A Life This Big

It has been snowing since early this morning. Jacie awoke to a winter paradise...she loved it.

 

She wanted to bundle up and go throw snow balls at her brothers. I said, "Did you have snow in China...?"

 

She answered by bringing me a picture of a snowman and saying, "More...enough to..."

 

What she was saying is that they had a lot of snow, enough to build a snowman. When I asked if she had ever built one, she said, "No, I watch."

 

"You watched the other kids play?"

 

"No," she said.

 

"Oh, you watched on TV...?"

 

"Yes. This too." She said. Then she laid down on the floor and made a snow angel.

 

I said, "You made a snow angel in China...?"

 

"No, I see..."

 

I have figured out that she watched someone build a snowman and make a snow angel on the television in China but never did it herself.

 

You all are probably thinking, "Duh, I got that right away."

 

I did not.

 

No one has ever accused me of being the brightest bulb on the tree...

 

I smiled and told her that we would make as many snowmen as she wanted with all of the trimmings. She got very excited and ran to get her boots. Unfortunately, there is not enough snow yet...

 

Hehehe, I just 'got' Jacie with the infamous rubber dog 'poo'. When I was cleaning out my dresser this morning, I came across the fake 'poo' that I keep on hand in case of need. When I saw it, I knew that I better get Jacie with it so I took it to the bathroom and strategically dropped it in sight. I have waited all morning for her to use the bathroom and find it. Finally, I heard her yelling in the bathroom and knew that my target had been hit...

 

So very worth it. She was mortified.

 

"Someone disgusting..." I heard from outside the door where we were all gathered waiting to hear her reaction.

 

I knocked and walked in.

 

"Jacie, what did you do...?" I questioned.

 

"I no do it..." she squealed.

 

"Who did?"

 

"Loren."

 

Imagine her surprise when I walked over to it, picked it up and put it into my pocket...

 

It is now on daddy's side of the bed, waiting to surprise him.

 

She did go to the doctor Monday. It looks like she will have several surgeries in the next year. On the X-rays, they found hip dysplaxia. She will need major hip surgery first. I cannot explain very well what needs to happen but I know that her hip is not in its socket and needs to be moved over and firmly encased within the hip before puberty hits. We really want to save her hips. Hip replacement surgery is not forever, lasting only 15-20 years. She is only eight. That is a lot of surgery to endure. It is also important to fix her hips now so that if she gets married and wants to have children someday...she can. I do not even know if you can carry a baby with a replaced hip.

 

The good news is that she will not have a full body cast. It sounds like those are a thing of the past. She will have a full body 'brace'. She will be able to bathe and such. The doctor was not in a big rush to make this surgery happen. He said it needed to happen within the next year. We are in a bigger rush. Bart needs to be able to carry her still and the way she is growing...

 

So we are looking at February. We would like her to have the dreary, cold months to recuperate and the summer of freedom. Then maybe the next surgery would be in October/November.

 

We have not decided which hospital/doctor to use. I do really like this doctor. He is wise and very gentle with her. He understands that she might not have had any/much anesthesia for her first surgery. He is trying to allow her to get comfortable with her surroundings and him before he takes her to surgery. Choices, choices...

 

The following surgery would be to break both of her feet and reset them in order to facilitate less stress on her legs and hips as she walks. Just a little something to look forward to.

 

She will begin physical therapy next week. Its purpose is general strengthening. This should help her rebound on the other end of the surgery.

 

We have so much planned for this young lady...she must get through these life-changing operations. Then we will be all ready to walk forward, letting go of the past pain.

 

Pray for her, she does not understand as much as we do. It all looks like pain and suffering to her. It looks like hope to us.

 

We are blessed. We want the biggest and best for her.

 

~Angie