Today was a big day.
Maya had her first comprehensive doctor's visit today, and we couldn't be more pleased with how everything seems to be doing with her.
The only concern we have at this point is that she's a little dehydrated. Nothing serious, but there were problems drawing blood today. Problems to the point of . . . like, they didn't get any. Her veins were just too small and they attributed this to her lack of fluid intake. Maya has never liked to drink any kind of thin liquid. She takes a bottle like its her last (the kind that's got all of her solid food mushed up in it), but juice, water, pedialyte . . . all of that is a big no-no to her. Its concerned me all along, because it just seems to make sense that the 'meal' bottles she takes just isn't enough to give her the hydration she needs. I've started just taking a syringe and using that to put juice in her mouth, forcing her to swallow it. I do that a time or two after every bottle, but she doesn't like it at all. We'll go back to the clinic in a few weeks for a re-check, so we've got to make sure that we've gotten plenty of fluids in her before that visit so they can get the blood drawn. Those tests are some of the most important ones we need to have done, so that's gonna be key for our next visit.
The next big step is beginning her therapies. This stuff is all still very much up in the air. The doctors there really want her in RISE, but RISE really wants us in Early Intervention (and I know I didn't update you on all of that, its just been hard to explain). Things haven't exactly gone the way we wanted them to. As is life, ya know? What's meant to be will be in the end, and we'll do everything we can according to what's best for Maya. Dr. Chambers just thinks we've GOT to get SOMETHING going, especially speech and occupational therapy, because she's just so far behind. She can't communicate at all, and occupational therapy is important in helping her learn to eat solid food, and in learning to use her hands.
We had a chance to ask all of our specific questions, and Dr. Chambers was phenomenal at taking her time to answer each one thoroughly. One of the few doctor's appointments I've ever been to where the doctor didn't seem rushed. One thing that is different for Maya, because of her Down's diagnosis, is her process with attachment/bonding. This was SUPERBOLOUS (yes, that's a word . . . as of now) for me, because I'm ready to see my NBC people. Look for me Wednesday night, 'cause me and my biddies will ALL be there! She's just going to react differently than other adopted children. If you think about many people with Down's, they're just all very 'people' people, so it just makes sense that, regardless, she's gonna probably just kinda 'take' to everybody. She DEFINITELY needs to know that we're mama, daddy, brother, sister, and know what family is. And we're not about to start leaving her behind without one of us for several weeks, but at least we can kinda come out now and revisit life as we know it. VERY. HAPPY. NEWS.
The whole attachment thing is going very well now. I definitely think she's developing/developed those bonds with me, and the rest of the family is falling right into place. This is kinda the order things are supposed to go in, so I'm very pleased with her progress. She likes to be held and played with for a longer amount of time now, so that was a big thing I was waiting on.
So, we're moving right along in the right direction. Things will fall into place as they need to in relation to therapies, so we're doing what we need to do and letting God handle the rest. He's in control of it all, anyway.
Thanks for the continued prayers for everything. I know I've said it lots of times, but we just really appreciate everything . . . the donations, the gifts, the dinners, the babysitting . . . just everything. If you've participated in any way, we couldn't have done it without you, and I sincerely mean that.
Ok. I'm out. Have a lovely, air-conditioned afternoon :).
Love,
Paige
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