So here's the story on Miguel. He is my very good friends very cute son. I am, only by Jesus, his Auntie Risa. And I just love when he calls me that. So Miguels story goes a bit like this. He was born in August of 2006. He was born with one kidney that was not functioning so they quickly removed it. Major surgery at such a young age. So sad. Anyway, so he had his kidney removed. So life continues on for a while and his mommy (Lindsey) is noticing that he is not eating well. So as any mom would she consults the professionals and they just tell her, "well you just need to make him eat." Yeah, okay, let me just tell my infant son, "son, EAT!" I think that will be so effective. NOT! So time passes and he is still not eating. As a matter of fact he is beginning to lose weight. Poor little man. So again, as any mom would she consults some different professionals. This time scoring a good one, who tells her that her son has a very high food aversion. Okay. So let me just say this, coming from an overweight person...I wish I had that problem!!! Well so not the case for a child who should be growing. One who should be getting his chub on! Let me just share a bit of what a food aversion is. For Miguel it is very complicated. Not only does he struggle with the texture and taste of food, but even the site and feel and look of food will cause him to heave as though he is going to vomit. Yes, even the sight of food will do that to him. So many people just say, "oh he's just being picky." So not the case for this sweet man. It is so much more complicated. So for a long while they tried to figure out what would be the best solution for Miguel so that he would gain weight and be a healthy strong boy. So last year in October, they had a G-tube put in. This is a tube that goes straight into his stomach so that she (Lindsey) can attach a feeding tube to it and feed him through that. This is so that he is getting the nutrients that he needs to grow. This required another surgery to place the tube in. Now at the age of two and a half, what do you think a child would do when encountering a tube sticking out of your stomach? PULL IT!! Well, let me just say from experience, when he pulls that hard enough, the tube comes out leaving an open hole which then allows whatever is in his stomach to come rushing out! Oh ya, just as you are picturing that, your right, AHHHH!!! That's about what goes on in your head at that precise moment. So try telling a two year old to hold still long enough for you to empty the balloon, stick the tube back through the hole in his stomach then fill the balloon back up so as to keep it in. Yeah, not so much. So as they thrash around and cry, it creates the stomach muscles to tighten, which in turn keeps you from being allowed to put the tube back in. And if you are unsuccessful, you have to fly over to the ER so that they can do it before the hole closes up as to not have to go through a horrid process of stretching the hole or having another surgery to fix it. Yeah! Crazy right!? I'm happy to say that this has not happened much and that we were able to get it back in. And that was just the time that I was there to help. Lindsey has had to do this on her own before, right after the procedure was done resulting in an ER visit! Scary! So anyway, with all this, this sweet little man has such an amazing personality despite all the stuff he has to go through. I have the privilege of taking him and his mommy to all his appointments every week and watching him learn and grow though all his OT and feeding classes (teaching him food is okay). I've even been able to build relationships with all his doctors, dietitians, and therapy ladies, which helps me to be a better auntie to him. Learning him and what he deals with is a blessing to me. I love him more than you know, and get so excited when he gains ounces. Just yesterday was a weigh in. And he gained!! That is a huge accomplishment! He now weighs 22lbs 2.1 (or so) ounces! Of course he doesn't look as big as an average size 30 month old. But that does not mean he doesn't act like one! He is so precious. Most people see those cheeks and just go crazy over him. I know I do. Him and his mommy are very much a part of my life, and I plan on keeping it that way! You will hear me talk about him a lot so I figured I would give you the low down on this sweet boy so that you might better understand where he's come from since the day of his birth. He has gone through, and still does, more than most of us adults have in our life time. So this is the story of Miguel, and I hope that you will be praying for him as he continues to grow and accomplish the tasks set before him with great strength. Here are some pictures so that you can put a face to a name. :D
This was at the hospital just yesterday while we ate lunch in between appointments.
This is him and his uncle Jeff sitting and watching a movie. They love their time together.
Yesterday we had a chiropractor appointment and he was sound asleep in my arms and when I laid him down for his adjustment, he stayed sound asleep and I just couldn't resist the picture. It was so funny and so incredibly sweet! I totally have these days! LOL
So as I've promised I would see you next month, here we are on the third day of the next month! Happy February everyone! Mine has started out, how can I say this, a bit challenging. As you'll recall in a previous blog I talked about Jeff starting a job with a new dealership that was just a blessing. That was back in Aug. of last year. He has since been there and it has been one trial after another with this company. Not at all what we had expected. How awesome is that!? Just a couple of weeks ago, his boss quit due to the GM and the owner telling him either he could fire one of the parts guys (either my Jeff or the other one) or they would cut his pay 40%! Hmmm....decision time. He choose to quit. Well...alrighty then! So we were totally praising God for allowing Jeff to continue having a job. Whew. Scary right? Well Monday rolls around and Jeff calls me in the morning to inform me that the GM brought him and the other Jeff into his office and proceeded to cut both of their pays buy a couple thousand a month! And that they are not going to be hourly but salary from now on. SO...he will be working M-F and every other Sat. 9 to 10 hours a day! Getting paid half as much and on salary!!! Can you say, WHAT!!!???? Ya, that's what I said! So after I put out the fire in my mouth, I calmly told him that we would figure it out and just pray that we would trust that God has a plan in all this mess. Okay, let me just say this, money does NOT fall from trees! I've checked! And I live in Washington! Do you know how many trees we have up here!? OYE! So as bad as this is, we are going to just trust that God will provide. And I'm really hoping that he provides with a healthy and strong, full grown money tree! :D Okay, so as if that news wasn't tough to deal with, the next day I'm busy about my house doing absolutely nothing, and the phone rings. So let me just back up a minute here. While going through this foster to adopt program, I was told that I had to have a land line so that the foster children had access to a phone in case of an emergency. No comment. So it's been a while since we started this process and being that I am getting older and do become forgetful...I decided to get rid of our cable and land line to save us some money a month. I did this in December. So...about three days after I call our company to do so, I'm in the shower; sorry that's a horrible vision. So...about three days after I call our company to do so, I'm getting ready to go somewhere; ya that's better, and it strikes me that crap, I have to have land line for the foster care! Dang it!! Seriously! Now not only do I have to get all my phone stuff back out of the closet I have to call the company back and look like an old geezer and have them turn my phone back on, get a new phone number, one in which I will not remember, and find a time to be here so they can re due the modem. Oh my Lord, are you kidding me! Okay, so fine, it wasn't that bad. Done. It didn't take to long and it's been back on for a couple weeks, although it rings ALL THE TIME! Who ever had this number before us had a lot of debt, cause all their debtors are calling me!! Like I'm going to pay there bills! I can't even pay my own for crying out loud! So, Monday we get told that just when you thought you couldn't pay your bills, now you can't afford to have a roof over your head let alone that stupid phone! Okay, enough about the phone. So Tuesday, the day after we find out about Jeff's job, I'm mulling about and the phone rings. It's YFC (organization for foster care). We've been waiting to get a call back as to what the state was going to decided as far as Jeff's record was concerned. So the lady proceeds to tell me that the state is NOT going to accept this because there apparently is still one charge that they did not remove and shows as a permanent crime. Well...how nice!!! So not only are we poor, but we can't even have kids!!! I'm just wondering, is this a big fat ugly dream? So I hang up with her just to have Jeff walk in from work fifteen minutes later and have to tell him. Bless his heart, he was so upset at himself for 17 years ago and the choices he made. I absolutely do not blame him for any of this. I had told him before that no matter what the decision was going to be that it would be that of the Lords. Now, when the decision comes back and just so happens to be not what you want, it is so hard to stay calm and remember what you had said previously. So after some time of talking through it and breaking down, I am feeling a bit better. I'm so sad at this ending, and ask that you keep me lifted in prayer as having children has been such a desire for me since I was very young. We're going on seven and a half years of trying naturally and it's not happening, and then going for the foster/adopt, and for that to fall through has made me a bit sensitive and a bit angry and very very sad. It's so easy for people to say, "In God's timing," "It'll happen," or "Oh don't worry, when the time is right, you'll know." And not that those things are not true, when you have not been in my shoes for this long you cannot imagine how that feels. So I just ask that you would hold us high in God and pray for us to keep focused on His plans for us. So on a lighter note, pray for the representative who has to take my call to once again cancel my land line for the second time. I find that so funny! On, off, on, off! Poor people. I'm so glad they can't see my face, so that if I were to ever go to the store and see them I'm sure that I would find a knife in my back. Well I pray your February has been much better than mine and Jeff's and I will continue to keep you updated on our very exciting life! :D
