As writen by Ella's mother:

Ella was born two months early by emergency c-section to Shawn and Shonna Hensley. Upon birth she developed Cardiac Hypertension leading to various complications. Shortly after birth, her mother had to undergo further surgeries to correct trauma caused during the c-section. Ella was not expected to live through the night. After a grueling 24 hours, Ella survived and appeared to be improving. Unfortunatly, a week later Ella was diagnosed with a grade 4 brain bleed and PVL, a loss of white matles within the brain that helps transmit brain signals. The bleed created multi-cystic hydrocypholus, a fluid collection in multiple cysts within the brain. The doctors began to tap the fluid immediately, but the tapping introduced a strong infection that required evasive antibiotics and after four weeks of three different potentially harmful antibiotics, Ella was once again not expected to live. Without response to treatment, Infectious Disease Control needed to discontinue permission to use the drugs because of their intensity and because they are a controlled substance. However, a miracle ocurred and the last fluid draw before the discontinuation showed the infection was under control and Ella was allowed to continue the treatment. Ella was finally released from the hospital at three months of age.

Eight brain surgeries and one foot surgery later, Ella now has three shunts in her head to drain the fluid. She has severe cerebral palsy, cortical blindness and an uncontrollable seizure disorder. She began therapy through Easter Seals immediately and made little to no improvements maintaining a developmental age of 0 to 1 month of age through eighteen months. Her development and quality of life still seemed hopeless until she began Intensive Physical Therapy and Hyperbaric Treatment at the Ocean Hyperbaric Center and Therapies 4 Kids. It was here for the first time at eighteen months, she smiled, touched her own face and rolled over. She became more tolerable to therapy in general and vocalized for the first time with coos and bables.

Now, at 2 1/2 she continues to lack head and trunk control and we pray that one day she will be able to hold her head up and sit by herself. She is no longer tube feed and boost being able to tolerate being bottle feed and eating boby food. She has a long road ahead of her and the majority of her therapy is not covered by insurance. Her parents are working with doctors to try to get her seizures under control and she sees a vision therapist in the hopes her eyesight will improve. Her shunt surgeries must continue as she grows to allow for lengthening and maintanence. All in all, her only chance for a quality of life lies in her opportunity for continued treatment and therapy.