Daisy Heads to the U.S.A.

We've created this blog for people to be able to keep up with Daisy's progress and adventures while she's here in Bend, Oregon. So many of you have been incredibly generous in your support and care for Daisy. She's a remarkable little girl and we're very grateful to everyone who has helped make this dream a reality.

The adventure started in November 2006 when Leila met Daisy for the first time. It took about a nano second to decide to try and help via surgery in the U.S. It took quite a while to get everything in place and we had some incredible help along the way. Chris Maier and Senator Gordon Smith's office were amazing in their support in helping to secure visas for the entire family.

Horizon Airlines donated 3 round trip airline tickets from Los Angeles to Redmond. Drs. Carla Smith and Mike Ryan are performing the surgery at no cost to the family with help from Kevin Flaherty, anesthesiologist and Dr. John Chunn, pediatrician. The surgery will be at St. Charles Medical Center here in Bend.

The surgery will be sometime in early February and in the meantime we've all been having fun playing at home and with friends, going to the pool at the Athletic Club of Bend (who are generously allowing the family to use the facility at no cost while they are here) and playing in the snow.

Daisy settled into life here immediately and had a great time on the plane during the trip from Nepal. I think she watched Mulan at least 9 times!

We spent the night in Santa Monica with Jon and Susan Brandler who generously picked us up at the airport, fed us dinner and gave us very comfortable beds for the night! The visit was topped off with a very cold walk to the ocean in the morning before heading back to the airport and flying to Bend. Thanks Jon and Susan!

Thanks also to everyone who has sent Daisy gifts, toys, clothes, books and so many other little presents. We're keeping the U.S. Postal system busy!

This blog will be updated as much as possible, but please feel free to make comments as you wish. It's the first blog we've set up, so it will be an adventure for us as well!