Dear Family and Friends...

Today our Elizabeth is ten months old. And when she was a tiny baby, so sick and frail, I leaned on all of you very frequently. I wrote and wrote to you via email in order to not only keep you updated, but to maintain my sanity and obtain your assurances through your replies that she would be ok, and in turn, so would I.

I haven't written to you in quite some time. So I write today with an upbeat update and many thanks. Elizabeth saw her new intestinal specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia yesterday. Her past health problems and concerns included severe liver damage, failure to thrive, feeding intolerance, reflux, and possible ongoing treatment for "short gut" because of her bowel resection. Because she lost a segment of bowel she could have potentially faced a lifetime of trouble with digestion and absorption of her food. Because she was premature and so small at birth, we would likely see a host of delays across the developmental spectrum. In short, the list of what could have been problematic for Lizzy for the rest of her life went on and on.

When this new doctor saw her yesterday, she took her entire history and concluded that not only is Elizabeth doing well, she is doing miraculously well. She no longer needs to have her age corrected for her prematurity because her development, across the board, is on par with any ten-month-old, even though she is technically not even nine months old yet. Her liver has healed. She is gaining weight beautifully, and is between the tenth and twenty-fifth percentile on the growth curve for her height and weight. She is eating everything we give her to try, including wheat and dairy, and is switching formula again to a regular, milk-based formula. She will go to regular whole milk at one year of age, just like a "normal" baby. She also does not qualify as a "short gut" kid because she has no symptoms, no weight loss and did not lose enough bowel during her resection. Another check in the "normal" column. She still has reflux, and probably will for some time. But that's the easy one.

She is healed and well and shows no signs of being anything but healed and well. As I heard these words, and am now repeating them in this letter, they sink into my soul, deep and resounding, until they become a part of me. I no longer fear for her life, and I am getting back to having one of my own, one that is balanced, focused, whole, content and peaceful. And as Liz has grown and become stronger, I have started to write regularly on this blog which has been such a surprising source of catharsis and healing for me. To each of you who held me together with your words of assurance and prayer, I send my greatest thanks and gratitude. Your prayers helped to heal my daughter, and your kindness helped me to find myself.

We have so much for which we are thankful...the health of our children, the love of our family and friends, and the perspective to know the difference between what is bad and what is really, really good. And perhaps most important, we have gratitude for all of these things, and for the people who gave them to us. You know by now that you are those people...but you should also know that WE know it, and are eternally grateful to you and for you.

All my love and gratitude,
Kate