Thursday, July 2, 2009

i'm glad i didn't know

We took Caleb to his first doctor appointment yesterday with the international adoption specialist. The bottom line: he looks great! His immunization records are superior and his current stats (height, weight, developmental milestones) are GREAT. Aside from a slightly awkward shaped head (from laying on his back for nearly the first 15 months of his life), he looks much like any other 4 year old boy. He loved being poked and prodded by the doctor. Really. He just smiled and giggled and thought it was so fun. The doctor couldn't get over how easy going and happy he was. She said that the other doctors will just LOVE him. Most kids aren't so thrilled to be examined!

Which brings me to my next point: other doctors. We have a LONG list of doctors and specialists to visit. Most involve getting opinions of when/how to further correct his cleft palate and lip. Here is the current list of appointments I now need to set up:


pediatrician - dentist - orthodontist - ear/nose/throat - craniofacial - plastic surgery - speech pathologist - and, believe it or not, a few others...


So, ya. I'll be busy running around and sitting in medical offices for the next few months. And you know what I thought when I left the hospital yesterday with this huge list of doctors to contact? I'm so glad that I wasn't told this last year b/c I'm not quite sure I would have signed up for this. I'm pretty sure that if I had been told that Caleb would require so many specialists, doctor appointments, and surgical procedures I may have said no. I may have thought it was too much. Too much time. Too much emotional stress. Too much money. Too much for me to handle. But you know what? It isn't. It's what our son needs and that's pretty much it. We'll do what needs to be done.


So today I'm thankful for what I didn't know a year ago. To think that we could have said no to a list of medical issues and missed out on this sweet thing...!

6 comments:

Tami and Bobby Sisemore Family said...

awww :) I loved the post and the picture! Isnt it amazing how they are our kids before they even come home and when we get them here all we want is to get everything they need as quick as possible!

hugs
Tami
www.tillGodbringsthemhome.blogspot.com

Jolene Powell said...

I know I'll be running around for all that too, but at Children's Hospital in Seattle they have have a cleft team approach. Do you have that as well? You basically get one appt and go up for 1/2 to a full day and see all the doctors at once. Tyson will also have a local pediatrician. Seattle is about 2.5 hours away for us, but so worth the trip! Oh, and Caleb is soooooooo CUTE! he has the best smile!

Andrea said...

AMEN!
I am glad I didn't know that Adam would STILL be sleeping with us......LOL!

xoxo,
A

The Gang's Momma! said...

Love this post. Isn't it so true?! But I remember feeling like that when I gave birth to my first bio. And that's after I'd spent so many years being around kids all the time. I think it's often a good thing that I don't always have all the information ahead of time :)

We use Children's of Philly and LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM! They have a team approach for hearing loss, as Jolene mentioned. And I just found out for a friend that they also have a team approach for cl/cp. I'm working on connecting my friend to them this week so she can have more "umbrella" oversight over her daughter's care. It's been a life-saver for us to have that approach, for sure!

Amy said...

So true, nicely written. What a handsome little man you have.

Amy

Andrea said...

Julia, the Children's Hospital here does a cleft team approach as well- Chris has actually been sitting in with the team!

I hope you are able to find something like that near you.