Little Lucia: Pretty things

Our blue eyed pretty girl

While just five months ago, Jason and I were a bit scared by medical equipment, we now welcome medical devices for our little Lu. The equipment can be her friend, and if it helps her in the long run, bring it! We also realize that it can be very difficult to even have access to good equipment, due to the expense, making it hard for insurance to approve... Fortunately, our doctors, in this case, her pulminologist, Margarita, pushed to get Lucia a special and very expensive vest, and after a half dozen phone calls to me and the companies, she was approved! With Lucia's low tone, lung and heart conditions, she will have trouble coughing up 'the bad stuff aka mucus' so she is susceptible to pneumonia and serious colds...so she now has a special vest to assist her. Margarita showed me a little black vest in her office, and so that is what I expected when the very heavy box arrived. On Tuesday night, the rep came by to show Jason and I how to use it...and low and behold we pulled out a little pink vest from the box. I know that may not sound too exciting but it is! All this medical jazz can look so medical and to have it spruced up means so much, a pretty vest for Lu! Two hoses attach to the vest from a machine that pulse and fill up with air so that there are hundreds of tiny compressions on her chest and back..helping to break down anything that may need to be broken up and out of her system...the unwanted mucus.
Two times a day for about ten-twenty minutes and they say it feels like a massage. It truly is amazing what is available. We actually even like the pulse-ox machine (the one Jason was looking forward to chucking out the door) it gives us a sense of ease. We know she is good when the alarm does not go off. And the Lubird is getting stronger and less and less alarms. TWEET!

Pretty in her new pink vest

On another tweet note, I had a great night with my friends last night. My sweet dad insisted that I take out the hosts of the St. Lucia White Party..his treat! After some arm twisting the girls agreed and we met at a swanky new restaurant downtown. It was a perfect 'wrap party' night! Thank you dad for giving us a very special night to celebrate over $20,000 raised for PKS Kids!!!!!!
To end the work week, on this Friday night, my husband, my daughter and I cooked and took a bubble bath. If only the dogs could take pictures... Needless to say, it was a good week!
Thank you pretty pink vest for being here to help Lucia and while also looking stylish. Thank you dad for ALWAYS being the best Pa to me AND my friends-I'm so lucky and I love you so much. Thank you husband for squishing in the tub with me and the Lu! Thank you Cayla Schweitz, Leigh Leffler Liebert, Ben Salyers, and Keri Burnette for purchasing Lucia Light T-shirts! Thank you Kristin Schaefer Borgman for your generous donation to PKS and also your t-shirt purchase.
And Andrea Murray- you have had a very, very tough diagnosis that you have been fighting and now another has come your way.. You continue to reach out and pray for our family, while you have so much going on. The fight of your life, while staying positive and thoughtful. Thank you for your beautiful messages for Lu, and for your generous donation to PKS and t-shirt purchase. Your are also in our prayers.
Many friends from growing up,from high school, from college, and after college, and friends now-thank you all!
And a HUGE SHOUT OUT to our neighbors, David and Aliza on the birth of their son, Theo! We can't wait to meet him!