As most of you know, sometime last week, Luke was determined to have active TB (tuberculosis). He spent 2 nights in the hospital trying to get a sample from his gut of the 'bad bugs' (we heard today that it most likely did not work). We have spent hours on the phone with doctors and public health nurses and doctors trying to figure out the best way to treat him. It has been an exhausting 5 days. Once again, we have been ASSURED that Luke is NOT contagious in any way. Children are not transmitters of TB, adults are. Children are unable to cough deep enough down into their lungs to cough up any speutum besides, Luke has NO upper respiratory symptoms at all. You would never know this little boy had this slow growing bacteria inside of him. As we have been told, in children, tb can manifest itself in different parts of the body and come out all of a sudden as something big and bad which is why it is so important to treat it right away. Apparently, he was treated in Ethiopia but ineffectively...we just received records today. He started a 6 month drug treatment today, taking 4 different drugs on a daily basis then possibly reducing the number of drugs/treatments as time goes on depending how he reacts to them. The public health nurse is my new best friend since she comes on a daily basis to administer the medication. Our main prayers are that his body has not become immune to any of the drugs and that they can better figure out what type of TB it is so they can treat him most effectively.
The wonderful Sonlight women's prayer group gave him the most darling elephant quilt you have ever laid your eyes upon. He love loves it and enjoys pointing to each bright elephant. He brought that to the hospital and felt very loved. That was the most special present ever! June is quite the incredible quilter! We feel so blessed to have such an incredible group of women praying for him!
Day one at the hospital went relatively well all things considering then day 2 was HORRIBLE. When they tried to shove the feeding tube down his nose, he couldn't breathe for a bit then proceeded to throw up and cough up blood. He was quite traumatized (Troy and Luke). My wonderful husband spent both nights at the hospital with our precious little guy. We ended up refusing to do night number 3! I was having back issues from holding 26 pounds all the time when I haven't been used to it. The thought of a hospital bed was over the top.
On to more fun things....Luke is such a crack up! He is always looking for a laugh. Speaking of his laugh, it is this hilarious sinister little laugh that goes on and on. Lynda Burke prayed for a long laugh for Luke and boy did we get it! When we ask him to say 'mommy and daddy,' he'll say 'mommy and puppy' then he'll say 'daddy and puppy' then laugh hysterically. He love LOVES his daddy. When daddy gets home from work, he runs to him with arms up yelling 'daddy daddy' then he'll turn around and look at me and say, 'bye'. Really makes a mommy feel special. He loves for daddy to chase him around the couch then catch him and throw him into the air or onto the couch. Very fun to watch him laughing so much. When Cameron got home from football tonight, he ran up to Cameron with his arms out wanting a big hug. Cameron gave him about 25 hugs, he couldn't get enough. So sweet. He is still not calling the kids anything yet but definitely knows each of their names.
Luke can be a little spoiled pill sometimes and has had quite a few time outs for his tantrums. We figure in the orphanage, all of the little girls gave him what he wanted when he wanted it. So funny to think of a spoiled orphanage kid. He does NOT like his time outs and pretty much screams the whole time. Cameron gets VERY concerned that he won't like us. It's pretty funny. He's DEFINITELY two! He is extremely busy and into everything.
Cameron was asking if he himself was this much work when he was 2 and after I gave him a definite YES, he decided he would not be having children. After thinking for a bit, he changed his mind and said he would have children but his wife would have to take care of them. Oh dear. We have some work to do.
I think the hardest thing about having 5 children will be not forgetting one of them somewhere....seeing as that has almost happened a few times now!
We have so VERY much to be thankful for. Our little boy is HOME and can be treated in the U.S. and for his wonderful transition into our family. God is so good! Thank you for your continued prayers!
p.s. Troy is wondering if anyone can answer Marissa's question after going to the fair of, "What is the Bulls job again daddy?" Yikes.
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