SB Picnic

Just posted a YouTube video of Maria figuring out that she can kick a soccer ball.  We went to the Spina Bifida Association picnic yesterday.  It was fun getting to meet people and see the kids have lots of fun.  The kids got to participate in events.  Maria got a medal for her soccer skills!  I was one proud momma watching her figure out how to kick the ball!  She made lots of new friends and tried some new things.  All the kids were amazing and so willing to try everything.  At one point Maria saw the other 11 year old girl running and I could just see the wheels turning in her head, thinking how can I do that too.

Maria hanging out with some new friends.  She really liked these two girls (one is also 11 and the other is older)

Maria bouncing a bad-mitten birdie

Getting her medal

That face says it all!  It was a great day!

This morning at church I was noticing that Maria is walking a lot faster than she was.  I commented to my friend about it and she agreed.  When Maria knows where she is going and is sure of the surface she is walking on, she is getting there faster!  Her gait even seems to be improving some to me....can't wait for the PT to see her in almost 2 weeks.

On a disappointing note, the family that was shown Z decided that they were not his family.  I'm sadden by this, but also understand that if they were not sure they should not proceed.  I believe there is a family out there for Z and J.  I hope that with the help of some pretty amazing people we will be able to help these boys find families.  If you are interested in either of them or know someone who might be, please let me know.

Learning how to kick

Friends left behind

I have spoken many times of Maria's friend "Z".  I don't know if the family that was sent his information sees him as part of their family or not.  I hope that I do hear something soon.  He is a wonderful boy who needs a family.  My friend Viviane even wrote a profile for him...here it is:

Zane was born in 2000 and has been in orphanage care since infancy.  Zane is wheelchair-bound with scoliosis and cerebral palsy.  He is a bright and engaging boy that until recently was well loved and sheltered at an orphanage for younger children.  However, he was finally transferred to an older child home last month.  Zane makes friends easily and is developmentally on target aside from typical orphanage delays.

 

Zane’s best friend of over a decade was adopted to the United States in June and both children are heart-broken to see their lives so far apart now.

  

Well, yesterday Maria and I were on Skype with Manuela.  I was able to ask her about the 2 other children who are featured on the foundations' website that Maria talks about all the time.  Here is J's story.  J was born with some kind of syndrome (not sure what), he was not expected to live more than a few hours and now is a healthy 11 year old boy!  J was born missing the front part of his skull/forehead.  His brain was down lower than it should have been and being held in place only by the muscles and skin of the face.  His eyes were at the sides of his head instead of in front.  He really had no nose to speak of and on top of all of that he was missing a foot.  As I said they didn't expect this boy to live, but he did and he even started walking!  From what I have heard he scared the nurses and staff at the orphanage because they were so concerned he would fall and hurt his head/brain.  Well, he has had many surgeries...they placed some kind of man made forehead for him....repositioned his eyes....build him a nose using a part of a different bone and he has a prosthetic foot.  Did I mention that he is developmentally and academically on target?  Well he is!  He goes to the public school in his town.  Is still watched over by the foundation that helped Maria and Z.  Manuela asked if there was any chance that someone would want to adopt him.  I'm not sure....but I have now put her in touch with someone to see if that is something that can happen for this little fighter!

I didn't find out much about the other boy "S".  I know he and J are at the same orphanage and that he has some kind of braces for his legs, but that the current staff really don't know how he is suppose to wear them and he often isn't wearing them when he should.

Bulgarian adoption 2012

Sorry this video was made private on YouTube because of the NGO I used obtaining the link.

Maria at Playground

Playground pictures

Maria wanted to go to a playground today, so I took her to one of the schools I work with.  It has a wonderful playground and a great rubber mat type flooring which is good for her to walk on.  It would have been a lot more fun if it hadn't been 106 degrees outside!  Sent the pictures and videos to Manuela to see...she continues to be amazed at all Maria can do!  Hard to believe a few years ago Maria was loosing the ability to walk.  Thank God for people like Manuela and Dr. Bruno who helped her along her journey home.

Maria went right over, put her crutches down and started climbing up!

Wild slide ride

Wish other kids would have been there, but don't blame them in this heatwave!

She did really great getting herself to where she wanted to be!

One last look down at mom

Not as wild a ride this time

Even got her to try the rock wall...had to help her with placing her right foot, but she did great!

Success!

Braces, Teeth and Tears

Well Friday was a L.O.N.G. day.  We started out driving to Des Moines to find out if Maria needs new braces.  Yes, she does...AFO and KAFO (not cheap at all).  But she does really need them and soon.  Her current braces are at least 2 1/2-3 years old.  Manuela told me this on Saturday morning when we were on Skype.  She was so sweet about it saying that they wanted to apologize that they didn't send her with newer braces.  After getting her legs cast we ran to the shoe store to find some shoes for her.  One shoe has to be built up so that it makes her right leg longer.  This will cost about $50 per shoes to do...not that big of a deal.  Then had to drop the shoes back off at the office so that they could be done in time for school.  Will be calling Shriner's tomorrow to see if there is anyway they can consult on the braces and save me some out of pocket expenses....if not we will get these done right before school starts

Took us a while to get out of Des Moines and find a place to eat.  Then we headed to the CDD (Center for Disabilities and Development) in Iowa City to see a pediatric dentist.  The CDD is great it is completely for kids who have any kind of disability or developmental issues.  They were really great.  The staff know how to work with kids who have different needs.  Now, Maria had been talking about the dentist all week, so I didn't think going was going to be an issue.  After all the poking and prodding she has been through....um think again.  Got her to the room where the dentist and his assistant could count her teeth....once she was lying back she started crying, wouldn't open her mouth, was so very upset!  Finally they kind of got her teeth counted, they even pulled up google translate to let her know what they wanted her to do (which did help some).  Got her to brush her teeth and she did let him check to see how clean she brushed them.  He was able to do a little scraping/cleaning on the teeth and paint the teeth vitamins on the teeth.  She was fine when we left until about half way home and she looked at me and said "dentist?"  I told her we had been to the dentist and that she was crying there so the dentist didn't do much.  This made her start to cry again....why, because she knows she has teeth that need to be pulled and she wanted them pulled.  So, here is the issue.  Maria has several baby teeth that are loose and need to come out...the other teeth are already in.  Because of her reaction the dentist is recommending that she be given a sedative and that they do the work all at one time.  I know that they need to come out and we are working on them together.  She has said she wants me to pull them out verse the dentist (which I think is great, she trusts me more than some stranger).  We have gotten about 2 full teeth and 2 partial teeth out...basically the centers of the teeth are hallow and they are breaking (which can't feel good).  She still has a lot of fear about it hurting. We did talk to my Bulgarian friend about it and she was able to help Maria know that the teeth will be taken care of and it will only hurt a little.  Manuela was able to explain things a little better to me.  She said that Maria has had so much pain with her surgeries over the years that she has a very high fear of being in pain.  Which makes total sense.  So, we are trying to deal with it together and help ease her fears.

The other morning I opened an email from the head of a NGO in Bulgaria who has been helping me figure out Maria's best friend Z's waiting child number.  Well....I knew she had  found his number and we had been discussing how to find Z a family.  Well...the email said that one of her partner agencies in the USA has a family who is interested in adopting a boy that almost fits Z 100%!  Seriously, I just started crying, tears of joy!  She asked if the family can contact me since I have met Z.  I said YES, of course.  I want to see this boy with a family!  Now here is the funny thing....my friend who went on trip 1 with me and got to meet Maria and Z....she and her husband are using the same US agency as this family!  What are the chances?!?  So, hopefully Z will soon have a family fighting for him to come home.  I also hope that Maria and Z will be able to meet again one day and renew their friendship.