Bad News

We have some bad news. Our granddaughter Desiree, broke her right femur last Wednesday night.

It was around 6:30 in the evening and we were getting ready for church. I had gotten Desiree dressed and was in my bathroom getting ready when I heard a loud crash and Desiree screamimg. When I ran into the living room, I saw David holding her. He said the TV had fallen on her. He handed her to me and when he did, I saw her thigh bend. I immediately knew that it was broken. I yelled to David that it was broken and we needed to take her to the hospital.
We jumped in the car and sped off to our local ER. On the ride to the ER, Desiree was passing out over and over again from the pain. When we got to the ER, they gave her morphine right away and took x-rays. The break was VERY bad and we were transferred to a children's hospital in a nearby town by ambulance. When we got to the hospital, they took more x-rays and gave her more morphine. After the x-rays, the doctors decided to straighten her leg. I had to leave the room because I was afraid that I would faint if I stayed. They gave her more morphine and when I left they physically straightened her leg. Afterwards I was allowed to come back and see her. She was sooooo upset. She had a red face with tears flowing down her cheeks. As soon as she saw me she grabbed my hand and wouldn't let me go. We were told that she will need surgery to correct the break but she wouldn't be able to have it until the next day. So we were put in a room for the night. It was an awful night! She only slept 2 hours. The rest of the night she was crying in pain. They repeatedly gave her morphine and valium but she would still wake up screaming in pain.
We didn't get into surgery until noon the next day. The doctors put 2 flexible rods in her leg to keep the bone pieces together so they can heal. But after surgery she was much better; no more pain.
We came home on Friday. She is doing very well. She is surprising everyone with how well she is doing.

When we went to the first ER, they called the Department of Family and Children Services aka DFACS.
They said that any fracture to the femur is considered a traumatic injury because it takes so much force to break that bone and any trauma to a child has to be reported to DFACS. We were told that the investigation will take up to 30 days. We had a visit from a social worker today to interview everyone in the home and just check out the house. She said that in her opinion it is an open and shut case; and accident but because they were called they have to complete an investigation. In the mean time, our adoption is put on hold. They can not move forward until the investigation is completed.

Another delay! Here we go again!

This is a picture of Desiree in the hospital just before she was released to go home.

Blessings,

Melissa

A Conversation with Desiree

Desiree saw me reading the newest Lifeline magazine; a quarterly magazine our adoption agency, Bethany, sends to it's clients. She asked what I was reading. I told her it was a magazine about adoption. She asked, "What's adoption?"
I said that  many boys and girls don't have a mommy and a daddy or a mimi and poppy to take care of them and love them, so they need a new mommy and daddy. And that is adoption when kids who don't have parents come to live with new parents. I said, " We are going to adopt a new kid. They will come to live with us." At this she got VERY excited, jumping up and down.
"They gonna live in us house?" she asked.
"Yes." I said.
"Where they gonna sleep?"
"Well if it's a girl she will share your room, but if it's a boy he will share Brandon's room. But I think it's going to be a boy."
"Can he play tea party with me?" She loves to play  tea party. Everyone in the family has been corraled into playing with her at least once.
"Yes." I said. She squealed with delight.
She said, " A boy like Weston?'" He is one of her cousins. "He has white skin."
"No," I said,"he will have dark skin like Caroline." She is the daughter of some friends of ours. I said," They will come from a country called Ghana. Can you say Ghana?" Which she did. "That's in Africa and it's far, far away."
"Who will bring them home?"
"Poppy and I will go to Ghana and bring them home."
"Can I come?"
" No honey. It's too far away." I said. Then she started crying.
" But I wanna go with you  to Africa and get our new kid." she said sobbing.
I gave her a hug and told her that it was still a long time away and we would have to wait and see.

We have talked with her before about adoption but I guess we have to keep discussing it, especially as we progress in the process. Hopefully we will have a picture to show her before too much longer. I think that will make it much more concrete for her.

Blessings,
Melissa