Monday, September 22, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Update
Samuel is pulling himself to stand, in his crib, around furniture, and on people. It is so cute! He is getting into everything, and it is much harder to get him to sleep. He stands in his crib and cries at us (he is in our bedroom for now). I miss when I could just lay him down and he would go right to sleep.
He had his blood taken yesterday. The new doc wants to double check things that were done in Haiti, like HIV, Hep and other things. His TB test was neg. He will get checked out again at the beginning of next month.
On the 29th we are going to Seattle for an appointment with Craniofacial. I am anxious to hear what this group of Dr's think would be the best plan for him.
We had an appointment with the speech therapist and massage therapist this week. He is delayed in his communication skills, so the speech therapist gave me some ideas on how to work with him. We will go back in Jan. to see how he is doing, unless I hear otherwise. The massage therapist comes out to our house and teaches infant massage to us. This was our first appointment, so no massage was done, just discussing and working on goals and a plan for Samuel.
He also got his first tooth. It finally came through a few days ago!
That's about it, I will post some pics soon of Samuel standing, and maybe of his tooth if I can get a good shot.
He had his blood taken yesterday. The new doc wants to double check things that were done in Haiti, like HIV, Hep and other things. His TB test was neg. He will get checked out again at the beginning of next month.
On the 29th we are going to Seattle for an appointment with Craniofacial. I am anxious to hear what this group of Dr's think would be the best plan for him.
We had an appointment with the speech therapist and massage therapist this week. He is delayed in his communication skills, so the speech therapist gave me some ideas on how to work with him. We will go back in Jan. to see how he is doing, unless I hear otherwise. The massage therapist comes out to our house and teaches infant massage to us. This was our first appointment, so no massage was done, just discussing and working on goals and a plan for Samuel.
He also got his first tooth. It finally came through a few days ago!
That's about it, I will post some pics soon of Samuel standing, and maybe of his tooth if I can get a good shot.
Monday, September 8, 2008
"What's wrong with that kid?"
On Saturday I went to a church function with friends. When we were climbing in the van and I was buckling Samuel in his carseat I was approached by a very upfront child.
"Whoa, what's wrong with that kid??" this eight or nine year old boy asks me.
"He was born with a whole in his skull so he had to have surgery." is my reply.
"What is that then?" He points to Samuel's bump.
"That is where they fixed the hole." I say.
"What did they put in it?" he asks.
" I am not sure exactly, some medical stuff." It was some sort of putty, but I wanted the conversation to end.
"Mom, look this kid...." then his ADD kicks in as he turns back to me. "Can I touch it?" Shocked by the question, but in awe by this child's curiosity, I say yes. He poked it gently a few times. It feels hard like bone. He turns, gets in the car and we pull away.
My kids couldn't believe what happened. They thought it was so rude. I really hope that Samuel does not have to be asked these questions his whole life. I don't even notice his bump anymore, but I know a lot of people do. Some people make sure to comment on how adorable he is, other people stare, then look away when I see them staring, and some come right out and ask what happened. I personally would rather not answer them, but I do, hoping it will satisfy their curiosity so I can finish paying for my groceries (or whatever else I am doing)!!
"Whoa, what's wrong with that kid??" this eight or nine year old boy asks me.
"He was born with a whole in his skull so he had to have surgery." is my reply.
"What is that then?" He points to Samuel's bump.
"That is where they fixed the hole." I say.
"What did they put in it?" he asks.
" I am not sure exactly, some medical stuff." It was some sort of putty, but I wanted the conversation to end.
"Mom, look this kid...." then his ADD kicks in as he turns back to me. "Can I touch it?" Shocked by the question, but in awe by this child's curiosity, I say yes. He poked it gently a few times. It feels hard like bone. He turns, gets in the car and we pull away.
My kids couldn't believe what happened. They thought it was so rude. I really hope that Samuel does not have to be asked these questions his whole life. I don't even notice his bump anymore, but I know a lot of people do. Some people make sure to comment on how adorable he is, other people stare, then look away when I see them staring, and some come right out and ask what happened. I personally would rather not answer them, but I do, hoping it will satisfy their curiosity so I can finish paying for my groceries (or whatever else I am doing)!!
Plea for help from another blog
Dear Friend,
Ike rained and blew all night on poor Haiti. This morning it is still raining and blowing. While we are safe on a mountain in Port au Prince, the northwest of Haiti is experiencing a natural disaster of unimaginable proportions. Tropical Storm Hanna flooded Gonaives and claimed more than 500 lives in the past week. Now Hurrican Ike is dumping more wind and rain on the battered region. This morning we received a first hand report of a missionary there who said, "Forty children in the orphanage are eating flour, because they have not had food for five days." This same missionary is using bleach to purify contaminated well water for drinking. While human and animal cadavers float in the flood waters surrounding the facility. They have no other choice though as the UN is NOT DISTRIBUTING RELIEF.The UN received 33 tons of relief for the region yesterday and it is warehoused in Gonaives, to date they have not distributed any of it. We received a message from a Haitian pastor in Gonaives who said his wife walked 18 hours through mud and flood waters to get food for her family. She returned empty handed, even with cash she could not find food; BECAUSE THE UN IS HOLDING THE FOOD BACK IN THE WAREHOUSES. It is rumored they will sell the relief after the storm. This same family said, they "are waiting for death." This is not an overstatement of the situation in Haiti. We need your help now. You can go on line and find the name of your Congress men and you United States Senators with their phone numbers. Call them today and tell them that the UN is NOT DISTRIBUTING RELIEF IN HAITI. That you know the situation is worsening by the minute and thousands are at risk, in fact 600,000 Haitians have been displaced without food and water for days now. As of Sunday morning, aid had arrived in Gonaive but due to fear of rioting, it had not been distributed according to missionaries in Gonaive. People have been without food AND water for 6 days now. Orphanages in the area have children without food and water. The UN that is suppose to distribute the food and water. The US, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, The Netherlands, and other countries supporting the UN should demand that this food be distributed!Another missionary, Licia Zachary Betor with Real Hope for Haiti, in the village of Cazele said that at 3 AM on Sunday morning, a wall of water swept through the village of Cazele. There is a small, shallow river that runs through the middle of the village. They are assuming that a mud slide in the mountains caused the wall of water to sweep down and flood the village. It took out the foot bridge over the river and swept people away. Licia heard that the road to the village was cut in half by the fast moving water and so the village is isolated, but she did not know for certain yesterday afternoon if that was true. Go to her blog at: http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/ to read more about the flood.Please be praying for Haiti. Due to the flooding and devastation, schools will not open until October 6. Your help is needed more than ever to help the Haitian children.
Ike rained and blew all night on poor Haiti. This morning it is still raining and blowing. While we are safe on a mountain in Port au Prince, the northwest of Haiti is experiencing a natural disaster of unimaginable proportions. Tropical Storm Hanna flooded Gonaives and claimed more than 500 lives in the past week. Now Hurrican Ike is dumping more wind and rain on the battered region. This morning we received a first hand report of a missionary there who said, "Forty children in the orphanage are eating flour, because they have not had food for five days." This same missionary is using bleach to purify contaminated well water for drinking. While human and animal cadavers float in the flood waters surrounding the facility. They have no other choice though as the UN is NOT DISTRIBUTING RELIEF.The UN received 33 tons of relief for the region yesterday and it is warehoused in Gonaives, to date they have not distributed any of it. We received a message from a Haitian pastor in Gonaives who said his wife walked 18 hours through mud and flood waters to get food for her family. She returned empty handed, even with cash she could not find food; BECAUSE THE UN IS HOLDING THE FOOD BACK IN THE WAREHOUSES. It is rumored they will sell the relief after the storm. This same family said, they "are waiting for death." This is not an overstatement of the situation in Haiti. We need your help now. You can go on line and find the name of your Congress men and you United States Senators with their phone numbers. Call them today and tell them that the UN is NOT DISTRIBUTING RELIEF IN HAITI. That you know the situation is worsening by the minute and thousands are at risk, in fact 600,000 Haitians have been displaced without food and water for days now. As of Sunday morning, aid had arrived in Gonaive but due to fear of rioting, it had not been distributed according to missionaries in Gonaive. People have been without food AND water for 6 days now. Orphanages in the area have children without food and water. The UN that is suppose to distribute the food and water. The US, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, The Netherlands, and other countries supporting the UN should demand that this food be distributed!Another missionary, Licia Zachary Betor with Real Hope for Haiti, in the village of Cazele said that at 3 AM on Sunday morning, a wall of water swept through the village of Cazele. There is a small, shallow river that runs through the middle of the village. They are assuming that a mud slide in the mountains caused the wall of water to sweep down and flood the village. It took out the foot bridge over the river and swept people away. Licia heard that the road to the village was cut in half by the fast moving water and so the village is isolated, but she did not know for certain yesterday afternoon if that was true. Go to her blog at: http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/ to read more about the flood.Please be praying for Haiti. Due to the flooding and devastation, schools will not open until October 6. Your help is needed more than ever to help the Haitian children.
Hurricane in Haiti
Needs for Real Hope for Haiti- you can donate at their site or to the right:
#1 need is water – they have people bringing water in from the river and then they are running it through filter. Lori wasn’t sure on numbers, but she knows that Licia is paying people to bring water up from river and people to filter the water. They have good filters, it just takes time, money to run generators, and money to pay people to get the water. Lori gave me a rough estimate that $40US dollars per day could get clean water to a minimum of 250 people per day. That’s awesome!
#2 need is food – problem is that they can not get in and out of Cazalle. So they are having to buy from local vendors, etc. BUT they all went through flood too, so resources are low.
#3 need is stuff for people’s houses in villages that was destroyed – Lori isn’t there, so she can’t say first hand, but she knows that people had to have lost everything. She thinks one of their workers lost his whole house. Just from knowing where people live she knows that people had to have lost a lot. They will try and help their employees from the RC and clinic and people in their village and surrounding villages. So, they will need $ from volunteers like us to help rebuild people’s home and get them new “stuff”. As she gets back and they can get out and access the damage they will let me know more needs. Right now Licia can’t even walk around or get across the river to check things out.One of the things that concerned me the most was the bridge but Lori says it is not one of their top needs. She said that usually the Aid reliefs and Haitian government will come in and fix those things. It also sounds like this storm hit the worst in their area (Cabaret on Rd Nat 1) and around them. SO, hopefully the government will get out and start fixing some bridges. She explained all that was wrong with the bridge, but she told me this is not one of their biggest concerns. Right now they need water and food. She said that the bridge that is there across from them is gone as well as the one in Cabaret and one more I think that I can’t remember where it is. The road up to their house is gone. If you’ve been there you know it is not much of a road for our American standards, but there is no way in and out right now. People are having to walk miles to get to them. They heard that gas was up to $13 US and when gas goes up, food goes up, and people can’t get food, and so we’re praying for no riots, etc like we saw this Spring. Good thing is that RC and clinic are good and no damage that she knows of went on. Houses on both sides of them flooded. God protected the children and the clinic from damage. :) As they say in Haiti “DEGAJE” – do the best with what you’ve got!
#1 need is water – they have people bringing water in from the river and then they are running it through filter. Lori wasn’t sure on numbers, but she knows that Licia is paying people to bring water up from river and people to filter the water. They have good filters, it just takes time, money to run generators, and money to pay people to get the water. Lori gave me a rough estimate that $40US dollars per day could get clean water to a minimum of 250 people per day. That’s awesome!
#2 need is food – problem is that they can not get in and out of Cazalle. So they are having to buy from local vendors, etc. BUT they all went through flood too, so resources are low.
#3 need is stuff for people’s houses in villages that was destroyed – Lori isn’t there, so she can’t say first hand, but she knows that people had to have lost everything. She thinks one of their workers lost his whole house. Just from knowing where people live she knows that people had to have lost a lot. They will try and help their employees from the RC and clinic and people in their village and surrounding villages. So, they will need $ from volunteers like us to help rebuild people’s home and get them new “stuff”. As she gets back and they can get out and access the damage they will let me know more needs. Right now Licia can’t even walk around or get across the river to check things out.One of the things that concerned me the most was the bridge but Lori says it is not one of their top needs. She said that usually the Aid reliefs and Haitian government will come in and fix those things. It also sounds like this storm hit the worst in their area (Cabaret on Rd Nat 1) and around them. SO, hopefully the government will get out and start fixing some bridges. She explained all that was wrong with the bridge, but she told me this is not one of their biggest concerns. Right now they need water and food. She said that the bridge that is there across from them is gone as well as the one in Cabaret and one more I think that I can’t remember where it is. The road up to their house is gone. If you’ve been there you know it is not much of a road for our American standards, but there is no way in and out right now. People are having to walk miles to get to them. They heard that gas was up to $13 US and when gas goes up, food goes up, and people can’t get food, and so we’re praying for no riots, etc like we saw this Spring. Good thing is that RC and clinic are good and no damage that she knows of went on. Houses on both sides of them flooded. God protected the children and the clinic from damage. :) As they say in Haiti “DEGAJE” – do the best with what you’ve got!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
New Doctor
I took Samuel to a new doctor today. A friend recommended him to us, and I love him! He is younger, and very nice. He ran an HIV clinic in Africa for a while, and also worked and studied in China. He is very well educated in different cultures and illnesses and things that most American doctors never see. Today we went over Sammy's history. He decided to do another TB check, and check for anemia. He also said that he should be seen about his eyes. (I made an appointment today to go in October.) We will need to come in to the doctor's office on Thursday AM to check the TB site on his forearm. With all the prodding and poking Samuel did so great. He is such a good baby. I will try to post some new photos soon.
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