Medical Update -- First week Home
We have had an eventful week with two days of doctor's visits. The first was to the pediatrician -- the long and short is that we have a pretty dang healthy kiddo. She has two issues pressing at this time. 1) She is super small. Julia weighed in at 18 pounds 3 ounces. She is not on American growth carts and is only in the 3rd percentile for weight on the Chinese charts. We are really beefing up her nutrition and hoping to see some significant growth. I still have yet to get back the results of her bloodwork -- which was obtained by almost sqeezing blood from a turnip. But, it appears that she is in pretty good shape. Issue 2) - Her palette is not yet closed. She has a fairly significatn cleft and the research I have done here suggests that most surgeries are done at 12 -18 months of age.
The great news is this: We met today with the head of the cleft team for Kaiser/Immanual childrens hospital here in Portland. He is moving into semi-retirement and will be phasing out. However, he learned about Julia's case from a colleague and wanted to take it. He will be working with the doctor who will be taking his place, but it is pretty dang remarkable that Julia as a new patient has the chance to be cared for by the person with the experience and leadership in the field. In addition, they already have her scheduled for a team consult in October during which time we will determine her speech, auditory, and any other needs that should be addressed. The cleft team includes a social worker, a nutritionist... it is really designed to not just do a surgery and call it good but rather to address all the physical, social and emotional needs of a child and the family.
Now for the even better news -- Dr. Israel was able to find a date that someone had canceled a surgery and Julia will be having her palette repair on August 28th! That surgery will create a "roof" in her mouth that does not have a gap in it. It will be the week that I am supposed to go back to work for inservice stuff -- gosh, I guess I get to miss the MEETINGS. :) She should heal with relative ease and I anticipate that I will be able to start school the next week. And if not, well -- she is my priority right now.
I can not believe the way we have been so blessed to cross all the right paths with all the right people in this process. I do not think I could have arranged things more smoothly if I had tried!
As far as our house -- well, it has been a full week. Julia is doing BEAUTIFULLY. She is so easy and funny and charming. So far everyone who has met her has been just in awe that she has only been with me for a couple of weeks. She is just a confident, smiling little person. We *might* be moving in the direction of sleeping through the night.... the American night.
This weekend we are headed a couple of hours to the north of here to show dogs for two days. Julia still likes the dogs -- from a distance. We will put her in the backpack and let her watch in a place that is comfortable for her.
I will get some newer pics uploaded and take some this weekend too. Julia has developed quite the following with her story. I think it is neat for people to see how the story unfolds with her. She is doing what everything in my house does -- thriving. Now, nevermind that my house is a DISASTER -- we walked in the door and dumped everything and I have been reminded of how much you DONT get done with a 2 year old.... but she is thriving anyway and does not seem to care if mama's landry is done or not.
more on Monday...
Jackie
The great news is this: We met today with the head of the cleft team for Kaiser/Immanual childrens hospital here in Portland. He is moving into semi-retirement and will be phasing out. However, he learned about Julia's case from a colleague and wanted to take it. He will be working with the doctor who will be taking his place, but it is pretty dang remarkable that Julia as a new patient has the chance to be cared for by the person with the experience and leadership in the field. In addition, they already have her scheduled for a team consult in October during which time we will determine her speech, auditory, and any other needs that should be addressed. The cleft team includes a social worker, a nutritionist... it is really designed to not just do a surgery and call it good but rather to address all the physical, social and emotional needs of a child and the family.
Now for the even better news -- Dr. Israel was able to find a date that someone had canceled a surgery and Julia will be having her palette repair on August 28th! That surgery will create a "roof" in her mouth that does not have a gap in it. It will be the week that I am supposed to go back to work for inservice stuff -- gosh, I guess I get to miss the MEETINGS. :) She should heal with relative ease and I anticipate that I will be able to start school the next week. And if not, well -- she is my priority right now.
I can not believe the way we have been so blessed to cross all the right paths with all the right people in this process. I do not think I could have arranged things more smoothly if I had tried!
As far as our house -- well, it has been a full week. Julia is doing BEAUTIFULLY. She is so easy and funny and charming. So far everyone who has met her has been just in awe that she has only been with me for a couple of weeks. She is just a confident, smiling little person. We *might* be moving in the direction of sleeping through the night.... the American night.
This weekend we are headed a couple of hours to the north of here to show dogs for two days. Julia still likes the dogs -- from a distance. We will put her in the backpack and let her watch in a place that is comfortable for her.
I will get some newer pics uploaded and take some this weekend too. Julia has developed quite the following with her story. I think it is neat for people to see how the story unfolds with her. She is doing what everything in my house does -- thriving. Now, nevermind that my house is a DISASTER -- we walked in the door and dumped everything and I have been reminded of how much you DONT get done with a 2 year old.... but she is thriving anyway and does not seem to care if mama's landry is done or not.
more on Monday...
Jackie
posted by Jack's Journey at
4:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home