Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Our eldest daughter has been awesome and I'm seeing God doing a great work in her. We are having more camaraderie than ever before and she is a beautiful girl. She has struggled the most in her feelings about this little girl that has just become her sister and as others reject her or don't understand our taking her (here in Ukraine) or the hospital gives us new rules that keep us from her, this big girl's desire for her sister, protectiveness and indignation over other's negativity, rises. We have only prayed and watched and let her talk and not expected anything in particular from her other than co-operation with our daily visits. She is becoming her champion.
Gord's favorite things about being home...instant hot water, and clean drinking water without the daily buying of bottled water.
Update on Katia's condition
God has blessed us with 2 physicians that are ministering to us just because they love Him.
The first is a Ukrainian Dr. who attends our church. He came to the hospital Wednesday morning to meet with both Katia's pediatrician and her neurologist. He was able to take my list of questions and concerns and translate them to the Dr.'s and then get their answers and talk with me about them. I was able to tell them about the autonomic seizures that I've been seeing when at the hospital and that the staff don't seem to notice them. We were able to discuss her pneumonia (basically resolved), her weight gain plan and her seizure control. I was able to ask questions about medications she is on and what her plan for discharge is.
The staff were also able to tell me what the rules for the visiting of Katia are and how we have been breaking them at times. The ability to communicate is very important. We never wanted to break any rules. The staff have been bending rules for us which we didn't realize that they were doing. So, till the 10 day appeals period ends following our court ruling (ends Tuesday am), I can only visit her between 9:30 am till 2 pm and not at all on the weekends. When we arrive, I must check in with the administration and be accompanied to her room where I can stay for 40-60 minutes. The children are not allowed to visit at all.
However, Tuesday, it all changes. I have the rights of every parent to stay with her 24/7 if I like. I think that she is moved to a different room where there is a cot for me as well. She will have her new name "Russell" on her crib and we will be getting the bill for her care:) Her siblings can visit at that point. They don't realize that some of the staff were letting her sibs in and they are already adjusting to her. The doctor doesn't want sibs to visit because her condition will "frighten them". Too late. The shock wore off for one of them after about half a visit. The others are not shocked any longer but in their varying degrees of connectedness. The more the time spent with her, the greater the degree of comfort with who she is. That is definitely true for me. The same time I spend with her each day has moved from sweetness because I am giving this affection and care to Christ through her, to giving me great comfort and sweetness at the same time. I look forward to having her in my arms each day now, feeding her, changing her diaper, cleaning her mouth, holding her and swaying through a seizure, talking, praying, singing.
The second Dr. I mentioned is an American missionary and a pediatrician. He does not practice medicine here in a hospital, but he and his wife have a ministry caring for needs of HIV infected children in the same hospital as Katia, different building. He has been a great resource for questions and concerns about nutrition and airline travel scenarios. I feel greatly reassured and supported by these two Dr.s here. In a system where palms are greased regularly, sometimes just as thank you's in an environment where staff are very underpaid, our Ukrainian Dr. wouldn't even take a grivna for his travel expenses or time. He wanted to minister to us for the Lord.
Our next post will probably be from some young contributors. And we have a possible guest post in the works and several more with photos.
So, stay tuned and pray for us while we are apart from Gord and he from us?!
Gratefully, Heather