Emma's Friend Ella...

When I first moved to MD from NC I was pretty lonely. I left Chapel Hill in April , after March madness , and hi tailed it up to MD not a single friend here only my Uncle. I worked as a manager for Express in NC and tranferred pretty much to a store here...I worked in DC until September 98 then was finally transferred to a store near My Uncle's house in MD where I was living. This particular store had a Bath and Body Work's hooked on to it. That was the best thing ever because Nikki ( Ella's Mom) was a manager there. We immediately hit it off and have been friends since. We had such a good time working together, it made retail tolerable.

Nikki and Jason started dating the same time Chris and I started dated. I attended her wedding and she and Jason came to ours, we even have almost identical engagement rings. Her friendship is the longest one that I have maintained since I moved here 9 years ago it is amazing that we are still as close as we are I quit working at Express in 99.

When I found out I was preg with Emma I called her up, the conversation sorta went like this guess what? I am preg, me too....lots of laughter, she was about 8 weeks ahead of me, Ella and Emma are 2m apart and have always been friends.

Ella was born with tricuspid atresia. Tricuspid atresia means that she does not have a tricuspid valve inside her heart. Since the valve is not present the right side of the heart has problems developing due to lack of blood. Your heart is made up of 4 sections that comprise of 2 pumps and 2 holding chambers. One of the pumps provides blood to the lungs and the other provides blood to the body. Ella was born without the pump that provides blood to the lungs. She was airlifted to Hopkins when she was a few days old and has had multiple surgeries since then. She has always recovered with flying colors so I am sure that Monday's outcome well be the same. On the 16th of July (Monday) at John’s Hopkins University she will undergo what is called the Fontan procedure. This will hopefully be the last staged open-heart surgery required for many years to come. Of the many surgeries that Ella has had performed this one will probably be the hardest recovery to date.

Nikki and Jason have been wonderful to us since Tatum was born and before. Ella and Tatum have the same cardiologist thanks to Nikki being there for me. Honestly I think she could be a Dr. herself any question I had and still have usually gets run by Nik. I have thought that of her since Ella was born and now I know how she feels, it is not the best feeling but it is much easier when you can share it, she has been the Dr. way longer then me :)

When I asked Nikki what I could do for her while they were in the hospital she asked if I would start her a Blog...I have added the link to my list on the side...it is Ella and Kate, check it out if you want... For me doing a blog is way better then making a meal LOL

Anyway...I have a few older pic of Emma and Ella...I am bumbed because I can not find any from he girls first wiggles concert together, that was so cute!!! I'll have to get some more recent pics of the girls after Ella recovers, I know we'll be visiting. Emma is very concerned about her friends sick heart.

Please keep Ella in your prayers and thoughts over the next couple weeks while she undergoes the surgery and fights back during the recovery.

I hope you all have a great weekend.