Finish Line

He made it.

This morning we awoke a bit late...but motivated to peel that boy out of that STINKING cast!  It was so smelly, we felt we'd really encountered a sensory element of season of Christ's birth...the Yankee Candle company is not likely to produce the Nativity Scent (essence of ox, ass, and sheep.)  A new experience, indeed for this family, and a new appreciation for the humble birthplace of our Lord.

We uncovered some painful pressure sores on his lower back.  He also sloughed of an amazing amount of skin on his legs in his first two baths of the day.  He was fearful, as were we, as he sat up for the first time in six weeks.  His core is weak and unstable, but he gave us smiles here and there as he experienced some freedom.

I was very fearful as it appeared to me that his left hip (the one that has been twice operated upon) was not as good as his right hip.  We braced ourselves for the worst, and loaded him up to engage in the full-contact sport of getting in front of a doctor at the local hospital.

Our dear surgeon was so upbeat and gave The Charmer a high-five as we made it to the 15th floor.  He checked his hips first, and declared that the hips were STABLE.  (For those of you who have followed this journey, the last time we removed the a cast for his left hip, his hip came out of the socket nearly immediately upon the leg being lowered to a normal position.  It was entirely unstable.) 

The declaration of "they're stable" brought forth a torrent of tears from me...I was so surprised by the amount of emotion...but I realized how we've been holding our breath for months...actually years since we knew that his hips were in such bad shape and there would be no walking until they could be stabilized.  Then today, the revelation of a stable pelvis...and I felt remarkably unprepared for what it all means.

The surgeon sent us to x-ray which revealed that the left hip is not "as successful" as the right hip, but that the hips are healed and holding.  That the hips are "going to be just fine." The second update was about the femur bones.  Those bones take longer to heal than the hip sockets, but even the femurs are healing very well where a chunk of bone was excised from each thigh. 

Our only precaution today was that he cannot STAND on his legs for 2-3 more weeks.  He has to wait to STAND...

The discussion quickly turned from the hips and femurs to BRACES for his legs.  Where will we get them?  How will we pay for them?  How long will it take to get them made?  (Each part of this journey has been paid cash upfront.  This is due to the fact that as an adopted child, living abroad, the only insurance we can have for The Charmer is one that excludes his pre-existing conditions.  So anything related to Spina Bifida, scolisis, etc., is not covered by his insurance.  We have been ASTOUNDED by the provision that has come, literally having just enough cash on hand...down to the last $15...needed to pay for his recent surgery!)  So we need to find a skilled craftsman here in China to make the braces, inexpensively.  Or, we need to find a company in the States, or perhaps a charitable hospital, or even a company in another country that will help us make the essential braces that will enable The Charmer to stand and WALK.  Please be lifting up this next need as we wait the few weeks necessary to enable him to start standing.

Some are confused about whether or not he will be able to walk "normally."  Due to this damage to his spinal column from his condition at birth, he does not have sensation or control of his legs.  So, the braces would enable him to have a strong foundation on which to stand, and then he will use his hip muscles and core muscles of his abdomen to lift and move his legs forward.

He looked up at me today when the surgeon said, "he has to wait 2-3 weeks to begin standing"  and his face registered the awe at this new stage in his journey.  He asked me, "is he talking about ME, STANDING?" 

This boy has soldiered on through immense difficulties that I think perhaps would have broken me.  Months of bedrest, horrific traction, bone infection, massive doses of antibiotics, loss of any activity outside of his home...and he still has the courage to go on, dreaming his dream of walking.

I want to be more like him.

I want to be tough, and willing, and fearless.

He continues to show us the way.