Gina's Website

Welcome to Gina Maria's website. It has been provided to keep people updated about Gina's transplant progress.

Journal

Sunday, May 7, 2006 7:00 PM CDT

It's hard to know where to start since I haven't updated for so long. Let's just go with what flows from my head and heart in no particular order. Gina just finished her SIX year post transplant studies at DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!! She passed everything with flying colors and has made great gains in many cognitive functions. She continually amazes the doctors at Duke and UNC with fabulous results and all of the milestones she continues to achieve. It is so good to know how great this transplant is working and how much ground work is being laid to further medical science of the brain.

Gina just took a wonderful little vacation to the beach in Florida. She had a fabulous time and you will want to take a look at some of her fun pictures she had in the sun and surf. The City of St. Petersburg was fantastic and very instrumental in letting us use the BEACHWHEEL CHAIR that you see pictured! It was such a godsend. All wheel terrain, we hauled the toys, the towels, the chairs, the umbrella, and oh yes: GINA on the sand with no effort at all. It was great to have and certainly made our lives so much more enjoyable while we played in the water and sand all day long!!!!!

As you peek at the pictures you will see we have a new addition to our family: Bella Rina. A sweet little five pound Maltese who adores Gina and has become Gina's best friend. She traveled with us to Florida. I am sure we will have many wonderful companion and travel stories over the years to come!!

Gina is almost through her first year of formal school. She will graduate Kindergarten in just a few weeks and will begin first grade in the Fall. This year has whizzed by and I cannot even believe that she has come this far. Her brother, Nick, who would have turned 20 years old on May 16 continues to smile down on Gina....walking her through every life adventure that she partakes in. I know he is always at her side and we are constantly reminded of his heavenly presence. His gift of life to us was Gina's life and transplant miracle. We will forever see Nick in Gina's smile, as she continues to grow, thrive and conquer Krabbe Disease!

Speaking of brother's, Philip, Gina's oldest brother, moved to Atlanta and is working as a manager at a GREAT restaurant. We are so proud of him as he graduated college last May; finished his internship and landed a job in management right out of school. He is very happy and we couldn't be more thrilled that he is holding steady on his own. We just miss him being so far away!!!!

It has been so hard to find the time to update the website. Gina's very busy social calendar keeps me running, running, running. She is alway off to a birthday party, having friends over for playdates, or off to some other social event. It is no understatement that she is the social butterfly of the class. Boys have asked for her hand in marriage; not one, not two, not three, but FOUR boys have asked her to marry them. I heard that one of them gave her a kiss on the hand the other day on the playground and asked if she would be his queen and he would be her king. OH MY GOSH, I have my hands full!!!!!!!!!! They are way too young for this stuff in Kindergarten. What will happen in first grade???? But I guess if that is all I have to worry about these days, LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So next time when you are asking me when will I update the site, you will know that I am busy getting the princess ready for another social event, walking the little white princess (Bella) who likes to sleep on Gina's pillow, or playing secretary to the Princess Warrior of Krabbe on which date we can schedule a playtime with another friend.

So take a moment to sign the guestbook to let us know you visited and thanks for being so very patient with Gina's social coordinator!

Love to all, Happy Spring, Happy Mother's Day, Happy May,
Happy Birthday, Nick!!

Anne

Hospital Information:

Duke Children's Hospital
Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27710

Links:

E-mail Author: arugari@cinci.rr.com

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