Our long, winding road

Adoption is a long, winding road, for sure. Every step of this adoption has been winding, with little surprises along the way. Well, guess what, “Surprise!” We are in the final stages before meeting little Sparrow. We still don’t know too much about her. I do know that some children in her facility don’t do very well and some have had very little problems. I don’t know where that leaves our little Sparrow. We have our appointment early next week and will meet her shortly after. We will know more then.

Here is what we do know:
1, She was born with Spina Bifida with a lesion in her lumbar region.
2. She needs medical attention.
3. In the US, children with Spina Bifida receive this attention at birth. This means her condition could be serious, if she needed treatment long ago. We will see in a few days. We are preparing for either eventuality. She may be at serious risk of systemic infection or meningitis if there is an open wound.
4. Children with her condition are prone to frequent kidney infections, due to paralysis of the nerves to the bladder, which slowly destroy the kidney without treatment and prophylactic care. That is routine here, but it is not as common there, particularly in orphanages where medical care is minimal. Not every child has this, but she is at risk and we are preparing for that possibility.
5. Children with her diagnosis have a much shorter life span due to the complications of Spina Bifida when they stay in the invalid rooms.
6. Other children with her diagnosis, orphans we knew of, have died as young children.
7. Without adoption, her life will be shorter and difficult. This does not even begin to account for her mental development and how life is without the love of a family.

In short, she needs out. She is pretty and cute and has rosy cheeks, but make no mistake, an orphanage is no place for a child, particularly one that has a chronic condition that requires treatment and could leave her bed-bound.

We don’t know a lot, but what we do know is enough to make us move. So getting the call a week before Christmas…Yep…We’re going. Trying to navigate the cost of Christmas flights…. still going. Having Christmas together over Skype…Yep…still going.

Because of delays in our paperwork, we were not able to travel until now. Travelling over the holidays has added to our expenses. If you would like to partner with us …

http://reecesrainbow.org/90245/sponsorwarinner