Adoption Update: Adventure

We had quite the day today!

Amelia woke up with a 103.1 fever and because we aren't very familiar with what is typical for her and don't want to risk anything giving them reason to not let us adopt her, we decided that it was important that we find a way to get her to a doctor. I called a cab and her and I went 30km to the orphanage, and asked for help. God literally worked it ALL out. There was a doctor THERE!! The translator came over to help for FREE. And the taxi waited the entire time we were with the doctor, drove us back, and charged so little I was in shock!! I couldn't even talk to him to tell him what I was doing (or ask him to wait) so he had no idea. It was very hard for me to hop into a cab alone with a sick baby with no idea where we were going, if anyone at the orphanage or along the way would be able to understand me, or what we were going to do but I knew we had to just do it, God made a way, and we did it!!!

The doctor said that her throat was very, very red but otherwise she looks good. She gave us two prescriptions (an antibiotic and probiotic) and had us pick up two OTC meds as well. We are doing everything they say until she's officially all "ours"!!!!

While we were at the orphanage with the translator, I also asked to talk to Amelia's caregiver to ask more about her eating habits and to tell her that Amelia has not been eating. I'm so glad that I did! It turns out that the list I received was what I thought it might be, simply suggestions of what babies typically eat here that I could buy at the store not what she actually eats. In fact, Amelia doesn't eat :(. The nun said that she feeds her "Kisiel" (translated: jelly) while she is SLEEPING! No wonder I can't get her to eat!!!! She said she holds up her head with one hand and holds the bottle with the other and she drinks it while she's sleeping. We bought some Kisiel and the ingredients are sugar, starch, food coloring, and flavoring. I made/tasted it and it tastes like a very thick, syrupy liquid jello, it is VERY sticky. She said that eating with a spoon is very traumatic for her and she very rarely takes a bottle from them so she is actually doing BETTER for us!!  The poor thing has never had any nutrition but her thyroid condition and this sugar drink is likely why she seems like her weight is okay :(. We are even more anxious to get her home now. I'm also very glad that we asked! I can take a big deep breath now knowing that we are doing everything we can to help her. It's going to be one-day-at-a-time for a long while and knowing all of this helps us to know how to best help her!! We have a long way to go to repair this little girl's relationship with hunger / food and figuring out how to get her the nutrition she needs to grow.

Having two sick babies the last couple of days has been quite exhausting and I've been spending every spare second communicating with Claire's docs, researching ways to possibly help Amelia, and preparing all sorts of foods and drinks all sorts of crazy ways to see what Amelia might eat since I can't read the package directions very well. We have prepared long and hard for this journey and it feels so amazing to finally be in the trenches, winning over Amelia's heart!! 

Claire is doing okay ... her fever is lower today but her cough/breathing sounds awful (very deep) and her little voice is so weak :(. She is not a happy girl. We may have to take her to a doctor here soon as well. Between the taxi, translator, doctor, and medicine ... doctor visits get very expensive, very fast!! Thankfully, I brought an O2 monitor so we are keeping a close watch on their levels and we bought a thermometer and nasal aspirator here, I wish we had a humidifier. Claire also has a bad rash from the diapers/wipes and the lack of her "usual" food is making us wonder about some symptoms/food intolerances. We will be breathing a big sigh of relief when we have these girls back home!

We have another visit from the social worker on Thursday at 1pm, hopefully the girls are feeling better by then so she can see Amelia's progress. Since she slept through the entire last visit, impressing her at this one is quite important!!

Some have asked how you can help us .... the only things we need right now are your prayers and your encouragement! Promise. The little "you're doing a great job!"/votes of confidence messages have more impact than you can imagine when it feels like we aren't being very successful at very much - advice can feel a lot like the opposite although we do know that everyone has the best of intentions. We appreciate you <3!!!!!!   Thank you for cheering us on!