Medical Stuff. And Pez.

First off, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be switching back to my private blog shortly.....  so for anyone who wants to keep following our journey, shoot me an email with your email to add you to it. 

So medical stuff....

So not so long ago in the distant past- China was the 'it' happening place for your young baby daughter to be matched to you and come home.  Thousands and thousands and thousands of beautiful little girls found their forever homes over the years.

But then, in the magical land of all things controlled by the government, the country realized they were getting a bad rap for having their number one export be children.  And literally overnight, all the healthy baby girls were no longer available.    You know, not because they don't exist, but because China doesn't want a bad rap. 

I will say, that SLOWLY China is starting to change.   That they are starting to realize that maybe forced abortion, penatlties for more than one kid & the devaluation of girls isn't such a hot thing.  Well, ok, let's be fair..... they are starting to get a bad rap for it....and China wants the whole world to think they are wonderful.  So slowly things are starting to change where Chinese citizens ARE keeping their 2nd, 3rd child- even if they are all girls.  This is a good thing & I hope that the Chinese governement will encourage this movement.  

So all the healthy little baby girls are no longer made available for adoption.  Many have been fostered out in China (again, a good thing...keeping them in their culture).  Some have made up needs to be made paper ready for adoptions.  Some are being adopted by Chinese citizens.   So pretty much since 2007, 95% of adoptions coming out of China are considered 'special needs'.  Meaning there is some sort of medical need. 

There are a lot of these beautiful children in Chinese orphanages unfortuently.  Because, as you can imagine, a culture that considers female to be a deteriment... sees little value in a child with a special need.  They are considered extremely unlucky and most have no future in Chinese society.  You can see this wherever you go in China.  You don't see children with disablitiles anywhere.  The adults with them- are on the streets.   Value is placed on the child who can perform the best.  Be the best.  And make the best money to then take care of their parents in the older years.  It is the culutre there. The 'special need' becomes their face instead of child behind it.

Why the long explanation- I don't know.  Perhaps so people understand it more.  Because I saw all these beautiful little faces while in China during our last leg, where all the adoptive familes come together to finish up US paperwork.  I saw the kids.  And not the needs.   You see the smile.  You see the bright eyes...you hear the laughter.  You hear the cries. You see the CHILD.  Not the need.  And your heart hurts a bit for all the little kids over there not getting the chance to BE a child in a family.

I love that when people see Charlie they say... "oh, what special need".  I hope and pray that we can give her THE BEST medical care so she can say 'what special need?'.  I hope that even if we can't fix it, that we help her adapt to it & show the world what perservance means...and again, we can say "what special need, all I see is Charlie!" or "I am awesome just the way I am".  

Cuz she is pretty awesome.  (and pretty stubborn & spicy & sweet and man she has a giggle that can knock your socks off!)

So the special need is her vision.   Or as it states in her referral "cloudiness of the corneas".  Well, from the second we got her we knew she could see pretty darn well.  She can find a freaking crumb of food from across the room! 

So the last week has been different doctors & labs and all that fun stuff.  Poor girl had 14 vials of blood taken from her to check for every disease, body function,  and parasite possible.  

The totally sweet and awesome news on that is she is GREAT!!!  No diseases (in case you were wondering if you might catch Hepatites, HIV or TB from her).   No parasites (amen!).  Iron levels good (thank goodness since they took 14 vials of blood from her),  Lead- none! (always a concern wtih China).  She's healthy as healthy can get coming from an international orphanage.

The orphanage may have sucked in so many ways (that we will spend YEARS undoing the damage) but at least they took good physical care of her.  That I will give them.  Thank you for that.

Then we moved on to pediatric eye doctors.   The first one wasn't sure what was going on..and threw out 'glacoma, cataracts & genetic syndromes".   I, of course, came home and googled every single genetic disease I could find that involved the eye.  Becasue that's how I work.

Truth was, outside the eyes, she wasn't meeting any of the other criteria.  The other doctor referred us to the specialist in the office.    So we had another doctor appointment.

This doc was great- great with Charlie.  Great with her knowledge.  And great with the diagnosis she shared with us....

Now, I will preface, we don't know FOR SURE if this is correct- only time will tell... but the GREAT news is it's not glacoma..and it's not cataracts because she can see through them.  Which  means, no surgery in the immediate future.  She thinks the problem was/is poor pre-natal nutrition & subsequent nutrition from the orphanage.   And the fact that she squints and has a bit of nystagmas (where the eye goes back and forth crazy like) is the fact that she has like a -6 nearsigntness in the left eye and a -2 in the right.  Um, I have -4 and I can tell you I can't see crap without my glasses. 

Her advice.  Glasses.  And a re-check. 

Whoopie!!!!  We can do that!! And we have.  Little miss has her first pair of eyeglasses being made as we speak!  I hope that once we get them- her world will open up!  I can't wait to watch it happen.

And that is our medical stuff & the background of the history of adoption in China.  In case you were wondering about either!  Ha!

Now, enough of the words & on to some updates & pictures!!!

Little Miss is having a good week.  Her sleeping still sucks balls, but I gotta accept that and not expect that to change.  Truth is- night & dark & sleep is scary when your whole world has changed. 

Remind me of that on  those mornings when I've had no sleep.

Let's see...

Words she's picking up and using:  "No, Yes, Shoes On, Shoes Off, More, Eat, Juice, Sit Down (to Sarah), Fish, Dog, Potty (now to get her to USE it- that's next weeks agenda!), Hi, Hello, Ba Bye, Up, Down, Shake, Smile, Flower, Splish Splash.

Things she's doing:  "Up and down the stairs (shh, don't tell DCFS we had a tumble from the top to bottom during stair training...she survived!).  Swinging.  Drinking out of a sippy, doing puzzles, learning to color, playing doll, telling Sarah NO!, riding in car seats, eating at sit down resturants without freaking out, walking while holding mom's hand, more eye contact (this is SO important to establish trust & attachment), letting mama bathe her (instead of trying to do it herself).

Stuff we need to work on:   Less fits when told No.  Doing anything without holding crap in her hands (her treasures as we call them).  The potty.  Sleep (please?!).   Who Mama and Daddy are (she has no reference at all to even try to put in context..she's ONLY had caregivers that come and go...what does she know of a mom and a dad and family?!).

So that's the update on the girl.  Now pictures, pictures.

So today we played outside a bit.  She had her backpack of treasures which we are trying to substite for her carrying everything around in her hands.  It's not working well.

 Lots of squinting outside because she's had her eyes dilated twice this week! 

We cleaned the patio door of dog smudges. 

And she's checking out if there is good stuff inside....

All while holding her treasured ketchup bottle.

Then my doorbell rang.  And what an awesome surprise...

Beautiful flowers from Aunt Beth and Uncle Will- THANK YOU! 

Then we went shopping at Joann's.  And the girl got two awesome American staples that are present in the Herman household.   Her very first pair of Halloween socks (oh, Julie, I am training her EARLY!!!) (P.S- she picked ghosts).  And her very first Pez dispenser.  With a pumpkin on it.

Dude, she needs to learn that in this household, Halloween rocks!  Mama loves her Halloween holiday!

Man oh man, was this girl EXCITED with her first Pez dispenser. 

So was her sister.  Who is always excited with candy.

 ANd I supposed I should get off the computer- because she's running around calling Sarah "Ayi" (caregiver).  

And that's because Sarah's holding the Pez refills. 

Little Miss.  With a killer smile!  She's gonna make people melt with it!