Wednesday, November 5, 2008

     These (poor quality phone) pictures sum up why it has taken me a week to do a post.   (Beautiful pictures of me, huh?)  (I am looking HOT!!)
     Yes, it's in my hair. 

     Yes, she is pitching a fit.  She hates to throw up!


     Poor little Emme has really been struggling.  She has been up a lot at night.  She has been spitting up lots of formula, coughing, gagging, strangling, etc...  She seems miserable... at night.  During the day, she is as happy as a little clam.  (How do we know clams are happy?)  (Who came up with these sayings anyway?)

     After being up most of Monday night, wearing the contents of Emme's belly at 9 pm, 1:30am, and again at 7am, I wildly began waving the white flag.  I surrendered and called the doctor.  I had been playing doctor and it just wasn't workin' for me... or Emme.

     Before you think this is another case of neglect from the mother of the year, let me set the record straight.

     After my $5,000 appointment at International Adoption Clinic in the area, I decided going to the doctor was going to be a luxury.  Don't get me wrong, I'd pay any amount of money to see a doc if my children needed it.  I was just having a very difficult time going to the pediatrician, so the pediatrician could send me to a gastro doc sothe gastro doc would order every test under the sun all so they could tell me she had reflux and prescribe her some Zantac.  I am a glass half-full kind of person, can you tell?

     I spent all day Monday praying for things.  One being the fate of this country... which I'd rather not talk about.  One of the other things was that God would give me wisdom to know what to do with this little girl.

     So, Tuesday morning, we took up an offer from a doctor in the area who has been helping with our ministry.  He contacted a doctor friend of his and the friend said he would see Emme without charging us.  I really wasn't looking for a hand out.  I was  looking to skip the pediatrician and go straight to the gastro guy.  I thought that our doctor friend was going to get us into a specialist without having to wait the normal month or two.  But, the doctor friend goes on missions trips and really has a heart for adoption.  So, who was I to argue with a God's provision?  So I went.

     The doctor, who I will now refer to as Dr. H, took one look at her and said, "I am afraid this little girl is going to cost you some money.  I think she is going to need a gastro doctor, an upper GI, and probably a scope."

     For about 5 seconds, I wanted to rip his head off his neck.

     See, why I try to play doctor?  I think he was scared to death of seeing this 14 month old who  looks like a 3 month old.

     We began talking about Emme.  Her behavior and her diet.  I also told him that the $5000 doctor told me to give her formula only for the next 3 months.  He is very familiar with Dr. $5000, had nice things to say about her, said she was a great doctor, yada,  yada, yada but then concluded by saying,  "I totally disagree with her on the feeding."

     Dr. H went on to say that there is a window of time to teach a child how to eat.  That window is from 9 months to 13 months.  Of course, Emme is a month past the window.  He said a belly, especially hers, can only hold so much liquid.  In other words, maybe the formula only, was causing her problems.

     So, he came up with a plan.  The plan is that for the next 2 weeks to feed her first and give her lots less formula after the feeding.  Dr. H went on to say that since she may not eat much, we were going to pack every bit full of calories.

     For example, she likes oatmeal, so I am to make it with heavy cream and sugar.  Make eggs with olive oil and heavy cream.  Whatever healthy fat I can add to something, I need to add.  I make smoothies all the time so today, when I made mine, I left some in the blender and I added cream and avocado.  She ate it like a champ.

     So, how's it working?  

     My first attempt at the food was after the late afternoon doctor appointment yesterday.  But, last night before bed, we didn't have any coughing or gagging or spitting up.  She did get up to eat twice in the middle of the night, but she went right back to sleep.  

     Today, we have had very minimal coughing and none of the other issues.  She has eaten really well all day!

     I feel really good about the plan.  If makes perfect sense to me.

     He told me to come back in two weeks and roll her in in a wheelbarrow.  :-)

     Hopefully, my posting hiatus is over.  Hopefully soon,  I will begin sleeping through the night, having sweet dreams about who is running this country.... not. 

 I'll settle for sleeping through the night:-)

P.S.  I am done with the negative comments about the newly elected President of this country.  I am not a bit happy about the outcome.  However, I do not trust in horses or chariots or the leader of this country, I trust in the Lord, my God.  Furthermore, I will be obedient to God's word and I will pray for him and our country... often.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.


I Timothy 2:1-4
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Romans 13:1
 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

8 comments:

Darja said...

haha, bruce always gets mad at me for saying "happy as a clam" - so i looked up the etymology of it..Etymology: based on the full form of the phrase happy as a clam in mud at high tide (= a clam that cannot be dug up and eaten, which therefore could be considered happy)
who knew?

Tony and Rett said...

I am SO sorry about little Emme...thankfully God sent you a knight to rescue you! Send Emme here. This chubba mama could teach that girl to eat!! :)

I too, am praying like a madwoman for our country. Bottom line. I trust God. Gotta trust him now more than ever!

Praying for you, my friend. Did you read that? My friend. Emme's puke overrides the dog issue! hehehe

Unknown said...

Only a great mom could sit and smile with her childs' puke all over her chest and chin.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad about Emme's new diet. I thought they would have told you that from the start. At least she's happier right?

Love ya!

Truly Blessed said...

Great news that you found a doctor who is rich in wisdom. I certainly pray that the new diet is working, that she's keeping food down and that she'll gain lots of weight soon (FWIW, my under nourised 19 1/2 on m/o 'gotcha day' gained six pounds in just 4 months after we got her! Yippee!)

As for the election results, I'm not happy OR surprised with the results of the election, but I have to trust that God is still in control of the situation. In fact, here's an essay (a prayer, really) written on the eve of the election -- it's a little late, but still just as powerful a reminder, knowing now just whom we're suppose to pray for...

Great Day Addendum - The Election
by J. Martin Stubblefield

"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover–up for evil; live as servants of God.Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." - 1 Peter 2:13-17 NIV

Well... it is finally upon us... Less than 24 hours to election Tuesday in the U.S... And soon we will know who our President will be for the next 4 years...

More than likely, you already know who you will be voting for... who you will support... And so do I.

And after Tuesday, one Party will be exceedingly happy... while the other will not be... That's just the way it works in American politics... in a free nation...

That being said, come Wednesday, when the election is over... and the world around us goes back to its normal day to day activities... and the newly elected President begins to prepare for his inauguration... and tries to find a way... a plan... to put into place ALL of his campaign promises... One thing is for sure...

God will still be God... win or lose... whoever the President will be... God will still be God... still in control... still omnipresent and still omniscient... still all knowing... still creator... still king.... still God

And no matter who becomes President, we will still need to submit to the authority of government... still need to pray for him and the rest of our leaders... whether we like them or not... whether we like their plans or not... and still need to pray for our nation...

And we will need... and should want to pray for the hearts and lives of our leaders... that if they do not know Jesus that they will submit their lives to Him... That He will break their hearts... that He will grab hold of their hearts and minds... and not let go... And that He will protect us from the best laid plans of man... and the snares of the enemy... And that somehow we will reclaim our faith... and that we will see a Great Revival in our nation... in our world...

There is power in prayer... in the prayers of righteous men... God is still good... All the time

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem


And (if you're still reading after all of that, good for you!), if my blog is one of the "invite only" ones that you have tried to visit, you only have to ask for an invitation and I'll gladly send one. My email is journeytokatie@comcast.net

Blessings to your beautiful family.

TB!

Elizabeth Bergeron said...

Hi April, I'm so sorry to hear that little Emme is having such a touch time with digesting some of her foods. That is no fun for her and of course no fun for mom!! I hope this new feeding program works well and she can start to really but some meat on those little bones. I feel your pain with the Dr. IAC and cost! Right now we are barely making it and facing some surgeries with our Emma. Trying to get them in before 09 since we have already met our deductable for this year!! I'd love to meet you and have Cindi join us! Take care and praying for you all.

Sharla M. said...

Well, I'm late checking blogs, I'm so sorry I missed this one but I'm so glad that God made provision for you and sweet Emme.

I'll join you in prayer for President O'NO!

Proverbs 21:1, "The heart of the King is in the Lord's hand, He directs it like a watercourse wherever He chooses." There is hope!

Hugs,
Sharla

rachael said...

Poor little Emme, (Poor mom too) Only you could actually smile with puke all over you. Should have been Paul... now THAT would have been a picture. :) Hope all will be better with the new diet approach. We have been swamped with busy... I'll give you a call so we can catch up.
Rach