Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Medical Update & A List of Where We Are Today...

Medical Update:

Yesterday we took Sophia to the heart specialist and her appointment went very well. The doctor said he would love to know who did her surgery because they did such a magnificent job. He said that Sophia originally had two holes in her heart, asd & vsd. They both were repaired. She will not require any further surgery. Her heart is a little larger than it should be though due to all of the extra work it had to do for the three years prior to her surgery, so they have put her on some medication for six months to help it relax some and get used to working properly. We will go back in six months to make sure the medication is successful and hopefully discontinue using it and then we'll go back to visit once a year.
This was a huge weight off of my heart. We never truly knew for certain what was wrong with her heart, the information we received from China was very vague and we received nothing pertaining to her surgery at all. I was just overwhelmed with thoughts that something would be terribly wrong with my baby. I cried when we walked out of the office, all of the anxiety just washed out of me. I cannot live without this girl.

Our Progress:

Sophia is learning English at an amazing pace. Every day she has new words and sentences for me. On Sunday she traced the rim of my coffee mug and said, "Mama, this is a circle". I was just stunned. She has learned to find a way to say or communicate just about anything she wants to get across to someone. She understands pretty much everything we say to her and now the words are quickly coming back at us.

She is so brave. I am in awe of her inner strength. She is very eager for new experiences and loves to meet people. She does not cling to me at all. She keeps an eye on me to see where I am, but she freely explores new environments. She has embraced us as her family and really focuses on showing love to each of us. She and Eli are perfect companions and truly brother and sister. Their days together are filled with hugs and disputes.

She has gained almost 4 pounds since we got her the second week in June. She eats very well, but no over-eating or hoarding food.

I was very nervous about going back to work. I eased her into daycare. We went to my daycare persons home several times while I was home with Sophia. She cried for 10 minutes the first day I went back to work and that was it. I saw the relief on her face when I came to pick her up that first day. And she seemed to understand from then on that I would always come and get her and Eli. She now looks forward to going to see Miss Lynn and enjoys her time there. She has lots of hugs and kisses for me when I come to pick her up and jumps into our van eager to go home.

She is incredibly loving and affectionate. She tells me she loves me probably 20 times a day and I can't get enough of it. You can see in her face that it is truly from her heart. She gives hugs and kisses too. We haven't had any issues with her showing affection to strangers or people she doesn't know well. She seems to understand clearly who her family is.

She is very smart, I mean very smart. Her little mind absorbs everything. Before we brought her home, I had decided that I would probably keep her back a year behind Eli for preschool and kindergarten. Now, I believe she is ahead of him on many levels and that I would be doing her a disservice by not letting her go. I have decided with quite a bit of input from people around us to enroll Sophia in preschool with Eli this fall. They will be in separate classes. If she has trouble, I will take her out and wait until January, but I believe she will thrive. She is exceeding every expectation I had. Truly, she is gifted.

Sophia is still sleeping in the toddler bed next to ours in our room. I don't see this changing anytime soon. I think she will be with us for at least a year, maybe longer. I just know that this is her vulnerable area. She is happy and filled with confidence all day long, but when bedtime comes, there is great anxiety if she isn't near me. I don't know what exactly causes this change. She becomes afraid and helpless. So, I stay with her until she falls soundly asleep every night. She sleeps well and we have no night terrors. But I have to be with her for her to fall asleep.

I feel blessed. So amazingly blessed. I love being close to her. I love watching her become closer and closer to me. She believes in me and she trusts me and that feels so amazing. She was so afraid when she came to us. I strive to memorize everything about her. I now can recognize her a mile away like I can Eli. I know her walk and how she bobs her head back and forth when she runs. I find her exquisitely beautiful. I don't know how anyone could have ever given her up.

Today is her birthday and I have been thinking about her birth mother. She kept her for nine months. I wish I knew her story. I imagine that it was excruciating to leave Sophia behind at the hospital. I have heard that in China you have to pay up front for medical care and that heart surgery would cost 5 years average wages. It pains me to think she had to leave her daughter because she could not pay for the surgery needed to save her life. I wish I knew what happened.

And I truly wish I could reach halfway across the earth and bring her some comfort today. I wish I could tell her that Sophia is loved and growing and healed. I am certain that today she thought about the child she gave birth to and loved for nine months and had to leave. I want her to know that she is ok and that somewhere in the world, her birthday was celebrated. And somewhere in the world, a woman thought about her and whispered on the wind words she hopes will bring some peace.

36 comments:

Kim said...

OMW... I am sitting here crying.. Sophis is PERFECT and she does have the PERFECT family..
I am sooo happy for you girly..
so glad that she is doing sooo well and her surgery was sooo well done..
I can't get enough of her smile and her beauty..
I am sooo thankful to have met you in bloggerville and I know that we will meet in person..
LOVE YA SISTER....
Happy Birthday Sophia.. your birth Mom loves you as much as your MOMMY ....

Lena Just Lena said...

awesome-she's amazing....love to hear the details....thanking God for the good medical report too. Thanks for sharing.

Musings from Kim K. said...

Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. Sophia is just so precious (and a little smartie pants too). I'm so happy for you, Kimberely. I'm looking forward to getting the kiddos together in the future. Hugs.

Shirlee McCoy said...

Yes, we really were thinking the same thoughts today!

I'm glad Sophia is doing so well. She's such a sweet and spunky girl!

The Byrd's Nest said...

Oh I am so thankful for this amazing doctor's report! The Lord has healed her little heart in so many ways....He is faithful and you and your little girl are in love.....how could life get any better?

Somewhere In The Sun said...

Wonderful news! I share your thoughts about Sophia's birthmother. Olivia's kept her for 5 months...until it became apparent that she needed an operation. My heart aches for her.
I just love seeing updates on Sophia. She is such a sweet blessing!

~Lynn

Patricia said...

Wow...I've got tears streaming down my face right now...praise God for that wonderful news!!

She is such a beautiful, strong, brave, & very much loved little girl...I am so, so happy for ALL of you!
Hugs!!

Faith, Hope, and Love said...

I'm sitting here wiping the tears away...

What a beautiful, positive, touching, amazing post! I couldn't be happier for you Kimberley! Praise God that her heart is okay and that no surgery will be needed!!!!!!!!!! That is HUGE! I can only imagine the relief you must feel.

She is a doll! God bless you and your family, Kimberley!

Love,
Robin

Chelley said...

That is just wonderful news!!! my heart is filled with so much joy reading thi s post!!!

a Tonggu Momma said...

I loved hearing this! Earlier this week, after I had to explain the developmental milestone answers to the Tongginator's kindergarten teacher, I told the husband that this teacher has no idea yet how incredibly awesome my daughter is... to be where she is, after what she's experienced... and the same is true for your new daughter. Your Sophia Jane will simply knock the socks off of her preschool teachers.

Calico Sky said...

Sad circumstances on both continents brought a mum and her daughter together, only God could do that. I'm so happy she is well & healthy and I'll be praying that somehow her first family knows how loved she is.

Rachael said...

I'm so happy that everything has gone so smoothly for your family! Sophia sounds so precious - and smart!

Elisa...life as we know it. said...

Great news about her appt with the docs about her heart, what a massive relief.

She is learning so fast, she sounds totaly precious.

I too think about Zoe's birth mother, she kept her for two weeks which is long as most mothers are forced to give their babies away the first or second day.
As for Sophis's mom keeping her 9 months and then having to give her up, that must have been extremely hard, I hope her BM finds some peace in knowing that her daughter is being well loved somewhere else in the world and will never want for anything.
x

Holly said...

that totally made me cry.
What a gift.
Thank you God for choosing Kimberley to be this sweet girl's Mama.

day by day said...

Oh, what a beautiful post this is!! I am so glad to hear that her cardio appt. was filled with such good news!!

So glad to hear how well she is doing with her new family. Praise God!! Sounds like she has adjusted amazingly well...what a blessing!!!

Sophia is sooo precious!!!

Truly Blessed said...

Kimberley,

You and Tim and the boys are an answer to prayer -- I just know that Sophia's birth family prayed that their darling daughter would be loved and protected and given opportunities that they could not provide for her. I know in my heart that they prayed that prayer over and over for her, and you are the answer!

Birthdays are hard for Adoptive Parents -- joyous on one hand, but tinged with sadness for all of the unanswered questions.

Such great news on the cardiology front, and none of the rest of your post (about Sophia's smarts or her great attachment) surprised me at all. She is where she needs to be and is getting the best attention possible. I'm so happy for your family that you're all together now.

{{{{Birthday hugs to all of you!}}}}

Everything Beautiful Shay said...

I LOVED reading this post and seeing how far sweet Sophia has come. She is just darling and you are the best mom ever! How wonderful that she is doing so well and because so, she will do great at her sitter- and be ready to jump in your arms when you come back. So thankful her health is so great too- what an amazing story about the awesome surgery she had in China- very encouraging!!! Happy weekend!!!
Blessings!

Gail said...

I'm overjoyed for you all Kimberley...beautiful post.

And may I add that Grace's and William's bdays and adoption days are always bittersweet for me... though I celebrate those special days I always think of the women who gave them life and I believe only wanted the best for them and still love them dearly.

Nancy said...

Kimberley,
Did your Cardiologist have a chest X-ray done? We had one this week, and our Cardiologist would love to know what they used to hold the sternum together as it healed. Here they use wire which shows up in the X-ray. There is absolutely no sign of any type of wire used.

Sophia gained 4 pounds. Arianna gained 13 ounces the first 2 months. Glad to hear she is doing well. She seems to be leaps and bounds above Arianna

kerri said...

So glad to hear Sophia is doing so well!!
I often think of our girls birthparents and the difficult decision they made, I hope they hear my prayers and feel the love in their hearts that we have for Jen and Jill. I wish i too could tell them how beautiful they are inside and out and how much we love them.
So glad your little blessing sleeps peacefully and soundly beside you every night...

Michelle R Photography said...

What a great post!! I am so glad to hear that she is doing so well, and that her heart has healed!! Praise the Lord!! Happy belated birthday, beautiful girl!!

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

It is so great to see Sophia doing well... and the doctors appointment went well too....
I just got our car seat yesterday... I have been counting down other peoples days until their LIDs now, I am counting my own... I never thought I would see the day... hugs to you...

Juliette said...

Sophia is blossoming with your love and care.

Birthdays are always bittersweet because we can see how amazing our kids are but so wish their first parents could know too and be proud and grateful too...

thatgirlblogs said...

she is beautiful in every way.

Steffie B. said...

Crying...beautiful....luv ya girl! ;)

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

What wonderful news!! I am so happy to read the updates and see how well your sweet girl is progressing! She is such a blessing:)

Lisa

Dita said...

What an amazing post!

I don't know where to begin. I can only say that I am beyond thrilled for ALL of you, especially Sophia Jane! Her language skills, her confidence and trust in her family, her mama and her brothers and daddy.
I can't believe how she is speaking already and gaining weight. The daycare thing is fantastic, especially since Eli is there with her.

I imagine that her birth mother's heart broke to have to give her up for medical reasons especially after 9 months and I only hope that she can have some peace...I too wish she knew how loved and safe and healthy she is home with her family now.

So very happy for you!

Hugs,
Dita

kitchu said...

I am in sitting here, in awe of your little girl- in awe of you- I have no words. And happy birthday to your girl- I hope her China mom knows peace too and I will pray for her as well :) I'm also so encouraged to hear that little Sophia's heart is healing so well- in more ways than one.

God bless all of you.

Pug Mama said...

I haven't been over here in awhile - what a beauty!!!
what a blessing you have received - she is just simply gorgeous!!!

Kayce said...

Such a blessing! I'm so glad things are going well and everyone is adjusting. Sophia's doctors appointment must have given you such joy. So happy!!

Anonymous said...

Jane's birth mother is EVER in my thoughts. I was stunned by this fact. Your baby girl is doing great! WOW!

Carol said...

How much we have in common....Emily is VSD/ASD as well...given up at 7 months...she just had a birthday and I cried for her birth mother because I know she never would have given up this child but for the surgery..........it will be a painfull day when I have to explain this to Emily........

tracey said...

Tears here too. I am so glad to hear that Sophia is doing well. She is just beautiful.
Happy Birthday Sophia.

Alyson and Ford said...

Loved reading all about Sophia's progress and the great medical news! She is beautiful and will always be your precious daughter forever.

Alyzabeth's Mommy

Glinda said...

Beautiful. Powerful. Beautifully powerful.

mommy24treasures said...

what a wonderful report! I am so glad to read how well everything is going.
Night time has always been Caitlyn's time of needing to be near us as well.