Sunday, December 5, 2010

Selena's Surgery Update

Hello everyone,

I would like to first say thank you for all your support, thoughts and prayers.  It has meant so much!  Selena's road to recovery will be so much smoother knowing there are so many people that care!

Thursday was in fact a very long day!  She was taken to the O.R. at 10 a.m. and I was finally able to see her in post op at midnight.  Overall everything went well and the surgeons feel confidant about the surgery.  It was a very busy procedure, she had five areas operated on.  Needless to say she is very sore and now a few days later is just starting to regain some of her strength.  This afternoon we are going to go for a walk down the hall.  She has made great progress though, she is off IV meds and is eating on her own!  Everyday she shows signs of improvement and in a few days we will bring her home.  Obviously she has been through a lot, mentally and now physically.  She truly has set the standard of what courage, strength, love and faith mean!

Thank you all again for all of your support.  It has been overwhelming and has helped us to keep moving forward!

Take care,
Shawn

Monday, November 22, 2010

This is officially the longest we have been home and without major hospitalizations! Ever since Ali came home in March 2009 - we have been home for 20 months! WooHoo! It is amazing to see how much Ali has grown and thrived while at home...this really is a healing place.

Since the last update earlier this year...Ali has been completely off the vent 24/7 for the last 4 months, is walking with the assistance of orthotics and a walker, vocalizing more (I love hearing her laugh...and of course her favorite is 'dadada'!), pulls herself up and climbs onto the kitchen chair to sit with us at the table, is sleeping in a big girl bed (we converted her crib into a toddler day bed), and is eating! - she likes to try just about everything we eat - her favorites are Cheerios, mandarin oranges, pasta with sauce, pretzels, and she drinks water form a sippy cup.  She recently ate an entire scheduled feed by mouth!   Ali is in PreK class at school this year. She has so much fun at school and all the kids love to be around her and “help” her. We are so amazed with Ali's progress.



Gavin celebrated his 3rd Birthday this past Saturday. I can't believe he is 3 years old already...where did the time go? Gavin is really into Thomas the Train and Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story movie.  Gavin really enjoys playing with his cousins and trying to be a ruff and tough boy!  He has shown a big interest in wanting to help with Ali and most of the time he is gentle with her, but when he is not he will go up and give her a hug and say “sorry sissy, I love you”.



We are very blessed and grateful to have two amazing children!  
Shawn and I celebrated our 7 year Wedding Anniversary with a 6 day cruise to the Western Caribbean! Shawn surprised me on Mother's Day with the tickets for the cruise that departed on our anniversary. This was my first cruise and Shawn spoiled me!  



I have uploaded about 20 new albums of pictures from this year! Click here to see what we've been doing!
On a final note, I wanted to share some information about me.  In early October I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  To put it mildly this has been quite a shock for us, but we have been through difficult times in the past and we will handle whatever may come from this.  There has been a seemingly endless amount of tests and doctor appointments but I feel that we have put together a great team with a great plan for my surgery.  I am preparing to have a bilateral mastectomy followed by reconstruction surgery on December 2nd at the Cleveland Clinic.  This is a complicated procedure and I will be in the hospital for about 5 to 7 days followed by a 6 week recovery at home.  I will keep everyone updated and Shawn will post a blog update a few days after my surgery.  
I hope everyone is doing well and have a Happy Thanksgiving, we all have so much to be thankful for!       

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

One year ago today...



Ali came home from a 9 month hospital stay that included a trip to CA for an open heart surgery. We can't believe how Ali has grown in the past year! She is getting so strong - crawling everywhere, climbing the stairs, pulling to stand, walking with assistance, and off the vent for 4 hours a day! I am working on a video of Ali on the move. Can't wait to share it with you!


March 24, 2009















March 24, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

Ali's 4th Birthday

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY ALI!

We are so happy that Ali was able to celebrate her 4th birthday! It was just a year ago that she had returned home from CA after yet another heart surgery and was admited into Children's Rehab. Ali has gotten so strong this past year and although still on the vent she is very busy moving around, it doesn't hold her back! Ali really enjoys going to school and playing with her peers. We didn't know what the year would bring after we returned home from CA - but we are so happy that Ali is such a fighter and was able to overcome her infections and recover from heart surgery. Check out all the latest pictures HERE.

Here are a few pictures of Ali on her birthday since her birth.


Ali was born 1/10/2006 @ Metro Hospital


Ali's 1st Birthday 1/10/2007 (before any surgeries)


Ali's 2nd Birthday 1/10/2008 (after 2 heart surgeries durning the last year)


Ali's 3rd Birthday @ Children's Rehab (a few months prior, we didn't know if this day would come)


Ali's 4th Birthday 1/10/2010

HAPPY 2010


October, November & December 2009

Quick recap of the last quarter of 2009:

October 19th  - Ali went on a field trip with her preschool class to an apple orchard.
October 23rd - Went to the Circus, Gavin had a good time, Ali wasn't too interested unless it was intermission and everyone was walking past her - she loved all the atention!
October 29th - Harvest Party at Ali's school - the kids had a costume parade for parents and family.
October 31st - Halloween! Elmo and Abby Caddaby had a great time trick or treating! It was so fun taking them around Mammie & Dia's neighborhod!

November 13th - 6 month check up at the cardiologist for Ali. Great report, the doctor is very happy with all the progress Ali had made since the last surgery and being at home for 8 months!
November 20th - Gavin's 2nd birthday and Uncle Nick's (my brother) thesis defense for his PhD. Grandma and Grandpa Cianciola were in town and Grandma stayed until Thanksgiving!
November 21st - Gavin's Baptism at St. Mary of the Falls - God Parents Aunt Heather and Uncle Nick.

December 9th - Bubble Show at preschool. Ali had lots of fun and nurse Jackie took Ali in the big bubble, Gavin got a turn when all the kids went back to class!
December 13th - Up Side of Down Holiday Party. Ali was not feeling well so she stayed home with daddy. Mommy, Gavin, Mammie & Dia went to the party - it was lots of fun! Gavin got to see Santa and tell him what he wanted for Christmas!
December 20th - Santa came early to Mammie & Dia's! The kids had so much fun opening presents and playing with all their new toys. Gavin got an Elmo toddler bed - he was so excited!
December 22nd - Holiday party at preschool. The kids sang christmas songs and then we had cookies back in the classroom.
December 24th - Christmas Eve with Shawn's family. It was a full house at Mammie & Dia's - lots more gifts and fun! The cousins all sang christmas carols - it was too cute!
December 25th - Christmas at home with my family. The kids woke up around 8:30am to open presents - they had fun tearing thru the wrapping paper. 
December 31st - Shawn & I welcomed in the new year together as the kids were sleeping. It was nice and quiet, I was asleep by 12:30am!