Thursday was an awesome day. It was the culmination of the end of two surgeries which have drastically changed the quality of Sidney's life and function of her hands. If you are just tuning in, Sidney has three fingers on each hand. On the right side, two fingers were fused by skin. On the left, her middle finger was growing wider at the base as a result of a misshapen growth plate and bone which needed to be reconstructed. We are at the tail end of the second surgery. Prior to travel we were aware something would probably have to be done, but we were not aware one side was webbed.
Could we have taken all of this to a geneticist or orthopedist prior to travel and gotten a more complete picture? Yes. Did we? No. Some might find this a careless attitude. This was the only time my life that I have truly gone on gut instinct. If you know my personality, I am overly cautious and analytical about everything. This is the only time in my life I have gone on raw instinct. Something greater than my being was intervening. I have no other explanation for my behavior. Other parents of special needs children will understand this instinct. We did speak with doctors to comb over her other medical information. We also felt that we would never have an accurate picture of her needs until we were home.
And for my readers outside of the adoption world, trying to contemplate the definition of special needs. Special needs is a variable term. Typically children come to the United States with very fixable medical issues. These are children who are typically (of course there are many, many exceptions) fine outside of a correctible medical need. A society critical of anything outwardly different has shunned them to a place which will never give them purpose. So this is my motivation when we step back into the clinic.
A pin was removed from the middle finger on her left hand. The pin itself had the appearance of a fishhook coming out the end of her finger, perfectly healed around the outside. Mom stepped out of the room with Eli who was a bit freaked out by it. Tom said there was a bit of twisting involved to get it out, and it went about an inch and a half into her finger. Sidney, trooper that she is, didn’t so much as wince when they took it out. Rather she started crying when it was done. Afterward we went to physical theraphy where a splint was made.
Luckily, the physical therapist showed us how to use a wrap to keep the splint on the hand. It is not sticky but adheres to itself. She told us we can pick it up at any farm supply store, because it is used on horses. This was only after waiting in the reception area with an inmate. This is a state hospital, so we see some fairly interesting people. As we stood waiting to have Sidney’s splint done, we were treated to a conversation between the guard and inmate on how he injured his hand “lifting weights.” Obviously, the guard was pressing him. Eli’s eyes were like saucers when he saw someone in shackles in the waiting area.
After a couple of days home with the splint, Sidney remains very protective of her hand. She does not like when we take the splint off for a bath and frequently turns it over and speaks in a very serious tone. I am unsure of what she is saying, but it is adorable. Poor baby was attacked by a mosquito in the night and has about five bites on her cheek. Mommy feels absolutely terrible. This was in addition to the three she got on the nature trail yesterday. It looks worse than the rash from giardia. Hopefully the redness goes away partially today.
We are off to visit Grandma Jean and BobBob (Sidney’s name for Grandpa Bob).
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