one operated on) is healing well but that it will need more time to be completely back to normal. The stitches (microscopic self dissolving stitches nonetheless) are slowly working their way out and the blood vessels returning to normal. Overall, no better report could be hoped for.

Tomorrow we will return to the Duke Eye Center for a follow-up visit with Dr. Freedman and then pass by the optical shop to get Mila's glasses. Some might say that the next week will be the beginning in young Mila's education in the importance of fashion accessories...I'm just ready for her to begin learning to see.

Thanks to all of you that have shown us your support, thanks to all of you for your prayers and thoughts and love. We still have a long way to go, but knowing that there are so many people that care makes it all the easier.

We will keep you updated as much as we possibly can.......thank you again.

TP&M