LOA Baby!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the same day I finally decided to post about our long wait for LOA (hence the "75 Days" post), it came! You could have knocked me over with a feather. We've been super busy with our 3 other kiddos so sitting around thinking about our dreaded wait just wasn't in the cards. However, about 9:00pm last night as I was checking my computer for the thousandth time just one more time before bed, I noticed a surprising email from the director of our agency. They have our LOA in hand which means we will most likely be travelling to China in June. We're coming baby! I'm so excited that I think I might hyperventilate (please send hunky fireman over immediately!)

I now have a TON of paperwork to do. The Hague, in trying to protect children around the world, have decided that each and every successful international adoption must mutilate at least 112 acres of the world's remaining timber. We're only on acre number 73 so we've got a little catching up to do.

And just in case you're having a little a trouble remembering how gorgeous our little man is, take a look below. Doesn't he have a great smile! Hang on baby, mommy's coming soon.

75 Days

Today marks 75 days that we have been waiting for our LOA. We're expecting hoping to get our golden ticket somewhere around the 100 day mark but we know a few families with our agency who recently waited over 150 days. If that happens, I'll need a super-sized bottle of Valium.

This has been a very good week. Several of my friends received their children from the Wuxi orphanage today and I couldn't be more excited for them if I tried. Another good friend of mine received her referral this weekend for a beautiful baby girl. She has been waiting way too long and again, I am thrilled for her good news. On the home front, Kai is doing wonderfully and the weather is beautiful in Bama. Life is good...again.

Home Sweet Home

I downloaded photos off my camera yesterday and found these from our last 2 days at the glorious Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The picture below is Kai's first taste of any food or water in 7 days (that's right, no water, no ice, nothing!) The popsicle tasted wonderful to Kai's dirt-dry mouth and when he started eating, I couldn't stop him. Honestly, the boy ate like he had never eaten before.
After 1/2 day of a liquid-only diet (consisting of popsicles, jello, and apple juice) the doctors said that Kai could eat anything he wanted. While we waited for the hospital kitchen to bring up some mac and cheese, Kai was rewarded with a box of Froot Loops! Hurray!

We did spend St. Patrick's Day in the hospital. To make the place a little more festive, I donned a green shirt and Kai wore his "Kiss Me, I'm Irish!" beads. We also snuck a keg of green beer into the unit but you didn't hear that from me.

The day before Kai was discharged, he made a "hospital buddy" in the playroom. Buddy has red hair, an IV, a feeding tube, 5 band-aids, an eye patch and amazingly, still has a smile on his face!

We left the hospital at 5:30pm on Friday night. The picture below was taken at approximately 7:00pm as we were eating dinner at the famous Montgomery Inn (which is an amazing barbecue ribs restaurant overlooking the Ohio river.) No, Kai didn't eat ribs but he did love being with his Grandmama, brother and sister who had driven 8 hours to see him!

We arrived home in Alabama early Saturday evening. It was nice to come home to spring in full bloom. Sunday morning we skipped church (Kai couldn't go anyway) and we headed to our favorite park/botanical gardens. Can you believe these pictures were taken 10 days after Kai had major surgery? We honestly thought he would still be in hospital. It's nice to be wrong sometimes!

Since this will probably be my last post about Kai's surgery (no promises), I need to say a heartfelt thanks to Dr. Marc Levitt, a miracle worker for many kids including our Kai . We also had some incredible nurses during our stay at Cincinnati Children's but since my manic-mother brain can not remember all of their names, I won't try to list them. They know who they are (and who they aren't!) I have the overwhelming feeling that we will be back in Cincinnati for surgery with Cooper/Ash but of course, my intuition has been known to be wrong. Regardless, I don't fear the future because I know we can do this again.

Going Home!

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in several days. I have a problem but it's truly a good problem to have. My problem is that Kai refuses to believe that he had major surgery last week and will not slow down. He is running, jumping, playing, yelling, laughing and has attempted to do somersaults in the hallway. I feel so blessed that Kai has breezed through this surgery so easily but right now I am struggling to keep him under control. I am fearful that he will bust his sutures or pull out his suprapubic tube or a number of other things that could potentially land him back in the hospital. Please don't think I'm complaining, I'm not. I'm just a mom and having a rowdy kiddo who thinks he's invincible is a challenge.

On a brighter note, Kai is being discharged late this afternoon. We'll be spending the night here in Cincy and then head home tomorrow. Hallelujah! Thanks for your prayers, your thoughts and your wonderful comments. Life is good...

Serenity Now

I'm not posting pictures tonight mainly because nothing has happened today that warranted getting out the camera. Kai is still doing well but six days in the hospital is beginning to get to me. I am tired. Really tired. And to be completely honest, I'm grouchy. Lack of sunshine does that to me. Isn't there a type of depression that is brought on by lack of sunlight? Maybe I have that. Or more likely I have the "my kid is in the hospital for 2 weeks and I'm going stark raving mad" depression. Thankfully, there were a couple of bright spots today. My mom took Kai to the playroom and Rachel and I had dinner together. It was great to be able to gossip about which nurses are imbeciles and which ones we pray we get every night. I told her the story of our nursing assistant who couldn't get Kai's blood pressure after about 30 tries. She told me of an email she sent to our surgeon last night calling his surgical residents "Yahoo's." You just have to laugh about this place. It's like a really bad episode of Gray's Anatomy. I keep wondering which doctors are sleeping together and waiting to meet McDreamy (sorry, Dave.)

Tomorrow will be 5 days post-op. We will most likely be here for 10 days post-op. All I have to say is "Serenity Now!" (dedicated to my Seinfeld-loving friends.)

Running with IV Poles

Kai has had a great day. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record but I promise I'm telling the truth. He's had 1 dose of Tylenol today and that was after I asked him over and over again, "Do you have any ouchies, Kai?" He responded "Yes, my knee hurts." Since the only thing he can have by mouth is Tylenol (and it tastes really good), I think he's going to make up any reason to get a dose (which honestly, is fine by me.) Kai is a little Roboman. Nothing keeps him down for long. Walking down the hall, you are likely to hear me yelling "No Running!" I can't push his IV pole fast enough to keep up with him.

When David told Kai that he had to leave tonight to go back to work, Kai got quiet and then said, "I don't like to go here, baba." He's so funny right now. His personality is back and I think he's enjoying getting all the attention. My mom brought a suitcase full of new toys to dole out slowly over the next week. Today's surprise was 3 miniature monster trucks. The trucks are named Granny, Grandmama and Kai. I guess you have to be here to understand how funny that is!

I have several pictures of Kai and his beautiful smile but Blogger isn't cooperating right now. You'll just have to take my word that Kai is rare form!

Days 1 & 2 Post-Op

Kai's first walk (1 day after surgery!)

Playing with a ball

Notice he's in a chair - not the bed!

Fun with Play Dough

Big Smile for the wagon

Heading to the playroom (2 days after surgery!)

I've gotta tell you, my boy is amazing. He is off the Morphine pump and onto Tylenol. He's up walking, going to the playroom, and laughing (as long as no one wearing scrubs or a stethoscope is around.) I asked the doctors how often a child is off Morphine the day after surgery and they said almost never. That scared me to death so we kept the pump overnight last night. Fortunately, Kai didn't have any pain so they took the pump away this morning. He does cry when the nurses look at his incision site or change his dressings, but other than that, he is fine. I have a feeling the worst part of the next week will be keeping him busy. He is so incredibly bored and it's tough to keep him occupied in our tiny hospital room. Our awesome friend Rachel from across the hall brought Kai a few crafts this afternoon. He sat up in bed and worked on them for an entire hour. Complete bliss! Rachel's little girl has been having a hard time. Lucy is in a lot of pain and the meds aren't really doing their job. I think most kids believe that "mom can make everything better." When we can't, it's a miserable and helpless feeling.

Oh, I want to share a funny story about Kai on the day of his surgery. When Kai first woke up from anesthesia, he would not talk to us. He just laid there, eyes-open, in a stupor and then he would fall back asleep. This went on for quite a while until we heard this from our little boy who appeared to be sleeping soundly, "Kai-Lan starts with "K" just like my name." It was hilarious. The television wasn't on so he must have been dreaming of Kai-Lan (if you don't know who Kai-Lan is, ask the nearest preschooler.)

David leaves tomorrow, which makes me sad, but my mom arrives and that should make it much more tolerable. Keep us (and Rachel and Lucy) in your prayers. We're doing great but we're not out of the woods yet!

Kind of like Las Vegas

Wheelchair for the "big & tall" patients

Daddy & Kai right before surgery

In recovery room

Kai had a great night last night. He slept well and had very little pain. His PCA pump is set to where he can get a dose of Morphine every 10 minutes. When the nurse checked the pump this morning, she noticed that we had only used the pump 5 times since his surgery. He is definitely one tough little guy. Kai went for his first walk this morning (one day ahead of schedule) and he was thrilled. Right now he is just tired of laying in bed and the boredom that goes along with it.

David just remarked that the hospital is a lot like Las Vegas (stay with me here.) You can't tell if it's night or day, no one knows or cares what day of the week it is, and people are running around 24/7. Of course, our nurses are actually wearing tops and no one is bringing us round-the-clock cocktails (although I'd definitely be up for that.) The machines that Kai is hooked up to make noises all day long much like the slots in Vegas. I'm thinking of dropping a quarter into one of them to see what happens.

As you can see, I finally got the camera cord so I could download some photos. Kai looks better than anyone I know one day after surgery. I'll try to post photos of his first walk down the hall a little later.

Pictures Before Surgery

Playing in the hotel room

Future Mr. Universe

Kai & Mommy after PICC line placement
(Note the stylin' hat)

I hate NG tubes!

Out of Surgery

Kai is out of surgery and we're back in our room (which is so much nicer than the recovery room.) Kai hasn't really woken up except to nod his head and scratch his nose. He's sleeping like an angel and I pray that will continue throughout the night. The surgery lasted about 4 hours and Dr. Levitt said that it went exactly as planned - no surprises, thankfully. Kai is full of tubes and he will have to keep one of them in for the next month. Sounds like fun, huh?

My friend across the hall, Rachel, has come to visit us several times over the last 2 days. She is funny, upbeat and I really like her. She has definitely brightened this bleak place up (most often with her scary talent for making Playdough cars and animals.) I can't wait until her sweet daughter, Lucy, and Kai are feeling well enough to play together. They're only one month apart and have a lot in common (especially when it comes to their hineys!)

I really can't tell you how thankful I am for your prayers and comments. It reminds me of when we were in China and the favorite part of my day was reading the comments that our friends back home had left. It really is like a lifeline. Even though you feel completely isolated and out-of-touch, you know that someone, somewhere, is out there rooting for you.

Prepped and Ready to Go

Considering everything that he's been through, Kai has had a pretty good day. Inserting the NG tube was miserable, but it was fast. Like 1 minute fast. He cried on and off for a few hours afterwards and then decided it was something he could live with. Kai is not talking to the doctors or most of the nurses, with the exception of his main nurse, Renee. He likes her a lot and tells me that I can leave the room if "Mrs. Renee" will come and sit with him (which she has done twice today.) The staff here is amazing and the hospital is really state-of-the-art. David is somewhere in Kentucky making great time to get here tonight. I guess your prayers are working because I truly feel blessed right now.

I've taken tons of pictures but forgot the cord that connects the camera to the computer. I think it's in David's suitcase. If so, I'll post some pictures of my pitiful boy tomorrow.

Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention that Kai's surgery is sometime around 8:30 in the morning (7:30am Central.) Please, please, please say a prayer for my boy.

Welcome to A4 South

For the first time in my life, I'm not going to worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation or spacing. What you get is what you get. We're in the hospital and Kai is doing well. The PICC line went in without much fanfare and I thank God for that. I've heard horror stories about the NG tube - it's on it's way any minute now. Please say a prayer for us.

A friend I met on a Yahoo group (for families of kids with IA) is in the room across the hall. Her little girl Lucy just had the same surgery Kai is having. I know it can be a little impersonal, but I absolutely love the internet. It's amazing the people you can meet.

Kai is asking for a popsicle so we're off to the kitchenette. I'll update later. Thanks for checking in on us.

Do I Look Sick to You?

T-minus 3 days and counting. Kai and I fly to Cincinnati tomorrow to begin preparations for his surgery on Thursday. I'm feeling much better now - stronger and more in control. I'm sorry about my last post. I was definitely having a hard day and boy, did it show. Thank you to my friends who responded with encouragement. You guys have no idea how much your words meant to me. I will have a laptop with me in the hospital, so if you've got a minute, stop by my blog and say hello. I have a feeling I could use your help to keep me sane. And if you're a praying person, we could also use your prayers especially on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (Thursday is the surgery, but I've heard the other two days can be really difficult also.)

So many people have shown their true colors through Kai's ordeal (and I mean that in a good way.) Here are a few things that are coming to my mind:

• I've received emails that gave me peace and completely made my day.


• I've had friends volunteer to pick up and take care of J.D. and Piper when we're away.


• My in-laws have pretty much put their own lives on hold to keep our family sane right now.


• My husband is cheerfully making the 8 hour drive to Cincinnati several times so I won't feel so alone.


• My mom, whose job is hanging dangerously by a thread, is taking off a few days and flying to be with Kai and me.


• Kai's preschool teachers made him a hospital goody bag of things he can do while in bed (they also sent me a "snack bag" to keep my energy up!)


• Blogger friends have asked for my home address so they could send a card.


• My dad donated all of his Holiday Inn points so I can switch-off sleeping in the hospital and hotel (Of course, Kai will never be alone. David or my mom will be at the hospital when I'm not.)


and last but certainly not least...


• Everytime I enter the grocery store, or the pharmacy, or one of my children's schools, someone comes up to me and says, "I've been praying for Kai. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for either of you."


You know what? The human race can be really amazing. Thank you.

Frozen

I should be writing right now because I know, deep down, it would make me feel better. I want to explain my fears, to share the "what if's" wondering around in my head. But for some reason, the fact that Kai is undergoing major surgery in 6 days has left me speechless. Nothing funny or even vaguely interesting has come to my mind. I'm a one-track girl right now and all I can think of is "have I packed the dilators?" (if you don't know what a dilator is, you don't have a kid with imperforate anus.)

I know this surgery is for the best. I know Kai needs it. I know it will be okay. But honestly, none of those things make this journey any easier. I'm scared and I feel frozen. I want my mommy and that, my friend, is the problem. You see, I am the mommy now. Funny how things change.