Bella's Story 
I live in Southern California with my husband Robert, & our children,
Colin, Cody & Bella. I married my high school sweetheart, & we have
been together for twenty years (married for 15 of those years.)
My husband is the love of my life, & my very best friend. We have
three loving, compassionate, sweet children. My family is my entire
life, they are everything to me. I look to them for strength, love &
inspiration. The story of my jewelry designs is based around my
family & the miracle we have experienced...
Bella Feburary 2005-2 days old
Our daughter, Isabella Grace, was born 4 months premature
weighing a mere 1 pound 12 ounces at birth, & 1 pound 7
ounces at her smallest. She was 13” long. She was so tiny,
her skin so fragile. Her miniature hands, feet, fingers & toes,
& herteeny tiny little nose, were the most miraculous sight we
had ever seen. Her fingernails, oh my goodness, so itty bitty.
We had never seen anything like her, she was a beautiful &
perfect baby, just mini size. She had our hearts before she
was here with us, & seeing her took our breath away. And
with her extremely early arrival began our family’s journey
into the emotional, frightening & miraculous world of the NICU
(Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.) For 5 long months our baby
girl lived in the NICU & most of that time she was fighting for
her life; battling infections, collapsed lungs, receiving blood
transfusions, enduring multiple surgeries & illnesses. She was
dependent on a ventilator to breath for her for 2 ½ months
while remaining in critical condition. Even though she was
so tiny & fragile, she was fiesty with a personality of her own.
Her will to live helped her survive everything she went through.
The thought of losing her was too much to bear. We have
never known such worry, pain & heartache. We almost lost
her several times, but she kept fighting.
After what felt like an eternity, on July 20th 2005, after 154
days in the NICU, our dream at last came true. We were
bringing our tiny miracle home. She had come so far weighing
7 pounds 10 ounces the day we introduced her to her new home.
She was still medically fragile & required 24-hour oxygen, an
apnea/heart monitor, 10 different medications & a feeding tube.
She had also developed BPD (Chronic Lung Disease.) Bringing
her home completed our family; the piece of the puzzle that
had been missing was at last put into its place. She blossomed
at home with all the love & affection. She so much enjoyed
watching her two big brothers run around & play. Colin & Cody
could not be more proud, & protective, of their baby sister.
They are incredibly affectionate children & they love to help
take care of her. My husband & I are so very proud of our boys,
they too have been through a great deal. They were with us at
the hospital everyday. They were always good about scrubbing
in upon entering the NICU, & they were incredibly gentle when
touching her little hands & feet. Colin's favorite thing was to
gently cup Bella's tiny head with his hand. She liked this too.
They were always very careful with her, & worried about
getting her sick. I think we kept the hand sanitizer company
in business! Bella’s first year of life was tough. She was
hospitalized 5 times during the winter of 2005 for respiratory
distress & various illnesses, & needed a fifth surgery. One of
her hospitalizations involved her being admitted to the PICU
(Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.) We called 911 in November 2005,
because she was not breathing, was unresponsive & discolored.
Since she had an Acute Life Threatening Situation, they preformed
a battery of test. It was discovered that Bella has a very serious
heart condition called Long QT Syndrom.
Bella is becoming stronger with each passing day. She still
has Lung Disease & is actively seen in Pulmonary at Children's
Hospital Los Angeles. She only requires oxygen while she sleeps
& she wears her apnea/heart monitor. She has many scars that
are a reminder of all that she endured. And someday we will
share Bella’s story with her, & teach her that all her scars are
metals of honor, they represent strength & courage-they are
beautiful. Bella is a true miracle, a gift. She & our boys bring
so much love & joy to our life. We treasure our time spent
together, & cherish each day.
We got through this time of crisis with the love & support of
family & friends, whom we can never thank enough. We also
are eternally grateful to all of the dedicated doctors, nurses,
RT's, OT's & paramedics, who all played a vital role in saving
our daughter's life. *You all have a special place in our hearts,
for always!*
Bella loves life & cares so much for other people. She is two
years old now & has a tremendous amount of empathy & compassion.
If you are hurt or crying, she will be the first one to sit by your
side & rub your back. She amazes me each & everyday, & reminds
us just how fragile & unpredictable life is. And what precious gifts
life & love are. This tiny little girl has touched all our hearts & has
captured them with her sweet smile, sense of humor & loving ways.
Bella is my inspiration. All the hearts I use in my designs represent
Bella’s heart & all the love she has in it.
~Patricia Hoppes~ Artist & Mom
bella 2 years old
