{"id":224,"date":"2026-01-04T02:31:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T02:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/?p=224"},"modified":"2026-01-04T02:40:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T02:40:51","slug":"steps-toward-home-%f0%9f%91%a3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/2026\/01\/04\/steps-toward-home-%f0%9f%91%a3\/","title":{"rendered":"Steps Toward Home \ud83d\udc63"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As we step into a new year \u2014 and somehow into 2026 by the time this is read \u2014 it feels like the right moment to pause and take stock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The past year has stretched us in ways we never could have imagined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were seasons of sheer survival, long days measured in lab results and tiny victories, and moments that felt impossibly heavy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, here we are. Still standing. Still moving forward. Still watching our son fight with more strength than we knew a little heart could hold. \ud83e\udde1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas quietly marked a turning point. No big dramatic moment \u2014 just steady, hard-won progress. He\u2019s slowly weaning down off respiratory support, one careful step at a time. \ud83d\udc63<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re beginning to shift our focus and discussions with the team toward helping him relearn how to eat, rebuilding skills and strength that his recovery put on pause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each day brings us closer to something that once felt very far away: discharge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not someday. Not \u201cmaybe.\u201d But soon. \ud83d\ude4f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And once that day comes, we will be staying in Gainesville for a month or so as the team monitors him closely and we get into a cadence with his therapies and appointments. All while preparing for the moment when we get to bring our boy home. \ud83c\udfe1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re holding a lot of hope as we start this new chapter. Gratitude, too. For the care that carried us here, for the community that\u2019s walked with us, and for the quiet miracle of watching our child heal, one ordinary day at a time. \ud83e\udd0d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you all for your continued prayers, love, and kindness this year as we\u2019ve navigated the hardest year of our lives. \u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pray God brings so many blessings upon you and your loved ones in 2026! \ud83d\ude4f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-The Paytons \u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As we step into a new year \u2014 and somehow into 2026 by the time this is read \u2014 it feels like the right moment to pause and take stock.  The past year has stretched us in ways we never could have imagined.  There were seasons of sheer survival, long days measured in lab results […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2264,"featured_media":225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSteps Toward Home \ud83d\udc63 - COTA for Ollie Fox<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/2026\/01\/04\/steps-toward-home-\ud83d\udc63\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Steps Toward Home \ud83d\udc63\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As we step into a new year \u2014 and somehow into 2026 by the time this is read \u2014 it feels like the right moment to pause and take stock.  The past year has stretched us in ways we never could have imagined.  There were seasons of sheer survival, long days measured in lab results […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/2026\/01\/04\/steps-toward-home-\ud83d\udc63\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"COTA for Ollie Fox\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-04T02:31:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-04T02:40:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6556\/2026\/01\/IMG_3504-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Auntie Emma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Auntie Emma\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/2026\/01\/04\/steps-toward-home-%f0%9f%91%a3\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforolliefox\/2026\/01\/04\/steps-toward-home-%f0%9f%91%a3\/\",\"name\":\"Steps Toward Home \ud83d\udc63 - 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