UPDATE: Lo had surgery June 11th and everything went well! She was finally able to take more than 2 ounces of milk in her bottle. She will have a followup appointment on July 3rd.

My family met Josie, David and Estrella in 2022 when they moved in next door. We became quick friends and Estrella babysat our daughter a few times during the week.

Josie and I were even pregnant at the same time and Loretta "Lo" Mae Hoskins was born on 4/24/2024.

On May 5th, Lo was taken to the emergency department and admitted to the hospital for retractions, tracheal tugging, and desaturation into the low 80's while feeding. At this point she was started on oxygen and kept overnight for monitoring. The following day an ENT scoped Lo and found she had moderate laryngomalacia (floppy throat) and stridors. She was monitored for another night for oxygen levels and then sent home.

On May 14th, Lo was laid down for bed and, like all new parents, she was checked on several times throughout the night. At one point her dad found her choking. Josie took Lo while David called 911 as Lo was not breathing. Josie performed CPR on her and she began to breathe again. The ambulance took her to the hospital where she was admitted for a second time and put on oxygen. They did a barium swallow study and it was noted she was aspirating on thin milk. The speech and language pathologist ordered her to be put on mildly thickened milk which seems to help. She was also prescribed an anti reflux medication. She was monitored for a couple more days on the thickened milk and then discharged home.

On June 6, Lo was referred to Children's Hospital in Omaha to see a pediatric ENT. Lo will undergo surgery June 11th for a supraglottoplasty which alters malformed structures of the upper larynx. This should help with her breathing and ability to eat better.

July 3rd, Lo will go back to Children's Hospital in Omaha for a followup appointment. She will also see a pulmonologist and a GI specialist at a later date. Lo will also need outpatient OT in Omaha for feedings until she is discharged from services.

Because of the complicated feedings, daycare won't take Lo. This hinders Josie's ability to work so David has taken on a part time job on top of his full-time job. There will be a ton of travel back and forth to Omaha on top of the medical bills. Please consider donating to this amazing family so they can focus on getting their baby girl healthy.