
Because her vocal cords are paralyzed, Angelina must communicate without her voice for the rest of her life. She uses sign language and a high tech communication device that speaks for her as she pushes buttons.
"If I had a $1 million to give you guys, I would. I mean it's a great place, it's nothing short of amazing. I love it here and I love what they did for my daughter," Angelina's mother said.By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9
BETHANY, Oklahoma -- Imagine living your entire life in the hospital, and then finally being told you're healthy enough to go home. At The Children's Center in Bethany, a little girl named Angelina is living that dream come true.
Angelina Parker had a tea party Wednesday at the Children's Center to celebrate being able to go home after spending all of her three and a half years in the hospital.
"Now that she's home, I feel like my family is complete. That's it...the love is there," Angelina's mother Erin Francisco said.
It's been quite a journey for this little princess. Born prematurely at 26 weeks, all the attention is well-deserved. Once on a ventilator, once with a tracheostomy tube to help her breath, once with very sick lungs, Angelina has come a long way.
"She could not breathe on her own. She could not move on her own and she is now breathing on her own without assistance, walking, communicating and is a very happy little girl," said Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Julie Hale-Langmacher.
Because her vocal cords are paralyzed, Angelina must communicate without her voice for the rest of her life. She uses sign language and a high tech communication device that speaks for her as she pushes buttons.
"It's just like thinking about somebody who uses a cane to walk. Angelina just uses a computer to speak," Speech Pathologist Heather Jarvis said.
The device will grow up with her. She'll eventually be able to program it on her own so she can say anything she wants. Wednesday, the message was a bittersweet goodbye.
"If I had a $1 million to give you guys, I would. I mean it's a great place, it's nothing short of amazing. I love it here and I love what they did for my daughter," Angelina's mother said.
Comments Terms of Use: Terms of Use: We welcome your participation in our community. Please keep your comments civil and on point. You must be at least 13 years of age to post comments. In addition, by submitting a comment, you recognize that your comment may be read or discussed on one or more television news broadcasts on NEWS 9 and you consent to any such use. By submitting a comment, you agree to these
Terms of Service
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login or register See all comments |
A former Marine faces six counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of four people whose bodies were found inside a burning house. More>>
An Oklahoma man accused of hiring his handyman to kill a North Dakota dentist has waived extradition and will be returned to North Dakota to face a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. More>>
All this week News On 6 reporter Ashli Sims has been following the health care reform bill. More>>
Oklahoma City police are seeking the public's to find a man accused of impersonating a police officer. More>>
The economic turmoil is taking its toll on Oklahoma. News9.com tracks unemployment and layoffs in the state. More>>
The Oklahoma City-County Health Department has announced a section on their Web site titled "Easy Check In" will now be available for those intending to attend H1N1 clinics. More>>
The Black Friday deals are normally released in the Thanksgiving Day ads, but some shoppers are getting a head start by looking online. More>>