The highs and lows of today

There has been a lot of activity for today!  Here are the highs (the good parts) and the lows (the not so good parts) . . .

High:  We have had AMAZING nurses.  Seriously amazing!

Low:  It is interesting working with some of the awkward doctors.

High:  "M^" received some awesome "get well" balloons and treats from Uncle Blair and Auntie Jess

Low:  Because of the procedures today "M^" wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything until around 9 pm.

High:  The procedures went well for today. 

Low:  We still have not heard about what the orthopedists plan to do though.

High:  We had an awesome Interventional Radiologist do her surgery this afternoon.  He offered to walk Kevin and I to the waiting room himself.  We stayed with "M^" as long as they would let us.  As we walked out of prep room I couldn't help but tear up.  The doctor noticed and gave some words of reassurance.  I told him that we had only had "M^" home 6 weeks.  I was worried that she would be scared or anxious.  The doctor started tearing up to.  We got to the elevators, he and I were both full on crying.  He apologized profusely.  Then as we walked onto the elevator he told us that his daughter was adopted as well.  We talked about our families briefly and pulled ourselves together.  This was a huge experience for both Kevin and I.  We were on some holy ground with that doctor today.  I have a high respect for him because he allowed himself to be vulnerable with us.  He rose above his white coat and stethoscope to meet us where we were as concerned parents with a newly adopted daughter.  In addition, he allowed his own story to shine through to us.  WOW.

Low:  While I do have great "family created through adoption stories" to tell like you saw above, I also have a negative one.  I was very clear with the nurses preparing "M^" for her procedure about me wanting to be there when she woke up.  I was very concerned about he being afraid and also the language barrier.  Kevin and I waited patiently in the waiting room.  The doctor came in and let us know the surgery went well.  He told us someone would soon be in to take us to see her in recovery.  We waited and waited and waited.  A nurse came into the waiting room, looked around and quickly left.  We waited and waited and waited some more.  Finally a nurse came through the door and waived us to the hallway.  There was "M^" and they were taking her back up to the room.  I told them that we were waiting to be with her in the recovery room.  The nurse replied that someone did come to get us, but we must have been out of the waiting room at the time.  However, we never left the waiting room.  The nurse then started apologizing.  The person they sent to retrieve me to be with "M^" assumed that they were looking for an African American family.  "M^" didn't have me in the recovery room when she needed me because of someone's assumptions and lack of awareness of multiracial families.  Grrrrrrr . . . let's get educated folks!  Families don't always LOOK like each other!!!  We can't assume anything!

Okay, I think I'll get down off my "soap box" now.  Thanks!

High:  "M^" is fairly comfortable now, we're watching Harry Potter and almost ready to sleep for the night. 

Burke Family Update . . . "M^"s health

It has been a little less than 2 months since we arrived home from Ethiopia.  A little less than 2 months since our daughter left her birth country and began life in a new family with a new language in a new culture.  It has been quite a couple months.

We have had so many people ask questions about how things are going.  We feel so loved and blessed because we have so many people concerned for us and our daughter.  The love and support is beyond amazing.

With so many people asking how life is going I figured I could answer some of the questions on our blog.  So here we go . . .

How has "M^"s health been?

This is a tricky question.  We want to maintain as much privacy for our daughter as possible while still letting all the people that love us know what is going on and what they should pray for.  There are so many people that care so deeply about her.

So here is the good news . . . she is doing well.  Her overall day to day health is good.  Aside from the normal "back-to-school" cold that ALL of our family caught "M^" is good.

Here is the bad news . . . the chronic situation that we were very well aware of is still a major problem.  We had her to the doctor as soon as we possibly could upon arriving home.  Our pediatrician is wonderful and she referred us to other doctors.  Those doctors didn't really know what to do and didn't seem terribly interested in helping come up with a plan.  So . . . unfortunately it has taken until now to get a doctor to be a driving force in her medical care.

So that brings us to what is going on now.  We are now with a specialist who is doing a great job of addressing the issue and also bringing other specialists on board.  Many tests have been ordered and completed.  This week we are hanging out at a regional children's hospital.  So far she's had some more tests done and as I type we're waiting on doctors to come together to decide how best to treat her chronic condition.  It will definitely be a long haul treatment plan.

Please pray for our sweet girl.  She's been suffering a long time and we're praying that we'll have some answers and relief soon!

The view from her hospital room.  I love watching the changing color!

It's been a long couple days here already!  However, we have some fabulous nurses and hospital staff.