Saturday, February 16, 2013

Where we are...

We are home.

Max had an imaging test on the morning of Valentines Day...after that we were free to go home. Results? Negative for Hirshsprungs disease, negative for celiac, negative for pretty much everything.

Everything except for protein energy malnutrition and giardia. My anger and disappointment regarding the care he has received over the past four years is rising, particularly since the orphanage director wanted me to donate money for reupholstering some sofas. No joke.

Well, now Max is home and we are dealing. Having him hospitalized was the very best way to have him seen by many different specialists right away, but now he has a half dozen follow-up appointments over the next few months.

For now, we are just feeding him and loving him. He has chosen a seat at the table. He goes to sit at the table when he wants to eat...which is often! He doesn't want to sit anywhere else. My goal is to get 1000 calories into him each day. I'll have his weight checked next week to see if we are making any progress. He is so painfully thin...it hurts me to look at his poor little legs...it hurts my heart to change his diaper.

The good news is that everyone loves Max! So far, he is easy to care for and fun to be around. Not really what I would have guessed an eight year old child would be like, but I'll take it!

At the doctor last Tuesday. I couldn't get his shirt to fit over his tummy!


After the imaging test, so bloated. Poor baby.

On the way out the door of the hospital...so cute!


Reading a book with grandma and Ruby! Love!

6 comments:

Leah Spring said...

I have to laugh about the 8 year old comment. Asher was 7 when we brought him home. He's been the easiest kid!!! It's only recently, now that he is developmentally 2, that he is starting to challenge things a bit. Even so, he's easy to redirect. So glad you have your big boy home again!

Hope Anne said...

And I would venture to guess that orphanage has been getting lots of orphans bank accounts for the last few years? I'm furious too that our daughter was starved, and that she was deprived of the use of her funds as well. No, I did NOT sign the account over--I questioned--with ONE question--whether or not the Government would want the money that was set aside for HER going to anyone but her. That was the last I heard about her account, and we were never taken to sign out for it.
The good news is both our kiddos are home safe and finally getting love and food. Now . . . Dear God, protect the rest!!

Jill said...

How wonderful he is settling in so well! I love that he has claimed his own chair. Too cute! :-)

Hopefully his tummy will go down as he gets proper nutrition...they checked for h.pylori too?

Thanks for taking the time to update us!

Melissa said...

I thought his place actually seemed better than Liza's but looks like they were really about the same. Besides, what can you really know with just one visit? : ( I'm just glad he has you now to help him overcome. He looks happy to have a family :)

Carissa said...

He looks so happy to be HOME in the last photo! I am glad that it's nothing serious but it angers me, too that they just don't care about the state of their children... wonder what my little guy will look like when he is home. :(

anna said...

Hello! I am adopting a boy from bulgaria who is 8years old and 18 pounds. I would love to hear more about what you are being told to feed your son in light of his protein energy malnutrion. Thank you for blogging...your story is helpful to me and inspiring!!