Here is a post from my family blog that shows just how much of a difference a family can make to a child:
October marks six months home for Charlie.
When we met him, he was 3.5 years old and weighed only 16 pounds.
Charlie was very weak, and had just begun sitting up on his own. He
frequently fell over. Our 1.5 hour visits completely wore him out. He
had no language. He wore size 9 month pants.
When he first came home, he was quite sick. We were in the ER one week
after he came home, then again 2 days later for an 8-day stay.
Once we got him healthier, we saw the real Charlie start to come out! We
found out he's smart, a good imitator, and very observant. He's a quick
learner! He quickly learned his first word, "All done!". It was a long
summer as we met with many specialists and dealt with lots of fevers. In
his first five months home, Charlie had 5 ER visits, 3 hospital stays
(not including surgery), 2 day procedures requiring full sedation, a
sleep study, one failed heart surgery attempt, and numerous consults,
doctor appointments, xrays, and labs. And, finally, the heart surgery
we'd been waiting for!
Now, at 6 months home, Charlie has truly blossomed. He is my Superman.
He's gained a whooping 11 pounds, weighing in at 27lbs. He's now in size
24 month clothes and is finally catching up to his little brother in
size! He's gained a lot of strength and energy, as well. Charlie can sit
for long periods of time, roll across the room, and bear weight on his
legs for up to a minute! He works really hard at physical therapy and
leaves us amazed. He's learned a half dozen spoken words and around 30
signs.
Charlie is a completely different kid than the one we met in the
orphanage. He's come so far in so many ways. I am so glad God blessed me
with Charlie. I love you, rock star!
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