Children's Hospital

Well, Grace slept pretty good her first night home last Thursday.  We were all late getting to sleep since we didn't even get home from the airport until 10:30 or so.  I guess somewhere around 2:00 am we all finally laid down.  Grace wanted to lay down in her toddler bed to begin with but only a few minutes after we laid her down she starting whimpering.  So, I scooped her up in my arms and laid her beside me.  She dosed right off.

She was up around 10ish and seemed fine.  I fixed her some congee (Chinese name for rice boiled in water).  She had eaten it almost every morning in China.  She ate maybe 3 or 4 bites and pushed it away.  It wasn't long until we knew she wasn't feeling well.  All day Friday she vomited.  We did all we could to keep liquids down her but as soon as she would take something in it would come right back up.  All afternoon and evening we went from one bed to the next changing sheets and laundering linens while she regurgitated everything she had in her little tummy.  We tried multiple nausea meds, Pedialight, crushed ice, everything we knew to help her and nothing was working.

She kept holding her tummy saying, "Mama, tong-ma."  Tong-ma is Chinese for pain; not sure I'm spelling it right but that was one word we wanted to learn.  Finally, after praying and crying and doing all we knew to do Steven and I jumped in the car and raced to Children's hospital.

Once the IV was in and the fluids began to circulate through her little body as well as some nausea meds she soon found some relief.  It seemed like forever before that happened but it finally did.  They took an X-ray of her stomach to be sure everything checked out okay there, got a urine specimen and drew blood.  Gradually she ceased saying tong-ma, relaxed and fell asleep.  We were so relieved.

She ended up being really dehydrated in spite of our attempts to keep fluid in her and the doctor said that was surely one of things causing her pain.  They asked to keep her overnight so they could monitor her, continue slowly adding fluids back into her tiny system and let her get some food intake and use the bathroom consistently before sending her home.  It turned into another sleepless night, mainly because she slept a lot during that evening I'm sure, but by Sunday morning she was acting so much more like herself.

The doctor was still concerned because her heart rate was still high for a child her age.  All of this was probably caused from the sheer trauma of all the changes she has experienced the past few days and weeks.  She could have picked up a virus from the airports but it may not have been that at all.  The stress, time change, jet lag, etc. etc. etc. could easily cause her little body to react this way in itself.

We're still not sure why her little heart is racing but they did do an EKG and the cardiologist didn't see anything suspicious.  We're so thankful for that but we'll see the International Adoption Clinic specialist this week for further testing, and they'll do a full body workup to evaluate any other issues Grace may have.

We're home now and we all rested much, much better last night (for the first time since we've been home)!  Grace is such a gift.  She gets so excited when her brothers and their family come to see her.  She just lights up like a Christmas tree!

I don't know why the Lord chose us to receive such a little blessing.  I just look at her and see that little thumbnail picture that I first saw Easter weekend last year and can hardly believe she's sitting in my living room this morning!  All I could think of over and over in my mind traveling back from China was how grateful I am that God didn't give up or turn back from His plan to rescue me.  When Jesus left heaven to give His ALL for me He didn't retrieve when it was difficult or confusing or more than He thought He could take.  He remained faithful.  There were so many times in my mind and heart I gave up waiting for Grace; something I'm hesitant to admit but it's the truth.  We were so close on several occasions to withdrawing our application at America World and moving in a different direction; only because nothing was happening and we questioned whether we were doing the Lord's will.  But, the Lord has warmed my heart over and over these past few weeks reminding me how "WORTH IT" she is!  And then He whispers in my ear... "you were worth it to me too!!"

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.  And that is what we are..." (I John 3:1)

"Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?" (2 Samuel 7:18)