Today was our 3rd visit. Only 1 ½ days left of being with Derrik before we have to leave. I’m so sad about that already.
We got to the orphanage and took him outside first thing. We arrive around 10am, and if we don’t go out right then, it is too hot soon. There are lots of kids here, and a number of playgrounds from which to choose. We are permitted to be on any of them, along with whatever groups of children are already there. It Is very nice.
We mostly sat in the shade, playing with the spikey ball, watching other children play, and feeding Derrick his formula pudding/yoghurt. (I’m not really sure what it is, but I can definitely smell the fruit) He needed a change so we headed inside. Derrick was freshened and the director offered to take us on a tour of the orphanage.
This is the 5th orphanage that we have seen, (3 in Ukraine, and 1 in Serbia). This place is by far, the best orphanage I have seen. It is fairly large, and one entire floor is for special needs children. The rooms are bright, colorful, decorated, plenty of toys both for decoration and in use, and they are well furnished. The children are clean, well fed, and seem happy. Every door was opened and we were invited to come in and see the children. We were walking through at lunch time. One room had 3 children with physical disabilities. They were each seated in a special seat (that fit THAT child), and each was being fed by a separate caretaker, who was looking at the child and talking to the child while feeding them. There is air conditioning, so the rooms are not overly warm. There are nurses and doctors in the orphanage at all times. I was very much impressed.
We toured a speech room, a music room, and art room, and a sensory room that was phenomenal. They have a toy library, well stocked, with explanations in English and Bulgarian for what purposes the toys can serve, and suggestions for extended use/therapeutic use of the toys. Then they have the large playroom that we have been visiting in the afternoon in. We toured all of the floors, and universally, the children were clean, well fed, and seemed happy. The director was proud of the fact that the children there do not want for hugs and kisses, but readily admits that it is not a family and a family is the best place.
We fed Derrick his lunch, but it was late by the time our tour was completed, and he was very tired, plus the fact that we gave him that snack, he didn’t eat it all. I think one of those a day will suffice. The director has agreed to make sure he gets that as a supplement if we supply it. We returned him to his room, and he was just about asleep by the time we got up there.
We were dropped off at a McD’s for lunch, where Jim tried the McShrimp. We then walked to the local mall, a 20 minute walk. Found a Starbucks there, so Jim was happy. We walked in the air conditioning and looked at lots of stuff, so I was happy. Then got a cab back to the hotel in time to jump in the indoor pool before heading back to the orphanage.
The afternoon visit was WAY too fast. Back in the large playroom, Derrick is just so calm. He preferred to be with papa this morning, but this afternoon he showed a definite preference for me. I sat and massaged his feet and legs, arms, and occasionally his belly. He is very good at letting you know what he likes and does not. We had told the director that he felt warm in the afternoon for 2 days, and has a rattley cough. The doctor came in to examine him while we were there, and pronounced his lungs clear. Then she looked at his throat, a procedure that he definitely did not like! He cried real tears. My mama heart just melted. He calmed quickly, and we had to return him at 5:30. Jim has pictures…..
Dinner back at the same place on the beach. When something is good, you don’t change it. We have 3 more visits with Derrick. We are trying to get things lined up to complete the 2nd part of the procedure as fast as possible to get him home.
I got a question about swallowing….I have not heard or felt him swallow his food much at all. He does not seem to hold it in his mouth, and he definitely WANTS to eat. Some comes out with each bite that goes in, and it gets pretty watery, pretty fast. It seems that the food just “slides” down his throat without him swallowing. He does have a pretty large tongue, with a fairly significant tongue thrust, but I have never dealt with a kid who I didn’t hear swallow his food.
He really was cuddling in to both Jim and me today, More eye contact. He closes one eye from time to time, in a classic “Popeye” look, we believe to focus on something. All we know for sure is that we are head over heals in love with this little boy and we need to get him home as soon as possible.
Until tomorrow….
Mary
Thank you to both you and your husband for sharing your journey meeting Derrick. Our Nathan is also 5 1/2 yrs..he was just 22 pounds when he came home in April from Sofia. He also doesn't really swallow...doesn't chew anything (doesn't seem to know what teeth are for). He is so skinny, yet his stomach is hugely bloated out. We've been working since he came home to get him eating "normally" but no luck yet...he WANTS to eat. He also is vomiting and refluxing a lot...labs showed H Pylori which is what I suspected. Perhaps Derrick has this?? I suspect we'll have to do another round of the meds for that and/or upper GI investigations. We may have to have him get "feeding" therapy if we get him cleared of the gut bug and he still won't chew or swallow. I hope we can resolve things for Nathan and by the time Derrick comes home, we can share what worked for him! Prayers that whatever is causing Derrick to not gain weight at a better rate holds steady until he gets home and it can be investigated!! Blessings, Jennifer
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