MEDICAL TEAM

• Dr. Maria Gieron - Ellie's pediatric neurologist/neurodevelopmentalist.  She is so great, she works out of TWO hospitals!!!  She is currently stumped as to Ellie's diagnosis, and has no problem telling me that.  She tells me she does lots of research and will figure this out one day.
• Nurse Julia - Ellie's CMS nurse.  She organizes all of Ellie's appointments with the specialists and listens to Mommie's silly questions!
• Nurse Megan - Ellie's clinic nurse.  She always makes Ellie's visits to clinic easy.  She's the only one who can take Ellie's blood pressure without Ellie crying!
• Miss Kathleen - PT extroirdinaire.  Miss Kathleen is so patient with Ellie, but always knows just how to get her to work.  She is the person who told me "We don't ask how old we were when we walked, talked, crawled, etc. when we are adults, do we?".
• Miss Laura - Ellie's ST, who is working with her to make her lips and cheeks nice and strong.  Miss Laura's test is the only one Ellie has ever "passed"!
• Miss Jennifer - Ellie's hydrotherapy PT.  She works with Ellie in the water.  This helps Ellie learn where her body is in space and she is going to learn to swim one day, too!
• Ellie's OT
• Miss Wanda - our Healthy Families worker.  She was the first person to notice Ellie's floppiness.  She has a son with special needs, too, so she's just an awesome support and helps me to navigate the system.  Not the point of the Healthy Families program, but hey, that's what we need!

FAMILY

• Grammie - my mom.  She lets us live with her in our new house.  She bought the house just so Ellie would have more room to play and have therapy equipment. 
• Grandpop - my dad.  He's built Ellie her very own sitting desk.  Go Grandpop!
• Graunty Sue - Dad's significant other.  She was a noodle-baby, too, and her grandmother helped her and now Sue inspires Ellie!
• Uncle Matthew - my brother.  He lives in New York and Ellie loves talking to him on the phone.  He sings the silliest songs to her. 
• Renee - My (step)grandma.  She loves sending Ellie the cutest outfits; she will be responsible for the fashionista Ellie will be when she's a teenager
• Aunt Mary - My aunt, and just the greatest person to talk to.  She's really helped me keep my head on straight through all of this.
• Aunt Sue - My other aunt.  She (and her family and church) pray for Ellie.  I'm pretty sure they have a phone number for Heaven, 'cause Ellie's doing so well it's almost a miracle!
• Granmama - Ellie's greatgrandma (my Grandma).  She absolutely adores her greatgrand-baby and looks forward to her visits.
• Aunt Deborah - Ellie's great Aunt (Grandpop's sister).  She made Ellie the most gorgeous scrapbook and will keep me supplie with pages for years to come!
• Grana - Ellie's dad's mom.  Grana loves dressing Ellie up in the cutest designer bargins.  If it's a cute outfit, Grana or Renee are responsible.
• Aunt Shana - Ellie's dad's sister.  Aunty Shana just had a baby boy, Little Jon.  Ellie likes to visit with her little cousin and see how to be super-strong!
• Aunty Cherries - Ellie's dad's aunt.  Aunt Cherise and Ellie have a special connection - laughter.  These two will just crack each other up over the silliest things.
• Nana Elizabeth - Ellie's greatgrandmother on her dad's side.  Oddly enough, I named Ellie 'Elizabeth' before I knew Nana's given name...but the share the same determined nature as well as the most beautiful name.